Day two of the EduSpark Summit included a bunch of interesting panel discussions. One of them targeted at ‘understanding the hiring process at the AVGC studios’, which saw HR professionals from various fields spanning across the AVGC sector share insights into what it takes to be hired!
The HRs from the well-known brands and studios also shed light on how challenging hiring the right candidate for the right position is. They went in-depth in discussing the required skill sets they look for before fixing on a potential candidate. The prolific speakers were: HR professional Aditya Pillai, Famulus Media & Entertainment HR manager Geeta Khatwani, ACK group art director Savio Mascarenhas, Technicolor Creative Studios talent acquisition manager Ashok Rajavel, Gamitronics operations manager Astha, and Games 24×7, VP, U-Games Avin Sharma. The session was moderated by AnimationXpress founder, chairman, and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari.
Kickstarting the discussion, Khatwani shared what her company looks for when hiring. She said, “When I am hiring new talent, the first thing I look into is the work portfolio; the hardwork a student has already put in before applying for a studio, the knowledge-base of the software, and the hunger to learn.” Unlike education, life is not compartmentalised into classes, subjects, exams, and ranks. Candidates must be prepared that it is not just one exam but an ongoing performance at a functional and team level that matters.
Collaboration within a group can help solve difficult problems. Brainstorming is a good opportunity for the team to exchange ideas and come up with creative ways of doing things. By working together, teams can find the solutions that work best. Commenting on this, Sharma added, “Skilled proficiencies is the foremost quality that we look at while hiring. But we don’t stop there, because we need a team that works well together. In the end, we bet on people.”
Technicolor Creative Studios cater to multiple sectors. Being leaders in three industry sectors: VFX and creative services, broadband and TV video solutions, and packaged media, Rajavel shared from his personal experience, “We look for different qualities and a multiple variety of skill sets since we work for different business units like VFX, gaming, cartoons, and CG. But most importantly, we look for candidates who really want to learn and grow in their careers.” Continuing from there, Mascarenhas, whose company ACK has been a veteran and pioneer in the comics domain, added, “Comics is a completely different medium. So while hiring, the drawing skills are the most important factor. Which school a particular candidate has graduated from does not matter, what matters is the portfolio.”
It goes without saying that different roles require different skill sets. While being a jack of all trades works in most professions, some niche jobs require very specific skills and it is only apt to choose the potential candidate who matches the exact criteria. Voicing her thoughts on the same, Astha said, “For hiring artists, we see a person’s attention to details and their ability to adapt and for hiring programmers, we look for fundamentals as the basics should be right.” She also asserted that in the present day situation, it is quite essential to make your presence felt. Sharing some tips on the same, Astha continued, “As an aspirant, you must make yourself visible on social media, be active on blogs, create your portfolio, and share your showreel.” Well, you have to be visible in order to get observed and absorbed; and we are not denying it!
Employees can add tremendous value by impacting the bottom line and by striving to be an irreplaceable spoke in the wheel of an organisation’s success. Pillai shared the key to sustain. He commented, “In this industry, the patience level is important, so is the thought process; it has to be on point. Apart from this, he/she has to be a good team player, that plays a major role.” Every speaker on the panel could not stress enough on the fact that being a team player goes a long way in ensuring a potential employee’s longevity within the same organisation.
Despite being bright, sometimes fresh graduates lack vision and are less patient. The sense of entitlement and disconnect with reality makes them set unrealistic goals. HR experts recommend that they should invest more time in making themselves better suited to the dynamic world. Undeniably, over the past couple of years, the number of skilled talents are increasing, but there’s still an ever-growing need for more talented individuals in this field.