Interview: Anil Agarwal, CEO and Co-Founder of InCruiter (IaaS)

Interview with Anil Agarwal, Entrepreneur, CEO and Co-Founder of InCruiter (IaaS)

Anil Agarwal is a prominent entrepreneur and business leader,CEO and Co-Founder of InCruiter, a leading Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) company.

With his vision and leadership, Agarwal has played a crucial role in shaping InCruiter into a thriving enterprise in the technology industry.

Under Agarwal’s leadership, InCruiter has experienced remarkable growth and has established itself as a trusted name in the IaaS domain.

The company offers a comprehensive range of cloud-based solutions, including virtual machines, storage, networking, and security services. These offerings enable businesses to leverage the power of the cloud, reduce costs, and enhance their operational efficiency.

Agarwal’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to innovation have also led to the development of cutting-edge technologies within InCruiter.

He encourages a culture of continuous learning and exploration, fostering an environment where employees are encouraged to think creatively and push the boundaries of what is possible.

This culture of innovation has helped InCruiter stay ahead of the competition and deliver solutions that anticipate the evolving needs of the market.

As CEO and Co-Founder of InCruiter, Anil Agarwal has established himself as a visionary leader in the IaaS industry.

His entrepreneurial journey, marked by innovation, customer-centricity, and a drive for excellence, serves as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs and technology enthusiasts.

With his continued efforts, Agarwal is poised to lead InCruiter to even greater heights, empowering businesses with advanced cloud infrastructure solutions and driving digital transformation in the global marketplace.

What makes InCruiter a leading brand in HR-Tech?

Anil Agarwal: Currently, we are the only company worldwide that provides the whole suite of interview solutions, including Interview as a Service (IaaS), Video Interview Platform, Exit Interview Platform, and Interview Management System.

These solutions are made to cover every step of the employment process, from interviews and shortlisting to hiring and exiting – all under one roof – setting us apart from our contemporaries.

This has led to InCruiter’s leadership position in the market. In the next two years, we aim to take 25% of the global market

Additionally, InCruiter recently secured INR 10 million in revenue-based funding to market its products globally.

The company intends to quicken expansion in Dubai, Singapore, Canada, and the Philippines after a successful foray into the US market.

We anticipate this growth will increase the company’s revenue by 10X, with a strong focus on our star product, IaaS.

Soon, we also intend to expand the geographic reach of our products. In the next two years, we aim to take 25% of the global market.

Furthermore, InCruiter aspires to establish the brand globally as a pioneer in the IaaS and video interview platforms.

To focus on improving the current product for this market, the company is also in the process of hiring a team of experts in the US.

To speed up its hiring procedure, Taggd, a division of PeopleStrong, has teamed with InCruiter, a renowned provider of interview solutions.

Can you provide a brief overview of InCruiter’s history since its inception?

Anil Agarwal: In 2018, we launched InCruiter, formerly known as “TheInterviewer,” to cater for the hiring needs of B2B businesses in the digital sector and free up the HR department to concentrate on its core business operations.

With more than 250 local and foreign clients, our products Interview as a Service (IaaS) and Exit Interview Platform have helped scale to new heights.

Over 50 thousand interviews have been conducted and 2200 interviewers have been involved with InCruiter since its inception in 2018, and in 2022, we achieved 1.51 million interview minutes.

Our most recent video interview platform was just released, and the feedback from customers has been fantastic.

Our most recent video interview platform was just launched, and the feedback from customers has been fantastic.

By leveraging our in-house tech products, we will continue to redefine the hiring landscape to help businesses find the right talent in a timely manner. 

How does the proxy check tool contribute to improved hiring success rates?

Anil Agarwal: We have a uniquely tailored method for checking candidates via proxy. We make use of cutting-edge capabilities like AI and ML to authenticate the identities of the candidates.

Using the Face Match function, we verify whether candidates’ faces match 1 those on their government-issued Aadhar cards before they enter the interview room.

Additionally, we capture their screenshots and record interview videos for future verification to check proxies. 

Our solutions include InCServe, InCVid, InCFeed, InCExit, and InCSource. These can be fully integrated with any applicant tracking system (ATS) for seamless functioning.

What is your view on the role of AI tools in startups: more beneficial or problematic?

Anil Agarwal: One of the most important technological enablers, AI helps businesses operate more creatively and efficiently.

In fact, at InCruiter, we are developing new AI-based tools on our platform to do sentinel analysis of candidates during interviews, including assessing their level of confidence, anxiousness, lip syncing, etc.

Any organisation, regardless of its size or industry, can benefit from AI integration. It is a paradigm-shifter and those who are using it wisely have already had a profound impact on transformation. 

Why is Interview as a Service (IaaS) crucIndia’s for both tech and non-tech companies?

Anil Agarwal: Whether a firm is tech-related or not, having the ideal talent fit is crucial to its success. The best method to accomplish this goal is through IaaS.

In addition to reducing hiring burdens on a company, it expedites and streamlines the entire hiring process.

This allows the management to oversee other core activities seamlessly while the hiring process continues.

What is your perspective on the current state of tech startups in India, particularly regarding the recent layoffs?

Anil Agarwal: In the aftermath of the pandemic, companies were moving towards digital transformation, and there was an enormous hiring boom during the Great Resignation.

The average salary hike was around 110%. The overall revenue and expenses of organisations were impacted by this significant increase.

Many projects were also put on hold because the pandemic ended sooner than anticipated. Additionally,  geopolitical concerns fuelled the recession-like conditions and led to further layoffs.

Nevertheless, we must remain positive and strive to become resilient in the face of unforeseen circumstances.

Why are exit interviews, one of the services you offer, critical for companies?

Anil Agarwal: Exit interviews hold significant importance for companies as they provide a valuable opportunity to gather feedback and insights from departing employees.

When an employee decides to leave, they often have valuable perspectives on their experiences within the organization.

By conducting exit interviews, companies can identify underlying issues that may be impacting employee morale, performance, and retention.

These interviews allow departing employees to express their reasons for leaving, concerns about the work environment, and suggestions for improvement.

By actively listening to their feedback, organizations can address these issues and make necessary changes to enhance the overall employee experience.

Additionally, exit interviews aid in improving retention rates by identifying patterns and common reasons for employee departures.

By understanding why employees are leaving, companies can take proactive measures to address those concerns and create a more engaging work environment, ultimately reducing turnover and saving valuable time and resources.

Furthermore, exit interviews provide insights into the prevailing organizational culture. Departing employees can share their observations on aspects such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and work-life balance, which helps companies identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to foster a healthier and more supportive culture.

The feedback received during exit interviews also contributes to continuous improvement. It helps companies refine their HR policies, practices, and initiatives, ensuring they remain relevant and aligned with the evolving needs of employees.

Lastly, exit interviews allow companies to capture and retain valuable knowledge and expertise. Departing employees possess insights, best practices, and lessons learned that can be documented and shared within the organization, facilitating knowledge transfer and maintaining operational efficiency.

In conclusion, exit interviews serve as a critical service for companies, enabling them to uncover issues, improve retention rates, enhance organizational culture, drive continuous improvement, and retain valuable knowledge to strengthen their operations and create a more engaging work environment.

How can exit interviews contribute to the long-term growth and success of a company?

Anil Agarwal: Exit interviews play a significant role in the long-term growth and success of a company in several ways.

Firstly, they provide valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the organization’s practices, policies, and culture.

By identifying areas that require improvement, companies can make strategic adjustments to enhance their operations, increase employee satisfaction, and attract top talent.

Secondly, exit interviews help companies understand the factors that contribute to employee turnover. By recognizing common reasons for departures, such as lack of growth opportunities, poor management, or inadequate work-life balance, organizations can take proactive measures to address these issues and improve employee retention. This, in turn, fosters stability, reduces recruitment costs, and retains valuable institutional knowledge.

Furthermore, exit interviews contribute to the development of a learning organization. By capturing departing employees’ insights, companies can tap into a wealth of knowledge and experiences.

This knowledge transfer enables smoother transitions for incoming employees and allows the organization to learn from past mistakes, refine processes, and embrace best practices.

Additionally, exit interviews provide an opportunity for companies to enhance their employer brand and reputation.

When employees leave on a positive note, feeling heard and valued during the exit interview process, they are more likely to speak positively about their experience.

This can lead to increased referrals and a positive employer reputation in the job market, attracting high-quality candidates in the long run.

Lastly, exit interviews can serve as a feedback loop for continuous improvement. By regularly conducting exit interviews and implementing changes based on the feedback received, companies demonstrate a commitment to growth and evolution.

This iterative process helps organizations adapt to changing market conditions, industry trends, and employee expectations.

How do you see the demand growth in the next few years for interview as a service in general and the need for a streamlined interview tool?

Anil Agarwal: The demand for interview as a service is projected to experience significant growth in the coming years.

As companies recognize the importance of efficient and effective hiring processes, they are increasingly turning to interview as a service to streamline their recruitment efforts. This demand growth can be attributed to several factors.

Firstly, the rise of remote work and virtual hiring practices has become a prevalent trend, further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizations are now more open to hiring candidates from different locations, making virtual interviews a necessity.

As a result, interview as a service, which offers virtual interview capabilities, is expected to witness increased demand.

Secondly, companies are realizing the need for cost and time efficiency in their recruitment processes. A streamlined interview tool , like InCVid, which we have built internally, can significantly reduce time-consuming tasks, automate scheduling, provide video interview capabilities, and facilitate collaboration between interviewers.

This efficiency not only saves time and resources but also allows organizations to quickly identify and hire the right talent.

Moreover, InCVid enhances the candidate experience, a crucial aspect in attracting and retaining top talent.

By offering a user-friendly interface and a seamless interview process, organizations can create a positive impression on candidates, positively impacting their employer brand.

Additionally, the demand for data-driven decision-making in recruitment is growing. A streamlined interview tool often comes equipped with advanced analytics and reporting features, enabling companies to collect and analyze interview data.

This data-driven approach helps organizations make more informed hiring decisions, identify patterns, and continuously improve their interview processes.

What are the key benefits that companies can expect to gain from implementing a streamlined interview tool?

Anil Agarwal: Implementing a streamlined interview tool line InCVid can bring numerous benefits to companies. One of the primary advantages is improved efficiency and time savings.

The tool automates various aspects of the interview process, such as scheduling, candidate communication, and feedback collection.

By eliminating manual administrative tasks, it saves valuable time for recruiters and hiring managers. The streamlined process allows companies to conduct interviews more efficiently, reducing time-to-hire and ensuring a smoother candidate experience.

Additionally, a streamlined interview tool enhances collaboration and evaluation among interviewers and hiring teams.

The tool facilitates real-time sharing of interview notes, feedback, and evaluation criteria. This centralized platform ensures consistency in the evaluation process, mitigates biases, and enables more informed hiring decisions.

The improved collaboration fosters efficient communication and a cohesive hiring process, ultimately resulting in more successful candidate evaluations and selections.

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