Over 18,000 apply for Zomato's controversial pay-to-work job posting
Zomato recently created a stir with a highly unconventional job posting. The company's CEO, Deepinder Goyal, advertised a position for a Chief of Staff with a unique twist: instead of a salary, the candidate would be required to pay a fee of ₹20 lakh upfront. Despite the unorthodox approach, the job offer attracted a surprising amount of interest. Goyal has now revealed that the company received over 18,000 applications for the position in a single day.
Zomato will review these applications over the coming week
Goyal has revealed that over the next week, the company will review these applications and contact those we believe are the best fit. "We want to build a learning organisation, and we now know thousands of people who exhibit their hunger for learning and constant improvement, over short term constraints and their current reality of life," Goyal said. "We are going to find genuine intent and learning mindset from the sea of applications we have received," he added.
Applications have now been closed
Applicants categorized based on financial status
Goyal divided the flood of applicants into four categories according to their financial status. These include those who have all the money, those with some money, those who claim they don't have the money, and those who really don't have funds. The ₹20 lakh "fee" demanded from the future Chief of Staff will be donated to Feeding India charity. Goyal also clarified Zomato will donate an amount equal to a Chief of Staff's salary (₹50 lakh) to a charity.
Job offer sparks controversy and criticism
The unconventional job offer has sparked controversy and criticism on social media. Industrialist Harsh Goenka argued that the ₹20 lakh fee could exclude talented but underprivileged candidates. Other users echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the unique hiring approach favors privileged individuals who can afford to work without a salary for a year, and pay a substantial fee.
Goyal highlights learning opportunities in unique job role
Despite the backlash, Goyal stressed on the learning opportunities that come with this one-of-a-kind job role. He said that the Chief of Staff would get "10x more learnings than a two-year degree from a top management school." The ideal candidate for this position, Goyal said, shouldn't have much experience but should have great communication skills and be humble.
