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Associated Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
BOT Consulting forays into global market; expands its Global Delivery Center (GDC) footprint with a new Special Economic Zone (SEZ) facility in Rajasthan
JAIPUR, India, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BOT Consulting, a next-generation venture studio for Global Delivery Centers (GDCs), has announced its foray into the Indian market with its new SEZ facility in Jaipur. Spread in 2.5 acres, the 250+ seater delivery center at Mahindra World City, Jaipur will create over 500+ high-quality tech jobs in the region. Backed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Rajasthan signed on 10th Nov. 2024, further cements Jaipur's reputation as India's emerging hub for innovation, talent, and digital infrastructure. This expansion forms the foundation for BOT's vision of building sustainable, high-performance delivery ecosystems in Tier 2 cities that are ready for global transformation. As a Venture Studio for GDCs, BOT offers a distinctive model that enables global tech firms to scale in India. Its approach combines the benefits of SEZs, AI-led operations, and a strong values-driven culture to deliver enterprise-grade solutions with the agility of a startup, minus the complexities of traditional outsourcing. Driving this new chapter of growth is Manpreet Singh, a former executive at Salesforce and Wipro, who joins BOT as CEO. With over two decades of experience in building and scaling cloud-tech and consulting GDCs to successful exits, Manpreet brings a culture-first, innovation-forward leadership style that will accelerate BOT's global ambitions. Speaking at the event, Manpreet Singh, CEO, BOT Consulting said, 'At BOT, we're not just building delivery centers, we're building ecosystems of talent, culture, and capability that scale with our clients. Our model is designed for speed, resilience, and long-term alignment, and the success of partners like Cloudsmith and Hakkoda is a testament to that vision. As we expand, our focus remains clear: to enable global tech firms to grow with agility, purpose, and impact.' 'This is not outsourcing. This is asset-building. We're creating modern, scalable delivery centers that are tightly aligned to global companies' cultures and performance goals. Jaipur, with its incredible talent and infrastructure, is ready to lead this global shift. BOT's integrated approach transforms delivery centers from cost-driven extensions into innovation-ready hubs that contribute directly to core business value,' he further added. BOT's partners are reporting faster go-to-market outcomes, cultural cohesion, and high levels of operational performance through their India delivery centers. 'BOT Consulting has helped accelerate Cloudsmith's growth by establishing a high-performance software engineering and technical support center in Jaipur. Their ability to attract talent and scale up with us have enhanced our operational efficiency and delivered exceptional time-to-value. We are believers in Jaipur emerging as a powerhouse for world-class tech talent. We plan to keep scaling up based on BOT's strong culture and performance,' said Glenn Weinstein, CEO of Cloudsmith. Echoing the sentiment, Erik Duffield, CEO of Hakkoda (an IBM Company), added, 'BOT Consulting has been a great Global Delivery Center partner in building out our team in Jaipur. Their support has enabled us to build an amazing team with speed and in tune with Hakkoda's culture, training, and structure.' BOT's operating model is designed to solve the biggest challenges in global delivery—delays in ramp-up, talent attrition, and misaligned cultures—by embedding agility and ownership from day one. AI-native talent acquisition, intensive onboarding, and robust governance allow operational readiness within weeks. With a high retention rate, driven by a strong emphasis on cultural integration and employee well-being, BOT ensures continuity and quality at scale. Through partnerships with institutions like SKIT and LNMIIT, BOT is also nurturing Rajasthan's next generation of tech professionals, with 25% of its workforce drawn from local engineering colleges. The company's Śrī Initiative, its CSR platform, drives community engagement across education and environmental causes—strengthening the social fabric around its operations and deepening its roots in the region. BOT's emergence is more than a business expansion, it's a strategic blueprint for how global delivery can be reimagined with purpose, precision, and long-term value. About BOT Consulting BOT Consulting is a next-gen GDC venture studio headquartered in India. By combining modern infrastructure, Rajasthan's top talent, and its proprietary operating model, BOT builds scalable, transferable GDCs for global tech firms—with a culture-first approach that ensures low risk, high quality, and rapid time-to-value. Partnered with industry leaders like Hakkoda and Cloudsmith, BOT is redefining Jaipur as the next frontier for innovation. For more information - Photo: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE BOT Consulting
Geek Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
How to land a tech job in the AI era: Founders, recruiters, professors share advice for grads
From top left, clockwise: Wendy Hellar, COO at Prime Team Partners; Kirby Winfield, founding general partner at Ascend; Magdalena Balazinska, director of the UW computer science school; Prem Kumar, CEO at Humanly; Erik Moor, professor at Seattle University; Milena Marinova, CVP at Microsoft; Steve Krenzel, CEO at Logic; and Suresh Kotha, professor at the UW business school. For college graduates walking across the stage and into the workforce, recent headlines may spark concern. SF Standard: Sorry, grads: Entry-level tech jobs are getting wiped out New York Times: I'm a LinkedIn Executive. I See the Bottom Rung of the Career Ladder Breaking. Wall Street Journal: The 'Great Hesitation' That's Making It Harder to Get a Tech Job AI is changing what it means to get a foot in the door in tech. But while the ground is shifting, new grads may be uniquely positioned to adapt. That's one takeaway from investors, professors, and tech execs we spoke with this month to gather advice for the Class of 2025. Their insights offer a roadmap for young tech workers — and anyone trying to navigate today's AI-driven job market. Prem Kumar, CEO at Seattle recruiting startup Humanly Everyone is trying to figure out how to use AI in real-time — and Kumar says this gives new grads an edge. 'You can experiment, build, and push boundaries in ways many people with more experience might not.' Kumar suggests tools such as (for resumes and interview prep) and ChatGPT (to organize your experiences into a searchable reference doc). Non-AI tip: Focus on critical thinking skills. 'In a world where content is infinite and creation is frictionless, the ability to distinguish signal from noise and truth from hype is what will set you apart,' he said. Kirby Winfield, founding general partner at Seattle VC firm Ascend Non-technical grads who want to work at a startup should be bring something concrete — like sales leads — to the table. 'Quick prompting on ChatGPT can build a good lead list,' Winfield said. 'LinkedIn can provide individual points of contact. Showing initiative and the ability to use basic generative AI to help startups grow is a powerful combination.' Magdalena Balazinska, professor and director, University of Washington Allen School of Computer Science Apply broadly — across size and industry — and then choose a job that offers the most learning. 'It's important to optimize for learning and for growth, especially early on in one's career,' she said. Balazinska said companies want strong analytical thinkers with coding and communication skills. She also recommends getting experience with AI to learn its potential — and limitations. 'I recommend learning whatever tools they can put their hands on and, if possible, learn a variety of tools,' she said. Wendy Hellar, COO at Seattle-based recruiting firm Prime Team Partners Hiring managers now expect candidates to be actively using AI. But be careful using them during an interview. 'It's obvious to us when candidates are reading answers and they are not speaking for themselves,' Hellar said. 'AI-generated resumes are also easy to spot — so make sure there is key data and personalized language that reflects the individual.' To stand out: prioritize networking and be open to working in-person, Hellar said. Suresh Kotha, professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at the University of Washington Foster School of Business Use AI to amplify your skills and become more productive. 'You become kind of a bionic person with AI,' Kotha said. 'I'm telling my students to learn to use AI and show [companies] that you can improve your productivity with AI and you can go forward, and you can work with this technology and master this technology.' Steve Krenzel, CEO at Seattle enterprise software startup Logic Krenzel said his advice hasn't changed since a decade ago: 'Master the fundamentals, explore every tool you can (both old and new), and build a lot of things,' he said. Building helps clarify your thinking and improves communication, he said. Milena Marinova, corporate vice president at Microsoft Use free or low-cost training to get hands-on experience with AI tools. But remember that timeless skills are still valuable. Overall bias for action, risk-taking, and thinking of out-of-the-box are rewarded, whether you're a new worker or a senior leader. Critical thinking, problem solving, and having a growth mindset are also important, Marinova said. Erik Moore, cybersecurity program director and professor at Seattle University Understanding the privacy and security risks of AI can get you ahead and provide value.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why landing your first tech job is way harder than you expected
It's not your imagination, graduating seniors. The tech industry's pullback from entry-level hiring has reached concerning levels. LinkedIn's chief economic opportunity officer, Aneesh Raman, warned in The New York Times last week that "bottom rung of the career ladder' is 'breaking' as AI eliminates traditional stepping-stone positions. The numbers are eye-opening: hiring of new grads by the 15 largest tech companies has plummeted over 50% since 2019, according to a report released this month by the venture firm SignalFire, which found that before the pandemic, graduates comprised 15% of Big Tech hires, a figure that has dropped to just 7%. There is some good news amid the scary headlines. The tech industry isn't actually shrinking; instead, tech roles are spreading across all industries, from healthcare to finance to retail. Recent research shows tech jobs are projected to grow from 6 million this year to 7.1 million by 2034. Even now, software developers face just 2.2% unemployment, which isn't stellar but is half the national rate. The catch: companies increasingly want AI skills, with one survey finding 87% of hiring leaders value AI experience, while nearly a quarter of all job postings now require it, per the WSJ. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Wall Street Journal
18-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
The ‘Great Hesitation' That's Making It Harder to Get a Tech Job
The uncertain economic climate is adding to tech workers' woes. Those who have jobs are staying put, trying to figure out how they can stay relevant with the pivot to artificial intelligence and continued threat of layoffs. Those job hunting are finding recruiters insisting salary expectations be divulged in the first phone call, job postings pulled at the last minute and bots ruling out their résumé before it lands in front of a human. Companies are prolonging their hiring processes, leveraging contract workers or holding out for candidates who check every single box—and then some. 'It's the great hesitation,' says George Denlinger, operational president of U.S. technology talent solutions with staffing firm Robert Half. 'The hiring process might be two to three times longer than it was a year ago.' During times of uncertainty, companies are gun-shy: They take their time, fill only critical roles and raise the bar for hiring, Denlinger says. They previously might have required six or seven different skills for a given role but now may want 10 or 12, 'and those skills are associated with things that align with AI,' he adds. 'There are a lot of jobs, but there are more people looking,' says Steve Levine, a 54-year-old on Long Island, N.Y., who was recently laid off. 'Lots of things that I've applied for and targeted that I'm very qualified for, I don't get any response.' Levine has applied for around 50 sales-engineering and solutions-consultant jobs since January. He recently made it to the final round with one company and had to deliver a presentation in front of a panel, only to be told the company had decided not to fill the role, citing changing priorities. It's not you, it's us, he says they told him. Employment in technology fields across all sectors fell by around 214,000 jobs in April, according to tech trade association CompTIA, which analyzes data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The tech unemployment rate dropped to 4.6% from 5% the month before, according to the BLS data. But 5% to 6% of unemployed IT professionals left the sector in that period, says Victor Janulaitis, chief executive of Janco Associates. Tech companies continue to trim head count, putting fresh talent back on the market: Microsoft last week shed around 6,000 jobs. 'It's much more than the Amazons and the Googles,' says Janulaitis. 'It's all the midsize companies where there's an IT department of 20 to 100 people.' Janulaitis, who analyzes BLS data, says there has been 'shrinkage' in the size of the IT job market and that early-career coders have been hit especially hard because much of what they do can now be done by AI. 'A job that has been eliminated from almost all IT departments is an entry-level IT programmer, an IT analyst, someone who has got a degree in computer science,' he says. Companies have also shifted enormous resources to AI, leading to cost-cutting elsewhere. That increases demand for related capabilities, with nearly 1 in 4 jobs posted so far this year requiring AI skills. More CEOs are declaring their companies AI-first: Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn recently wrote in a company email that head count will be approved only if a team can't automate more of its work and that AI use will be considered during performance reviews. A recent survey of more than 250 technology leaders by Robert Half found that 76% reported a skills gap in their department. And 65% said they were increasing the number of contract hires this year. 'People that have advanced technical degrees are not getting responses from companies,' says Angela Jiang, who is working in San Francisco on a startup exploring the impact of AI on the labor market. Jiang worked at OpenAI until late last year, and recently held one-on-one meetings with more than 50 tech workers to answer their questions about how to stand out in the current job market. (There is a wait-list with 118 more people.) One software engineer with a masters in computer science lamented that he wasn't landing interviews; others wanted to know how to leverage their background to be effective in an AI-related role, and what more they needed to learn to be marketable. 'People are just scared,' she says. 'They don't know where they fit in this new world.' While senior engineers are still in high demand, companies have adjusted their expectations of them with respect to performance and seniority, according to Sophie Novati, founder of Formation, a job-placement and fellowship company for engineers. 'They are responsible for ensuring whatever code is being generated by this AI is going to meet the requirements of the organization,' she says. William Wilkerson, 32, was laid off last month from his job as a software engineer with Automattic, the company that owns WordPress and Tumblr. He is doing contract work while job hunting. He has noticed an uptick in roles looking for someone who can integrate generative-AI workflows and tools, and a noticeable dearth of midlevel job openings. Even with AI experience—he says he built AI software to determine whether a piece of content was suitable to have ads next to it—Wilkerson worries about the odds of getting his résumé in front of a person because AI systems in many cases have replaced human review. 'If you don't provide the correct little buzzwords, you're not going to get to the next step,' he says. Over the past eight years, hiring of AI talent has increased by 640% in the U.S., according to data from LinkedIn. Annie Murray, who advises tech workers on compensation negotiations, says the only people who seem immune to the current conditions are data scientists and researchers in the AI space, and especially those with Ph.D.s. The lopsided supply and demand is leading to harsher tactics among recruiting teams: Candidates can no longer push off sharing their salary requirements at the earliest stages. 'Companies will not take no for an answer for that question,' says Murray. 'The reason they're doing it is to weed folks out if they're too expensive.' Write to Katherine Bindley at
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Jobs with most holidays revealed – and the one where you get UNLIMITED time off and get paid £65k
IMAGINE having all the time off that you want and getting paid an impressive salary. We reveal the jobs where you can get unlimited holiday - and still get paid £65,000 a year. 2 2 We worked with recruitment site Adzuna to crunch the data to reveal the jobs that are most likely to come with unlimited holiday allowances. Software engineers, particularly those specialising in app development and programming, topped the list - and the roles come with average salary of £65,808. It's not just software engineers cashing in on this perk, though. Roles including data scientists, recruitment consultants and PR account directors also offer this attractive benefit. The tech sector has long been a trailblazer when it comes to flexible working and employee perks, so it's not a surprise that there are lots of roles offering the benefit of unlimited holiday. By offering extended time off, the industry aims to retain top talent in what is an incredibly competitive field. Generous holiday allowances also help combat burnout from demanding workloads, fostering better well-being and boosting productivity. Top tech firms such as Dropbox and Oracle are among those advertising UK-based positions with this attractive perk and recruitment giant Indeed has offered employees an "open paid time off" rule since 2016. Unlimited holiday perks - the hidden danger While applying for a job with unlimited holidays may seem attractive, it may not be everything that it seems, warn experts. James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna, says that many workers often end up taking up less than they'd expect due to company culture. And sometimes it can be the opposite. CharlieHR - an HR software provider catering to small businesses - scrapped its unlimited holiday policy after three years, back in 2018. Easy trick Brits can use to save money while travelling Without a set number of days, some team members weren't taking enough holiday, often feeling unsure about what was acceptable. This led to burnout and anxiety, with people worrying about whether they were taking too much or too little. The policy also created issues around fairness, with some staff able to afford more time off than others, and it caused tension when workloads weren't shared evenly. Jobs with large holiday allowances However, while unlimited holidays might sound too good to be true for most, don't despair. There are still plenty of jobs offering a whopping 40 days of annual leave. These roles are often found in sectors known for intensive working hours and critical skills shortages. For example, IT field operations managers, who earn around £52,620, often get extra holiday. Their job involves managing IT services outside a central office, often at customer locations or remote sites. They oversee field technicians, organise schedules, and ensure IT services meet quality standards. "I went from working 10 hours a day to having all the holiday I want and earning £200k a year" By Emma Robertson BECOMING self-employed is a great way to get better control over your holidays and working patterns. Sales and marketing expert Ross Jenkins was working 10 hours a day and never getting time off while working for big tech firms. But now he has all the holiday he wants and gets to enjoy more time with his son, Theo, aged three, and partner due to flexible working - and he earns £200,000 a year. The 33-year-old from Kenilworth, was working abroad in 2014. Ross, who founded Digital Me, said: 'I was working 10 hours a day, six days a week - I barely had a life.' Fed up, he took some time off to visit friends living in Barcelona before going to work in Ireland for a start-up. He said: 'I loved their way of life. They worked when they needed to and they weren't tied to an office for hours on end, so we were all able to hang out and enjoy each other's company.' Arriving in Ireland, Ross soon found out that they too expected him to work long hours and to be available on weekends with emails coming into his inbox day and night. 'Taking any kind of time off was impossible. I never went on holiday. My parents had to come and visit me, as there was no chance of being able to go home.' Ross started to crave a more balanced life like his friends living in Spain, so after a year, he quit, packed his bags and headed there. Without a plan, he rented a place, lived off his savings and slowly built up his freelance work. 'The companies I work for don't require me to be sat in an office from 9-5pm, so I can go to a co-working space at midday and work until 7pm. 'It suited me better and gave me more flexibility - but now it appeared I had too much time off and friends and family would ask me when I was going to get a proper job.' Slowly, he built his business up and the father-of-one now has 15 people who work for him. He is happy for them to take time off and to work from anywhere as long as the work gets done. 'Time is precious. I value the mornings I get to spend with my son before I start work in the afternoon or the time we get to travel together and I want that for the people who work with me.' Travel consultants also get more than the average - and a salary of £37,519 a year. This is because frequent travel is an important part of their job, helping them gain knowledge and expertise about the best hotels and destinations for their clients. While commercial property solicitors can get as many as 40 days of holiday, with an average salary of £65,333. James said: "Finance roles like this often offer generous holiday allowances as an incentive to offset a high-pressure environment and high turnover." Worst jobs for holidays British workers are legally entitled to a minimum of 28 days (5.6 weeks) of annual leave, including bank holidays. But, that's on the basis of being in full-time employment and working at least five days a week. If you work part-time, shifts, or project-based jobs, your holiday is less because it's based on the number of days or hours you work. According to Adzuna data, the average annual leave for these workers is around 20 days per year. For example, if you work three days a week part time, you're entitled to at least 16.8 days of holiday a year. You work this out by multiplying the number of days you work by the statutory minimum (5.6 weeks). So that's 3x5.6 which is equal to 16.8 days. Double your days off in 2026 SIMPLE trick to double your days off next year. The core strategy is to book blocks of leave around bank holidays, so you get extended periods off work while using fewer of your actual holiday days. The Easter and Christmas periods usually offer the best opportunities. For example, with Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6, booking off April 7 to 10 gives you a 10 day holiday using only four holiday days. Similarly, with the Early May Bank Holiday on May 4, taking May 5 to 8 off creates a nine day break for just four days of holiday. The same applies to the Spring Bank Holiday on May 25, where booking May 26 to 29 off results in a 9 day holiday. The Summer Bank Holiday on August 31 allows for a nine day break by taking September 1 to 4 off. If Christmas Day is on a Friday, and New Year's Day the following year is on a Thursday, booking off the four days between Christmas and New Year's can give you a 10 day holiday. For New Year's Day and other individual bank holidays, taking the surrounding days off can extend your weekend. By using this strategy, 20 days of holiday could potentially give you 47 days off, which, combined with the eight bank holidays, totals 55 days off work. For people who work irregular hours or only part of the year, holiday is earned as you work. You build up 12.07% of the hours you work as holiday time. For every hour you work, you earn a bit of holiday time – 12.07% of that hour. So, if you were to work 30 hours and are paid weekly, you'll have earned four hours of leave (30×12.07÷100 = 3.621). Workers can then take this leave from their next pay period. Often roles such as care assistants, electricians and catering staff come with smaller holiday allowances. This is because many of these jobs are on fixed contracts or paid by the hour, which makes it more expensive and difficult for employers to give extra holiday. Your rights to holiday WORKERS are entitled to take paid holiday, with each week of leave paid at their normal weekly pay rate explains Alicia Thonet, solicitor at Slater and Gordon. From day one, all workers are entitled to paid holiday, no matter how long they've worked for their employer. This applies to full-time, part-time, and zero-hours contract workers. The amount of holiday they're entitled to depends on how many days or hours they work, though employers and workers can agree to extra leave beyond the legal minimum. Workers also keep building up holiday during their probation period, sick leave, or parental leave. Generally, workers are people who are personally required to do the job, don't have guaranteed hours, aren't obligated to accept work, and aren't working directly for a client or customer. However, self-employed people usually don't qualify for paid holiday. Workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday each year under the Working Time Regulations 1998. For someone working five days a week, this works out to 28 days. Even if you work more than five days a week, the holiday entitlement is capped at 28 days. The 5.6 weeks include two parts - 4 weeks of basic annual leave (20 days for full-time workers) and an extra 1.6 weeks (8 days), which is meant to reflect public holidays in England and Wales. However, there's no legal requirement to use these extra days specifically for public holidays - you can take them at other times instead. If a worker starts or leaves their job partway through the holiday year, their holiday entitlement will be worked out on a pro-rata basis for that year. The contract or employment details will usually explain when the holiday year begins and ends. Employers can also offer extra paid holiday, but this will be outlined in the worker's contract and is usually called "contractual leave entitlement". Your rights if your holiday is refused Employers can refuse or cancel holiday requests, but they must give proper notice. The notice has to be given at least as many calendar days before the holiday starts as the number of days they're refusing. For example, if a worker asks for five days off and the employer wants to cancel four of those days, they need to let the worker know at least four days before the holiday is due to begin. So, what can you do if your employer keeps turning down or cancelling your holiday requests? Start by having an informal chat with your employer to see if you can sort things out. If that doesn't work and the issue isn't resolved, you can raise a formal grievance by following the steps outlined in your employer's grievance procedure or employee handbook. If the issue still isn't resolved, you have the right under the Working Time Regulations 1998 to take your employer to an Employment Tribunal. You can make a claim if your employer: Refuses to let you take the holiday you're entitled to or carry over unused leave. Fails to pay you holiday pay, rolled-up holiday pay, or pay for unused holiday when your job ends. Be aware that there are strict deadlines for making a claim - you usually need to do this within three months from when your requested holiday would have started. This can be extended slightly if you've gone through ACAS early conciliation or, in rare cases, if it wasn't possible to file on time. YOUR holiday entitlement is worked out by multiplying the number of days you work each week by 5.6. For example, if you work three days a week, you'll get 16.8 days of holiday a year. If you start or leave a job partway through the year, the calculation is different. First, figure out your full annual entitlement, then divide it by 52 (weeks in a year). Multiply that number by the weeks you've worked (if leaving) or have left to work (if starting). For instance, if you work three days a week, your full entitlement is 16.8 days. Dividing this by 52 gives 0.323, which you then multiply by the number of weeks worked or remaining. If you've worked 14 weeks, this equals 4.5 days of holiday. You can also calculate your holiday entitlement using the government's free holiday calculator at
