The mass layoffs at edtech giant Byju’s have left many of its former employees grappling with challenges in finding new jobs, as several companies are wary of hiring talent from the embattled firm. The reluctance stems from the negative perception surrounding Byju’s work culture and business practices.
Vivek Mehta, partner at ABC Consultants, a leading executive search and leadership talent advisory firm, revealed that multiple companies have explicitly requested them to avoid screening candidates from Byju’s. This directive applies to roles across sales, marketing and tech functions, reflecting a widespread apprehension among potential employers.
“We have received requests from multiple companies to avoid screening Byju’s candidates due to the negative perception around the company,” Mehta stated.
“Concerns about misgovernance and multiple legal battles at Byju’s have impacted the perception around the company and the candidates that have the troubled edtech on their profile. In an environment where companies are focusing on governance, profitabiity and growing in a sustainable manner, these candidates are being seen as a risk,” he added.
“This outlook is coming from both edtech companies as well as non-edtech companies,” he added.
Mehta further highlighted that apart from the direct requests, the sheer volume of resumes from former Byju’s employees flooding the job market, following the mass layoffs, has made it increasingly difficult for their profiles to stand out or receive due consideration.
For some ex-employees, the situation is even more precarious. One such employee FE spoke to said that she was accused by her manager of mis-selling and was threatened that her next employer would be made aware of the alleged malpractice.
“My manager claimed that he would ensure that my next employer would be made aware of the mis-selling I had done,” she recounted. “This kind of intimidation tactics, even after leaving the company, has made the job search extremely stressful.” “With regards to the allegation of mis-selling, I have made multiple clarifications internally on this matter. I was only going by what was instructed to me by my seniors. It is really unfair that now I have to bear the brunt for this. I also feel that I am being targeted despite being one of the highest performing employees, for bringing up issues such as non-deposit of TDS, etc, on internal WhatsApp groups,” she added.
The perception attached to Byju’s seems to stem from various factors, including reports of aggressive sales tactics, and a high-pressure work environment. These concerns have led some companies to perceive Byju’s former employees as potential bearers of a toxic culture, prompting them to exercise caution in the hiring process.
Despite laying off around 10,000 employees over the past two years, with the latest round affecting 500, posts made by third-party hiring consultants on LinkedIn show that the troubled edtech major is looking to hire fresher talent.