In response to intense backlash over an unconventional job offer for the role of Chief of Staff at Zomato, CEO Deepinder Goyal has sought to clarify the company’s intentions. The role, which was announced on November 20, sparked widespread criticism after it was revealed that candidates would be required to pay a hefty fee of ₹20 lakh for the opportunity, in addition to working without salary for the first year.
Goyal, who had been accused of promoting a controversial hiring tactic, issued a statement defending the decision, explaining that the significant fee was not meant as a genuine charge but as a “filter” designed to attract candidates who would truly appreciate the potential for accelerated career growth. He further clarified that “most of the applications who have the money, or even talked about the money,” would be rejected.
“Something like this can only be pulled off once in the world,” Goyal stated, acknowledging the unusual nature of the offer. He reassured critics, however, that he did not intend for the practice to become a norm, emphasising that he believes in compensating employees above the market rate so that financial concerns do not hinder creativity or performance.
Update 3. https://t.co/8a6XhgegQM pic.twitter.com/1GOFIOta9O
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) November 21, 2024
Goyal also confirmed that the application process for the position had concluded, with over 18,000 candidates applying for the role based at Zomato’s Gurugram headquarters. “We will go through these applications over the next week and reach out to the people who we think are the right fit for our organisation,” he explained. He emphasised Zomato’s commitment to building a “learning organisation” and sought to identify candidates who demonstrated a genuine “hunger for learning” rather than those fixated on immediate financial gain.
To provide transparency, Goyal shared a screenshot of a conversation with entrepreneur Arnav Gupta to disprove claims that the ₹20 lakh fee was ever part of the original plan.
As the debate continues to swirl around the controversial hiring process, Goyal expressed hope that the incident would not set a dangerous precedent for the corporate world.
Insights from agencies
