Manikanth Challa’s brainchild Workruit is an artificial intelligence based recruitment app that is now adapting to the effects of the global pandemic. Workruit is a marketplace where employers and job seekers can connect with each other. It is an AI-based job search platform with an interface that is simple, efficient and discreet. It possesses tools such as skill assessment, instant resume building, and many more, which have been creating ripples across the country, owing to its effective functionality. Governments across India are exploring the ways of incorporating the concept of Workruit in digitizing their employment platforms for geographies. The Government of Telangana has already collaborated with Workruit and developed Digital Employment Exchange of Telangana, a platform to cater to the employment process in the state.
April, 2021: The global pandemic of Covid-19 is showing fleeting signs of its decline especially in India and that has severely affected countless individuals and their jobs. People have not only lost their sole source of income, but have been getting pay cuts, companies shutting shop and the list goes on. However, there are sectors that are hiring but the middle ground for employers and employees is somewhat missing and that is where Workruit steps in.
Founded in 2016, Workruit was founded as a result of Manikanth Challa’s observation on how tedious and unfulfilling a job or talent search process can be. Since its inception, Workruit has over 1 million job seekers and about 1.15 lakh companies signed up to the platform. Workruit has not only helped job seekers find their ideal job, it has also helped recruiters meet their suitable candidate.
The latest and most long standing challenge that Workruit has been facing is the coronavirus and its lasting effects on the economy. Many companies went out of business and had to let go of employees who had been loyal to their brand. The team at Workruit first absorbed the situation completely to understand, compartmentalize and define short term and long term goals and objectives for their brand. For starters, the welfare of their employees and their families was a priority which helped them make the easiest decision of working remotely from home. Since team members couldn't meet each other and discuss one on one the way forward from there, the next step was to simplify the app interface for users by introducing instant digital solutions such as instant resume/CV builder, and an instant skill and assessment tool. Another point of focus was analysing the marketplace and recognising which sector requires jobs/positions to be filled in.
Introducing the skill assessment tool changed the game for Workruit. It not only created awareness around maintaining and updating a professional resume but to also constantly be ready to upskill and not restrict oneself to limited knowledge or skills. In addition to that, team Workruit also identified that college students and those looking for internships or campus placements were finding it difficult to get opportunities or put together a resume that worked to their advantage. To fill that situational need gap, Workruit implemented two strategies that have proven to be working well; 1) Offer students from different segments of the economy (tier 2 and tier 3) work from home internships and certifications attached to them to help them stay occupied, learn and to also gain confidence during this period to eventually connect them to employers on the platform, 2) Webinars on career guidance, 3) Workruit’s Instant Resume (WIR) building platform and 4) Job opportunity updates via local vendors and newspapers in regional and national languages to create awareness for semi-skilled and unskilled individuals to work in the blue and grey collar sectors that were hiring during the pandemic.
The WIR is a platform where one can create an up to the mark resume in just a few minutes to be shared instantly with a potential employer. WIR is one of the only platforms in the world where a user can create a real-time interactive CV or Cover Letter on their mobile and web devices and can sync the information real-time with ease. It was launched in 2020 and already has 500,000+ users in over a span of 6 months and is growing rapidly.
Manikanth Challa, founder of Workruit said, “Since its inception, Workruit has been a bootstrapped start-up that wanted to make a difference in the employment world. We focus on creating and sharing opportunities with the target group via numerous platforms such as social media channels, groups, chat bots, traditional mediums and direct communication too. Our long term vision is to associate with national and international governmental bodies especially European and South East Asian countries that see a need for Digital Employment Exchange Platforms.”
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