CORPORATE STORY 6

              ROUND ONE IS JOB REFERRAL SITE STARTED IN APRIL 2011 BY NISHANT MATHUR, AN MBA FROM INSEAD WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH ACCENTURE IN ATLANTA, DELHI AND MUMBAI. MATHUR SAYS  HE WAS INSPIRED TO START THE SITE FROM HIS OWN EXPERIENCE OF REFERRING SOMEONE HE KNEW, “A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO , I MET A FRIEND WHO HAD MOVED BACK FROM US.SHE WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB WITH ACCENTURE AND WAS MORE THAN QUALIFIED  TO GET IT. HOWEVER, EVEN AFTER A MONTH AFTER APPLYING THROUGH JOB PORTALS AND THE COMPANY’S WEBSITE, SHE DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM THEM.  I THEN CONNECTED HER TO A FORMER COLLEAGUE AND AFTER HE REFERRED MY FRIEND, SHE GOT AN INTERVIEW CALL WITHIN TWO WEEKS.”

 THIS HELPED MATHUR REALISE THE VALUE OF NETWORKING AND PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS. MATHUR STARTED ROUND ONE WITH Rs 15 LAKH OF HIS OWN MONEY.  ACCORDING TO MATHUR, ROUND HAS OVER 12000 REFERRERS FROM 2000 COMPANIES, AND 400000 JOB SEEKERS REGISTERED WITH ITS SERVICE. THEY ARE MOSTLY FROM THE IT, BANKING, KPO AND CONSULTANCY SECTORS.ROUND ONE’S CUSTOMERS ARE TYPICALLY 20-35 YEARS OLD, AND FROM TIER 1 OR 2 CITIES. ROUND ONE EARNS ITS REVENUE FROM THE ONE TIME REGISTRATION FEE OF RS 100 AND THE ADDITIONAL FEES(FROM RS 500 TO RS 900, DEPENDING ON HOW EXPERIANCED THE JOB SEEKER IS)JOB SEEKERS PAY TO INTERACT WITH REFERRERS. ABOUT 30-50% JOB SEEKERS APPLY FOR MORE THAN ONE REFERRAL, WHICH HELPS BOOST THE COMPANY’S INCOME. ROUND ONE CURRENTLY EARNS ABOUT RS8 LAKH EVERY MONTH. MATHUR SAYS REVENUE HAVE BEEN GROWING AT 25% EVERY MONTH.