The CEO of a multi-billion dollar company has sparked serious backlash after he pulled a “stunt” by posting a job ad online asking successful applicants to donate thousands of dollars.
Deepinder Goyal is the founder and CEO of Indian food delivery company Zomato, which is valued at about $42 billion.
Mr Goyal sparked widespread outrage after revealing he was looking for a new chief of staff.
The ad starts out pretty normal, stating that the company is looking for someone who is “hungry” and has “grade A communication skills,” “zero qualifications,” and most importantly, a “learning mindset.” I did.
The ad specifically sought someone with minimal experience to have “no conditioning” or “baggage.”
Applicants said the role would involve working alongside Goyal himself and “some of the smartest people in consumer technology,” and that they would “learn 10 times more than a two-year degree from a top management school.” I was told that I would get “.
Then a problem arose. And that was outrageous.
Mr Goyal said the role was not “unconventional” and did not come with the “normal perks” expected for this type of job.
The CEO's “normal perk” was his salary.
The job description states, “There will be no salary for this role during the first year.”
Not only that, successful applicants will have to pay a total of 2 million rupees (equivalent to about 15,000 Australian dollars) in “fees” to the company.
The fee will be paid in the form of a donation to non-profit organization Feeding India, a food donation charity acquired by Zomato in 2019.
To show that Zomato is not doing this just to save money, the company is donating Rs 5 million (59,000 rupees), equivalent to the salary of its chief of staff, to charities chosen by its employees. He announced that he would donate $.
The company claims it will start paying employees in a year, promising that their salaries will “definitely” be more than $59,000.
“People apply for this job not for the high-paying, flashy job of looking cool in front of themselves and the people they want to impress, but for the learning opportunities the job provides. We believe you should,” the ad says. .
“In other words, whether you succeed in this role or not, think of this as a learning program that will help you move quickly, both personally and professionally. What we're looking for is , are learners in this role, not resume writers.”
Unsurprisingly, the CEO's post caused a widespread uproar, racking up thousands of comments and being reshared numerous times by stunned experts.
Many pointed out that the only applicants who could afford this “opportunity” were those who didn't need the job in the first place.
“What's the benefit of doing this? Are you looking for a trust fund baby that doesn't require money?” one person asked.
“Bad. This basically means that only people who are already wealthy enough to leave a salary for a year can get the job. The chief of staff job is not for senior executives, but for up-and-coming young people.” So only 'rich kids' can get this job, not self-made people,” said another.
Others branded the move “ridiculous,” “embarrassing” and “a complete failure.”
“Isn't that a job? It's a hobby,” one person pointed out.
Another said: “It's ironic that you're asking to go hungry and not paying.”
In a follow-up post, the CEO said there are 10,000 cases of people who “have all the money,” people who “have some money,” and people who “say” they don't have the money. He said he had received more applications. Money and people who don't *really* have money.
In his last update, Goyal revealed that after much backlash, applications have been closed and claimed that over 18,000 people had applied for the role.
He added that the requirement that successful applicants pay thousands of dollars in “fees” is “just a filter to find people who are free from industry constraints and have the ability to quickly evaluate career opportunities.” “It's just a matter of time,” he claimed. In front of them. ”
He claimed the company rejects most applicants with funds and even claimed that charging a fee was “not part of the plan.”
As “evidence”, the CEO shared a message he sent to someone on X (formerly Twitter) in which he claimed he had no intention of demanding payment and would “just pay it to the right person.”
Unfortunately for the CEO, the revelations did little to quell the backlash, with many accusing it of “publicity stunts.”
“You may have gotten 18,000 entries, but you've lost my respect by being a frivolous founder using your social media influence for such a stupid PR stunt.” one person said.
Another said: “Everything doesn't have to be a marketing gimmick!” Anyone who values learning but doesn't have the resources would never believe this is your plan. You may be missing out on a really important talent. ”
Some accused Goyal of “backtracking” after his original post didn't get the response he intended.
“This seems like damage control. This was clearly not a well thought out and well thought out recruiting strategy,” one person wrote.
“Is this an afterthought? If you didn’t want this money, why? [did] Are you holding a filter that excludes worthy and accomplished people who are probably the most qualified but are prevented from applying for this position? ” asked another.
