The CEO of Indian food delivery giant Zomato has ignited a public debate by advertising a chief of staff position with a unique condition: no salary initially, but instead, a Rs2-million (Dh86,940) 'fee'.
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal sought 'down-to-earth' candidates in social media posts on Wednesday night, emphasizing the need for 'Grade A communication skills' and a willingness to contribute to Zomato, its quick delivery business Blinkit, and other verticals. However, the job will not offer a salary in the first year and will require the candidate to pay a $23,700 fee, which Goyal described as an 'opportunity' offering '10x more learnings than a 2-year degree from a top management school'.
Despite the unconventional approach, Goyal assured candidates that the chief of staff position would come with an annual salary of at least Rs5 million (Dh217,350) from the second year if the role proves successful. The announcement has sparked mixed reactions on LinkedIn and X, with some business executives and users praising the steep learning curve it offers, comparing it favorably to an MBA course. Conversely, others criticize it for creating barriers for ambitious candidates who cannot afford the 'fee'.
'Love the creativity, but it automatically excludes ambitious, hungry folks who don't have that kind of money (middle class),' wrote Deepak Singh, a former Walmart's Flipkart employee on LinkedIn. Aparna Mittal, an expert on diversity and inclusion, commented, 'This looks like a case of the privileged creating *opportunities* for the privileged only.'
On the other hand, tech programmer Arnav Gupta welcomed the unique job offer, stating, 'If you're looking for a career in management consulting/strategy, this is worth waaaay more.' Zomato did not respond to a request for comment on the reactions to Goyal's posts, which have garnered over five million views.
Goyal is recognized for transforming Zomato into India's largest food delivery company, which is rapidly expanding into quick commerce, a trend where groceries are delivered within 10 minutes. Zomato's share price has doubled this year, valuing the company at over $28 billion.
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