Students, have you always dreamt of being a CEO after growing up? Well, what would you say if we tell you that you don't have to grow up to be a CEO? That's right! The Adecco Group with its CEO for One Month programmes grants this opportunity to one lucky youngster from around the world to make them ready for managerial roles. And this opportunity doesn't just stop at being the CEO of The Adecco Group India. You also have a shot at The Adecco Group Global CEO's position! Anne Soumya, Director Of HR, The Adecco Group India lets us in on all the rounds that aspiring students will go through to bag this coveted position. She also informs us about what they have in store in terms of future programmes. Excerpts from an interview:
Take us through the series of rounds and the bootcamp which will test the applicant. What will they encompass?
Applicants for the CEO for One Month programme, undergo a first-round where general applications are open to all students and recent graduates. Applicants must submit their demographic information, answer short-form questions online, provide their curriculum vitae (CV) and motivational letter. The Adecco India management team will review online applications. The top applicants move on to the round second.
In the second round, the selected top applicants have to submit a five-minute video about themselves and answer short-form essay questions. The Adecco India management team will review videos and essays. The top four applicants move on to round three.
In round three, the top applicants attend an in-person interview with the Adecco India CEO and management team and attend a country-level boot camp, which will kick off around mid-May. One of the final four applicants will be selected as Adecco India’s CEO for one month. In addition to being Adecco India’s CEO for one month, the Indian finalist also gets the opportunity to be selected to take part in The Adecco Group Global CEO for One Month Program. If accepted, the top 10 global candidates will attend the Global Bootcamp, a unique experience where the Indian finalist will get the opportunity to partake in challenges with CEO for One Month finalists from all over the world.
Finally, only one of them will be chosen to become the Global CEO for One Month of The Adecco Group and intern with the Adecco Group Global CEO, Alain Dehaze, in Switzerland.
Since one month is a long duration, tell us about the kind of decisions the CEO will have to make. In exactly what aspects of the company will they be involved?
The CEO for One Month breaks all conventions. The chosen candidate will not only work very closely with the CEO of the country but will be involved in the decision-making process. The programme provides them a unique professional experience, to work side by side with the country manager, learning about the employment industry, the operations of an international company, experiencing and developing their leadership skills, and above all, getting first-hand experience in decision-making which is very valuable.
What exactly will you be looking for in a candidate?
We are looking for ambitious, forward-thinking and talented individuals with a willingness to learn, adapt to the pace, take on new challenges and possess the will to succeed and make a difference.
What else can we expect the company to do for youngsters? Any other initiatives coming up in the future?
In addition to this, we also drive other programmes like Win4Youth that encourage our colleagues, associates and clients to participate in athletic activities to raise funds and to support children and young people to be work-ready. Our contribution to social value creation sets us apart.
We have made it part of our mission to improve youth employment rates and help employers integrate this talent into their workforce — particularly the millennials who now constitute 47 per cent of our workforce in Adecco India.
We are now witnessing how socio-economic, demographic and technological trends are rapidly transforming the workplace impacting both employers and workers. Our goal is to build an inclusive future of work with opportunities for everyone.
What do you have to say about the changing market?
To stay relevant in a labour market that is and will be disrupted by technology, workers must continuously develop their capabilities. We are experiencing an extraordinary rate of change in the competency portfolio of organisations. This phenomenon will only increase with competencies and skills changing dynamically: recombining skills and adding newer competencies. There is a persistent need for businesses, and employees themselves, to invest in acquiring new skill sets. From a short-term financial perspective, reskilling or upskilling is not a priority; instead, they should consider it as a long-term investment in value creation.
