Experience Not Required with Ravi Kumar ...

What do Larry Ellison, Ellen DeGeneres, Anna Wintour, Warren Buffet and Michael Dell have in common? 

Other than fame and massive wealth, what’s a key differentiator that sets these folks apart? Maybe Ravi Kumar, the President of Infosys can give you a hint…

“We have started to hire at Infosys without degrees and land people on an apprenticeship even if they don't have degrees, even if they've come from community colleges with an associate degree, or they have been in a traditional industry and want to do a mid-career shift,” Kumar says.  

But the decision to transform its talent pool is not the only unusual approach that Infosys has adopted. Infosys is flipping the enticing hiring process on its head and it’s potentially jeopardizing its business model in the process. On this episode of Business X factors, Kumar explains all the bold pathways that Infosys is following and what ripples it will cause in other industries.

Main  takeaways:  

• Degree Not Required: Thanks to technology, the nature of work is constantly and rapidly changing. Employers need to keep up and so do employees, who should be focused on life-long learning rather than achieving a singular degree. There are going to be more roles at the forefront of data and the A.I. economy, and the skills needed could be taught to those without college degrees if companies are willing to put the effort and investment into them. And if that investment is made, there will be a reward because there is often a greater retention and loyalty element when people without a college degree are given opportunities to train and get ahead in their careers. 
• Opportunity Before Passion: “Follow your passion” is a phrase often repeated but it could mean that people become close-minded to new potential areas of interest. Being overly narrow and committed to one area could also lead to missed opportunities and if this is not where your talents lie, lead to frustration. Think of life as a series of opportunities to develop several passions and you may enjoy a new opportunity more because you are good at it.
• Rising Tides Lift All Boats: Sharing technology or know-how may seem to go against the principle of competition in business, but by sharing information, more innovation can happen quicker, from which all companies and customers could benefit.

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