Employer
Capgemini
Position
Graduate Program Lead (SEA & HK), Senior Manager
Qualification
CUNY Baruch Masters in Marketing, University of London Bachelor of Science in Business
Has been with the company for
2 years
How has the covid pandemic affected your graduate recruitment efforts?
In 2020, when the pandemic started, we had to move our graduate recruitment entirely online with virtual interviews.
Our Interview/Assessment Days were previously a one-day event held at the Capgemini Malaysia Office (located at Gtower) involving case study presentations, complimentary lunch and final interviews with stakeholders.
In spite of the pandemic, we were able to recruit 51 new graduates across Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Philippines to date in 2021.
This is the first year that we launched the Philippines Capgemini Graduate Program whereby graduate recruitment efforts and onboarding were all conducted virtually.
How would you advise a candidate to make a good impression during a virtual interview?
We encourage candidates to prepare a conducive environment for the virtual interview.
This will include setting up a quiet and well-lit area for the interview, ensuring that their audio equipment (headphones and mic) are working well, and of course, dressing appropriately and professionally for the virtual interview.
We look for candidates who exude good energy, excellent presentation and communication skills. Additionally, candidates who are able to articulate and showcase their interest and knowledge about the company, as well as the role they are applying to, will make a good impression on our recruiters.
What is the one skill (or quality) you think is more important for fresh grads to have now compared to pre-pandemic times?
Compared to pre-pandemic times, one skill that is important for fresh grads to possess would be adaptability.
In the new normal, fresh grads will have to adapt to new ways of working i.e., virtual onboarding, collaborating and working in projects with virtual teams, ability to balance work and life whilst working from home.
How would you recommend students increase their chances of landing a job in our tough times?
In the current tough times, we recommend students to:
1) Research the kind of roles available and discover what kind of roles they are keen on.
2) Once they have narrowed down their career options, they should begin to tailor their resume according to the role requirements. Highlighting key skills, strengths and interests in their resume will help to boost their chances to receive an invitation for an interview.
How feasible and/or effective are non-face-to-face internships? How has your organisation prepared for this?
In 2020 during the pandemic, we managed to onboard a number of interns in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Being a technology consulting firm, we were able to roll out the offers and internships without difficulty. Our IT teams were able to allocate IT equipment to the location of the interns. Training sessions, day-to-day activities with managers and teams were also conducted through Microsoft Teams.
Interns were also able to learn about the organisation as well as contribute effectively across respective business units in spite of the virtual experience.
