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The country's <keyword id="20344433" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="forex-reserves" source="keywords">forex reserves</keyword> touched a <keyword id="19953076" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="record-high" source="keywords">record high</keyword> of <keyword id="22711333" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="USD-675-billion" source="keywords">USD 675 billion</keyword> on August 2, <keyword id="22204269" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-Governor" source="keywords">Reserve Bank Governor</keyword> <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shaktikanta-Das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> said on Thursday. The previous all-time high for the kitty was USD 670.857 billion on July 19 this year, and the last reported reserve was USD 667.386 billion as on July 26. Das said overall, the country's <keyword id="20811151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="external-sector" source="keywords">external sector</keyword> "remains resilient" as indicated by an improvement in key indicators. "We remain confident of meeting our <keyword id="22711421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="external-financing-requirements" source="keywords">external financing requirements</keyword> comfortably," he said in his statement after the review of the <keyword id="20104157" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monetary-policy" source="keywords">monetary policy</keyword>. Das said <keyword id="20015748" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-portfolio-investors" source="keywords">foreign portfolio investors</keyword> turned net buyers in the domestic market from June 2024 with net inflows of USD 9.7 billion during June- to August 6, after witnessing outflows of USD 4.2 billion in April and May. Gross foreign direct investment (FDI) rose by more than 20 per cent in April-May 2024, while net FDI flows doubled during this period compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, the Governor said. External commercial borrowings by Indian entities moderated, but non-resident deposits were higher in April-May, he said.

India's forex reserves at record high of USD 675 billion, external sector resilient: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das

The <keyword id="1370377" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BPM-industry" source="Orion">BPM industry</keyword> in India is at the cusp of a transformation and the demand for AI-enabled talent is set to surge, redefining workforce needs across the sector. “My spectrum tells me, in the next 3-5 years, there’s going to be an uptick in AI-enabled workers till the time that models stabilise,” said Nitasha Atreya, the Head of Transformation, Digital Operations and Platforms at Wipro, during a panel discussion on “AI-Ready <keyword id="20041791" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bpm" source="keywords">BPM</keyword> Industry in India,” hosted by Business Insider India. While AI has the potential to streamline many business processes, industry experts caution against relying solely on AI. Human intervention is still required, which means skilling new talent and upskilling existing talent is vital to leveraging AI effectively. Investing in these areas allows organisations to better meet evolving demands with a workforce that complements AI-driven solutions. <div type="Youtube" id="3ewvUSYfG1M" title="Al-Ready BPM Industry In India" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3ewvUSYfG1M/mqdefault.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ewvUSYfG1M]]></url></div> <h2>Why human intervention is critical</h2>As the demand for AI and generative AI models is rising among BPM clients, particularly for model-building capabilities, so is the demand for AI-skilled workers. “For us to have the right intervention for human-in-the-loop processes, it’s essential that we develop an AI-enabled workforce,” Mythily Ramesh, Co-Founder and Director of NextWealth told Business Insider. Ramesh shared industry projections that estimate AI could create up to 100 million jobs globally. AI models generate predictions based on historical data and probabilities, but human oversight is essential to ensure accuracy and minimise errors. “AI as an enabler or augmenting the human workforce is probably the way this industry is going to progress. With the risks that are associated with completely leaving AI to replace humans – it’s just not going to work,” explained <keyword id="23987938" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sundar-hariharan" source="keywords">Sundar Hariharan</keyword>, Vice President of Digital Business Experience Centre at Alorica IQ. <h2>Shaping the future of AI And BPMs with collaborative intelligence</h2>The panellists emphasised a significant challenge in AI model development: only 1 in every 100 models actually makes it to deployment. For all of these models, a rigorous process of training and fine-tuning is required, using either synthetic or human-generated data. This process is not just about feeding the model data but also validating the output to ensure it functions as intended. “There’s a lot of requirements for data training and validation,” said Ramesh, highlighting the substantial demand for data annotators, labelers, and specialists in areas like image and video annotation. These roles are crucial for ensuring that the data used to train models is of high quality and accurately reflects the task at hand. However, the skills required for these roles go beyond traditional data labelling. The workforce must move away from rigid Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and understand the context in which data is being used. This requires employees to make judgement calls that help refine the model’s performance, adapting to continuously evolving instruction sets. "It’s collaborative intelligence—human intelligence combined with artificial intelligence," Ramesh noted. To address this evolving demand for skills, companies like Wipro have implemented comprehensive upskilling programs. These programs are tailored to different business segments, from basic AI awareness (AI 101) to advanced training for developers, engineers, and architects—those working directly on the models. Atreya shared that over 10,000 developers and engineers at Wipro are currently receiving training across these programs. <h2>AI’s role in transforming BPM operations</h2>According to Suhrid Brahma, the Chief Technology Officer at WNS Global Systems, the core model of the BPM industry is changing. “There is a shift from focus on people, to outcomes and value-add as an industry,” he said. He outlines a three-part strategy for the upgrades needed in AI-driven BPM, beginning with AI in operations. By building an AI-skilled workforce and maintaining a ‘human in the loop’ approach, organisations can maximise the value of AI while keeping essential human oversight. The second area is AI for applications and platforms. Each BPM deal has a technological component, which varies from client to client, but AI should be woven directly into these enterprise systems to ensure seamless functionality. Lastly, he highlights AI’s evolving role in analytics, shifting from retrospective analysis to providing predictive insights that drive proactive decision-making across the organisation. “This whole industry will grow for sure. But the nature of work we do, the kind of value-add we do for clients and the kind of outcomes we deliver as an industry, will definitely change,” Brahma noted. <h2>Navigating an evolving AI landscape in BPM</h2>As AI continues to reshape BPM, the nature of customer needs is also changing. With AI, businesses now have the potential to drive end-to-end process automation, where one part of the process is handled by the BPM organisation and the other by the client, fostering a more collaborative approach to AI adoption. Hariharan noted that BPM providers are transitioning into more tech-driven organisations, as AI increasingly becomes a key enabler of business processes. However, the road to AI integration is not without challenges. Atreya pointed out several challenges like siloed technology limiting the potential of AI to drive meaningful results. Atreya highlighted that siloed technology often limits the ability of AI to drive results. Organisations must assess whether they are AI-ready, with a mature data infrastructure and robust data availability. According to her, the most pressing concern remains ensuring ethical and responsible AI deployment, as new regulations continue to evolve. For sectors like BFSI, tech integration is already advanced, but industries like logistics have an opportunity to leapfrog by integrating systems and running processes end-to-end with AI, according to Brahma. He emphasised the importance of data integration to fully benefit from AI. Looking ahead, the panellists see huge opportunities in sectors like e-commerce and automotive, where AI-driven services are changing the landscape. The key to success will be collaboration, integration, and a well-trained workforce prepared to drive this AI-enabled transformation. This article is part of a four-part webinar series in partnership with nasscom. These monthly webinars aim to delve deep and offer insights into the evolving BPM landscape. You can watch the full video of the third session <a href="https://youtu.be/3ewvUSYfG1M">here</a>. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on <a href="mailto:insiderstudios@businessinsider.in">insiderstudios@businessinsider.in</a>

India's BPM industry to see sharp demand for AI-skilled talent over the next 3-5 years

The pre-budget <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="economic-survey" source="keywords">Economic Survey</keyword> highlights the need for measures to boost <keyword id="19973896" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="talent" source="keywords">talent</keyword> and <keyword id="19959621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="productivity" source="keywords">productivity</keyword> through <keyword id="19974189" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="private-sector" source="keywords">private sector</keyword> investment, experts said on Monday. Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> tabled the Economic Survey for 2023-24 in Parliament. Rumki Majumdar, Economist, <keyword id="20006170" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deloitte-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Deloitte India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Deloitte India">Deloitte India</keyword> said the Survey has highlighted measures to boost talent and productivity through private sector investment in <keyword id="20077463" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="skills" source="keywords">skills</keyword> (in addition to what the government is initiating), physical and digital connectivity and building state capacity and capabilities. She said <keyword id="19910977" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MSMEs" source="keywords">MSMEs</keyword>, agriculture, education and <keyword id="19898684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment" source="keywords">employment</keyword>, and upskilling as key pillars for uplifting the masses through jobs, income and skills. Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist and Head - Research &amp; Outreach, ICRA said the Survey stresses that in the medium term, growth needs to be supported by the private corporate sector as well as the state governments. On inflation, she said that "managing inflation is not just the prerogative of the RBI and its MPC, and would require active intervention by the Centre, especially in the arena of food price management. The realisation of both these paradigms is crucial to ensure an optimal growth-inflation mix over the medium term."

Survey highlights need for private investments to boost talent, productivity: Experts

Ahead of the union <keyword id="19936553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget" source="keywords">budget</keyword> 2024, which is set to be presented on the 22nd July, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman kicked off pre-budget consultations on 19th June. In their pre-budget memorandum to the <keyword id="19900485" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-ministry" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="finance ministry" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="finance ministry">finance ministry</keyword>, the <keyword id="20366533" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PHD-Chamber-of-Commerce-and-Industry" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry">PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry</keyword> proposed 10 reforms it deemed essential for <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>’s journey towards <keyword id="19916816" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viksit-Bharat" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Viksit Bharat" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Viksit Bharat">Viksit Bharat</keyword>. Amongst the proposals submitted were introducing reforms to enhance the share of the manufacturing sector in India’s <keyword id="19904293" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GDP" source="keywords">GDP</keyword> to 25% by 2030, and the expansion of the <keyword id="19981334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PLI-scheme" source="keywords">PLI scheme</keyword> beyond its existing scope of 14 sectors. In addition to this, <keyword id="20366532" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="PHDCCI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="PHDCCI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="PHDCCI">PHDCCI</keyword> also emphasised on rationalising direct taxes for the middle class, infrastructure enhancement and smart village development, with special focus on tier-2 and 3 cities. As per Sanjeev Agrawal, President, PHDCCI, “In order to strengthen the share of the manufacturing sector in the country's GDP, we recommend the status quo on the corporate tax rate at 22% for existing companies and 15% for new manufacturing companies incorporated after October 1, 2019. The middle class must be spared from the 30% tax rate and this rate must be applicable only to those with taxable income above Rs. 40 lakh, this will support consumption demand in this country”. In addition to this, PHDCCI also emphasised on strengthening linkages between universities and industries for bettering research and development activities in the country, and also appealed for reducing cost of doing business. Here’s a snapshot of some prominent demands placed forth by the PHDCCI ahead of the budget : <ol><li>Change in NPA classification limit from the present 90 days to 180 days</li><li>Fostering AI education, skill development and competitiveness in the service sector</li><li>Increase agricultural exports to US$100 billion in the next 3 years via increased public investments in infrastructure,</li><li>Ensure the presence of schools within a radius of 1 km, colleges within a 10 km radius and universities within a 25 km radius in the next five years.</li><li>Make health centres available within the radius of 1 km and hospitals within the radius of 10 km.</li><li>Propose a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS) for legal cases older than 10 years, offering settlement opportunities at a nominal 15% penalty. </li></ol>

Bolster manufacturing sector, consumption this budget: PHDCCI to FinMin

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia almost tripled its defense spending to finance its invasion of Ukraine.</li><li>Defense firms are busy — but high inflation and interest rates past 20% have left them struggling.</li></ul>In Russia's defense sector, demand is surging — but its companies are struggling all the same.The Kremlin is seeking ever more weapons for its attack on Ukraine.But sky-high interest rates are leaving companies struggling to turn a profit, a prominent CEO recently said.Sergei Chemezov, CEO of the defense conglomerate Rostec, sounded the alarm in an address to Russian senators in late October.He <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.rbc.ru/economics/23/10/2024/6718c36a9a79476b774f1989">said</a> "record" interest rates were "eating up" the profit from its orders.<h2 id="f760578d-7185-4150-bf09-fde6f3d70c06">Debt trap</h2>He said clients tended to pay 30%-40% of an order's value in advance, leaving the firm to borrow the rest.That debt, he said, was so expensive that it canceled out any profit on the work."If we continue to work like this, then most of our enterprises will go bankrupt," he said.A few days after he spoke, Russia's central bank <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-central-bank-raises-key-interest-rate-to-21-2024-10">hiked its main interest rate further still</a>, from 19% to 21%.Rostec is not alone in its predicament, economic analysts told Business Insider.Rising interest rates and export bans were eroding Russian defense companies' profits across the board, they said, making the Russian state the only guarantor of revenues.<h2 id="b9ad0c28-486e-4588-b4c2-4b027ca1e40d">Sustaining the war machine</h2>Since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine about two and a half years ago, the Kremlin has taken a slew of measures to keep its defense sector pumping out tanks, ammunition, drones, and missiles.It restructured its economy to prioritize the war, imposed export bans, tapped its national wealth fund, and strengthened trade with non-Western countries.Its defense budget soared, from $59 billion in 2022 to $109 billion in 2023.It's heading for an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.sipri.org/media/newsletter/2023-december">estimated $140 billion</a> in 2024, with a draft budget forecasting $145 billion for 2025.That figure would represent 6.3% of Russian GDP, the highest share since Soviet times.That spending has consequences, said Roman Sheremeta, an associate professor of economics at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University."The government pumped enormous sums of money to support the war efforts," he told Business Insider. "And the Russian reserves have been almost depleted."The liquid assets of Russia's national wealth fund dropped by almost half, from 8.9 trillion rubles (about $91 billion) before the war to 5 trillion rubles (about $51 billion) at the end of last year, Bloomberg <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-17/war-in-ukraine-drains-nearly-half-of-accessible-russian-reserves">reported</a> in January, citing Finance Ministry data."The Kremlin cannot afford defense companies to go bankrupt," Sheremeta said.<h2 id="86664911-b4d8-4aec-ad9a-8c27b113bb7b">A 'death spiral'</h2>While huge defense expenditures have contributed to economic growth in Russia and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-ukraine-war-moscow-military-spending-currency-inflation-budget-2024-9">averted a recession</a>, they also fueled inflation.When it hiked the key interest rate to 21%, Russia's central bank said its mission was to tame inflation.In September, Russia's annual inflation rate rose to 8.6%, far above its 4% target.Sheremeta described the situation as a "death spiral," where war spending begets more inflation, which requires more war spending."What is even worse for those companies," he said of the defense firms, "is that they cannot export due to sanctions and sell their weapons for US dollars or Euros."Daniel Treisman, a professor of political science at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, said Russia could end up with hyperinflation."As the budget deficit rises in the face of military costs, the need to cover part of it by printing money will drive prices ever higher, and the Central Bank will have to hike interest rates further to slow them," he said.<h2 id="2a236608-2617-4e7e-8687-d480f19dea32">A crisis point — but not yet</h2>The experts BI spoke to both said Russia could sustain its spending for a year or more before a crisis point.Some see even more runway.Iikka Korhonen, the head of research at the Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies, said defense companies won't be allowed to go bankrupt, and would instead be restructured or bailed out.Russia has done that before, saving indebted defense firms in 2016 during an earlier financial crisis.If that doesn't fix the problem, "other sectors will be cut" to keep defense firms going, Korhonen said.Julian Cooper, Professor Emeritus at the Centre for Russian and East European Studies of the University of Birmingham, made similar remarks."If some defense companies cannot fulfill their obligations, the Kremlin can simply nationalize them," Sheremeta said.Konstantin Sonin, a professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, forecast a dark economic future ahead for Russia due in part to "borrowing" funds from the future.In an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-ukraine-war-outlook-moscow-sanctions-west-firms-uchicago-2024-10">op-ed</a> for Project Syndicate earlier this month, Sonin wrote that massive investment in military production at the expense of key public spending programs may strengthen Putin's hand in the short term."But it sets a time bomb under longer-term economic development," he wrote."Whenever the Ukraine war ends and Russia returns to international trade (beyond raw materials), all the nationalizations of recent years will come back to haunt it," he wrote.

Russia's defense sector is running on overdrive — but firms are warning of bankruptcy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Landing a job in venture capital is notoriously difficult because it's so competitive.</li><li>Emma Halls, a Stem7 Executive Search recruiter, shares what VC firms are looking for in candidates.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Emma Halls, a director at Stem7 Executive Search, a recruitment firm for the financial services industry. Business Insider has verified her employment. The following has been edited for length and clarity.Venture capital is one of the hardest sectors to get into because it's so competitive.As a recruiter for Stem7 Executive Search, I specialize in placing candidates in venture capital and private equity, particularly in early-stage investment firms. We work with VC firms in London, Palo Alto, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, Munich, and New York. For junior roles, our clients prefer candidates with a background in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cfa-exam-age-dropping-more-college-students-finance-internships-resume-2024-7">investment banking</a> or management <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/consulting-firms-mckinsey-bcg-accenture-workers-leaving-2024-9">consulting</a>. But that alone is not enough to land a job in VC. It's beneficial if someone has work experience in technology or startups. But they're also looking for candidates whose CVs show they're actually passionate about the whole VC ecosystem. It's not enough to just say you're passionate on your CV — you need to showcase this through your experience.<h2 id="a5921397-b7d7-4bbe-9074-237fd5ad561f">VC firms look for networkers and disruptors </h2>This could be through their education; candidates might have done a science or engineering degree and shown they're curious about how things work. It could be through starting an initiative themselves, such as a university society, or building an app with friends. This shows VC firms that the candidates were always doing things that created some kind of disruption.One thing we tell candidates is that they're entering a highly-networked industry. VC firms want to know if applicants have been able to network themselves into some kind of startup role or internship. Have they reached out to people in the ecosystem to build contacts? Have they entered any competitions at university related to startups or business? These things will show a venture capital fund that's hiring that this person's got something extra about them.A key quality our clients look for is the ability to build interpersonal relationships. Have applicants been able to communicate with people and build relationships? Not just talk to people but actually build relationships, which means keeping in touch with that person consistently. The other trait they look out for is emotional intelligence, which comes out more in interviews.<h2 id="f0c2a601-5e0a-49bc-b1ec-c129ec13c50f">Nailing the interview</h2>Before candidates get to the interview stage, they need to look at what this specific fund does and the industries it operates in. What areas and companies are these particular venture capital funds investing in? What stage of investment are they looking at?There's no point applying to a biotech firm and saying they're really interested in AI. Usually, the process would be that if they get to the interview stage, they will then be asked to talk through their background. They'd be asked questions like, "If you were going to invest in any market at the moment, what would that be?"<div type="image" title="Emma Halls" height="750" width="1050" msid="115087248" hostid="261" sizebytes="18462"></div>There are some hot markets out there that our clients are quite interested in candidates having experience in. This includes, but is not limited to, artificial intelligence, biotech and healthtech, climate tech, and financial services.So, if candidates come to an interview, the person interviewing them will want to know, "What are the investments that we do within our portfolio? Which one do they like? Which one would they invest in and why? Which one would they back to do really well?" They want to know that the candidate has done a lot of research on their portfolio before they go into the firm.<h2 id="ccde81f1-f933-4a62-88f8-e954c7eb9dac">Candidates without a finance background can stand out</h2>Over the last five years, we've seen <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/landed-vc-job-varied-resume-diverse-experience-resume-2024-8">many different routes</a> into venture capital. People have networked in these areas, and we would advise candidates to absorb all the information available to them via podcasts and social media. That will help candidates learn more about the areas, but they will also know themselves if they have that real passion and curiosity that will set them apart.Also, for more niche funds, such as biotech and health, we've seen doctors and people with a background in life sciences apply to those areas.<h2 id="82da002c-bffb-4e45-97b3-8250d61f3968">Share what podcasts you listen to </h2>One of the common mistakes candidates make is not listing enough on their CV about all the things they have done that make them stand out. They should ensure they've listed everything they've done at university, what they're doing outside work, all the research they've done, and even what podcasts they listen to.Candidates often forget they need to showcase why they think they will be good for the firm. So rather than saying, "I want to have a chance to come and join your firm because your firm is really exciting," what they should be writing about is, "I would really like to have the opportunity to interview with you because I think I could contribute in these ways."<h2 id="3dc1814e-9702-4ae3-8680-af360d213601">Avoid lengthy cover letters </h2>Often, a candidate might write a very, very long cover letter, and essentially, that is not needed. They might trip themselves up unknowingly. Our advice for candidates is that it's fine to write a few sentences on why specifically they would like to join that organization and why they really like the company's portfolio. They should outline why they feel that the skills they have are in line with what the company looks for at that level.If I look at why our candidates get turned down from actual interviews, it's often because they don't exemplify that they have certain soft skills. Can they communicate? It's very easy for candidates to be consumed by their phones instead of talking to people face to face — which will come out in interviews if they don't have those coveted communication skills.

I recruit for VC firms. Soft skills and podcasts can help candidates stand out in a competitive field.    

Small and medium enterprises (<keyword id="20086849" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SMEs" source="keywords">SMEs</keyword>) are driving a major surge in <keyword id="21881529" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="job-applications" source="keywords">job applications</keyword> across key sectors, with more than 35 million job applications recorded in the first eight months of 2024, according to a report by jobs and professional networking platform apna.co. The growth is fueled by rising demand in sectors like BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance), BPO (Business Process Outsourcing), and hospitality. The report highlights that the surge in job applications is largely for roles such as Sales &amp; Marketing Managers, Accounting Technicians, Telecallers, Back Office Executives, and Business Development Associates. These positions are critical for the expansion of businesses in these sectors, and the growing demand reflects a strong upward trend in hiring. "SMBs and MSMEs employ more than 110 million people, making them the backbone of our economy. Their success is crucial for our nation's journey towards achieving a USD 5 trillion economy," said Nirmit Parikh, Founder &amp; CEO of apna.co. Parikh emphasised that the demand for skilled workers in these sectors is expected to continue growing, creating vast opportunities for <keyword id="20019820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="job-seekers" source="keywords">job seekers</keyword> across India. <h2>Major growth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities</h2>An interesting trend noted in the report is that over 55% of the total job applications for SMB roles came from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, including Jaipur, Indore, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kochi, and Bhubaneswar. As businesses expand into these cities, the talent pool is evolving to meet the growing demand, fostering a symbiotic relationship between employers and job seekers. Out of the 35 million job applications received, 14 million came from women, marking a 30% year-on-year increase in female participation. Women are increasingly taking on roles across diverse fields like finance, accounts, marketing, and graphic design, reflecting their rising involvement in the workforce. As SMEs and MSMEs continue to grow, the <keyword id="19972727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment-opportunities" source="keywords">employment opportunities</keyword> they generate are set to further contribute to India’s economic goals, fueling progress toward the USD 5 trillion economy target. (With inputs from PTI)

Small businesses generated 35 million job applications till Aug 2024, 14 million were from women: Report

The <keyword id="21627536" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-loan-market" source="keywords">gold loan market</keyword> in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> is on the cusp of substantial growth, driven by rising per-gram gold rates and increasing customer demand. Currently, the market is predominantly controlled by the <keyword id="21485305" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="unorganized-sector" source="keywords">unorganized sector</keyword>, which holds a 63 % share, while <keyword id="22789155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="organized-players" source="keywords">organized players</keyword>, including banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (<keyword id="19938300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NBFCs" source="keywords">NBFCs</keyword>), account for the remaining 37 %, according to a recent <keyword id="20055667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PwC" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="PwC" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="PwC">PwC</keyword> report. Indian households are estimated to possess approximately 25,000 tonnes of gold, valued at around Rs 126 lakh crore. Despite this vast wealth, the existing gold loan market through organized channels is valued at just Rs 7.1 lakh crore. With the market penetration of gold loans in India currently at only 5.6%, there is considerable untapped potential within <keyword id="22902023" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="household-gold-holdings" source="keywords">household gold holdings</keyword>. Although not all gold is available for pledging--due to factors such as religious significance, emotional value, or lack of financial need--there remains substantial opportunity for growth in the gold loan sector. The gold loan market in India has historically been dominated by the unorganized sector. However, in recent years, organised players, particularly NBFCs, have begun to gain market share. Banks, too, have been making inroads, especially through retail gold loans and a continued focus on agricultural gold loans. This shift is expected to continue as organised players leverage their formal lending structures, transparency, and customer trust to capture a larger share of the market. Shaji Varghese, CEO, Muthoot FinCorp Limited, "Gold loan assets have been growing steadily and the potential to grow further is high since a major part of the country's gold loan market is still in the unorganized sector. <keyword id="19910265" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="keywords">Gold prices</keyword> have been rising over the years. There is also a paradigm shift on how buying gold is perceived today. Traditionally gold was purchased for historical, cultural and societal reasons and while that continues, people have started buying gold as an investment and also as a convenient option to raise funds for financial requirements." India remains one of the world's largest consumers of gold, with total demand reaching 747 tonnes in 2023. However, this represented a 3% decrease compared to the previous year, primarily due to the surge in gold prices, which dampened demand for gold jewellery. The price of gold in India increased from Rs 55,375 to Rs 66,532 per 10 grams (22 carats) between November 2023 and May 2024, prompting a shift towards lightweight or lower-carat jewellery items. Globally, the demand for gold grew by 3 % in 2023, with China emerging as the largest market. The global market's expansion presents opportunities for Indian gold loan financiers to explore new avenues for growth beyond domestic borders. Gold's relationship with the US dollar is a key factor influencing gold prices in India. A weakening rupee often leads to an increase in gold prices, as gold is priced in USD internationally. This dynamic drives higher imports and increases the cost of gold in rupees, further fuelling demand as investors seek a safe haven against currency fluctuations. V.P. Nandakumar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Manappuram Finance Ltd, "Of late, the sharp increase in gold prices has imparted some stability to the gold loan book of most players and we do not expect gold prices to come down due to geo-political factors, the accumulation of gold by central banks as well as the lasting allure of the yellow metal." The securitisation of gold through various financial instruments offers new avenues for gold loan players to diversify their offerings. By using gold-based security as collateral, established players can introduce new loan products that leverage the intrinsic value of physical gold.

India's gold loan market set for rapid growth amid rising prices; unorganized sector holds 63% share, notes recent PwC report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Shannon St. Val pivoted from her job in finance to pursue a career in real estate.</li><li>She is now the founder and owner of a short-term vacation-rental company.</li></ul>Shannon St. Val is the founder and owner of <a target="_blank" href="https://ep-mg.com/">Elevate Vacation Rentals</a>, a short-term vacation-rental company based in New York. She left her job in finance to manage short-term rental properties and shares how she started, how she makes money, and the challenges of the industry.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shannon St. Val. It has been edited for length and clarity.My career in property management hasn't been a straight path. My degrees are in finance and real estate, and I graduated in 2008 when the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/office-commercial-real-estate-cre-crash-2008-gfc-delinquency-vacancy-2024-3">subprime meltdown</a> happened. I thought I would be working in commercial real estate, but then all the real-estate jobs disappeared and I started working in finance.I worked at Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler, or KPMG, on the consulting side, specializing in financial operations for big banks and broker-dealers, specifically for investment-management firms.I knew I didn't want to work in finance for too long because the culture was intense. In 2016, I left my job to be my own boss. I took many of my finance and consulting skills and founded my own short-term property management company.At first, I started managing a few properties for myself, and then when COVID happened, I had to pivot and expand. I decided to take on clients outside New York instead of just managing my own. It's been my dream to return to real estate with property management.<h2 id="f5bbe9fe-75d5-46bf-9651-eee295b6fd7e">How I find clients</h2>A lot of my early clients came through word of mouth. I had friends, particularly people I met in the finance industry, who had houses in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marthas-vineyard-ferry-review-new-england-2024-7">Martha's Vineyard</a> or <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hamptons-hot-spots-visitors-buyers-from-real-estate-agent-2024-6">the Hamptons</a> and would ask, "Hey, you're managing properties. I have a house. Can you manage mine?" Some people will advertise on social media, but I've gotten my business through <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/small-business-founders-explain-grow-your-company-referrals-2023-10">referrals</a>. If you do good business, people will refer you to their network.Some property managers who are just starting have found success in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cold-email-formula-that-landed-me-response-from-meta-executive-2024-5">cold pitching</a>. This means reaching out to short-term rental owners and saying, "I know you may have a manager, but I'm willing to work for a lower rate for the first year." Then, if you meet their expectations, you can increase the rate.Some companies can do outbound emails or outbound marketing for you, where you blast local owners or anyone who recently bought a new house in that particular vacation-rental area, advertising your services.<h2 id="25cfe19f-2fc1-49c4-8eee-5946221a2bc7">How I earn a living from property management</h2>There are two ways to earn money from managing short-term properties. The first is by working with vacation-rental owners and charging a commission on the nightly rate. I've seen commissions as low as 10% and as high as 30%, but the industry standard is typically 15% to 20%.I also manage a building. It's a master lease, which means I pay a flat rate and collect rent from each unit as a short-term vacation rental. Some homeowners just want their flat-rate rent and don't want to be involved, so I'll do a short-term rental. You have to be a little more sophisticated in this because if you don't budget and know your expected revenue, you could misprice it and lose a lot of money. With that model, we want to get at least a 25% to 30% return to provide a buffer in slower months.<h2 id="10437455-20ce-4e54-81a9-64cada1f3402">My typical day</h2>Your typical workday will depend on how many properties you manage. We're managing roughly 30 properties now, so we have a team that handles guest support. I work about eight or nine hours a day, but the job is really 24/7. If there's an emergency, you need to be available.My typical schedule involves a lot of meetings. We always meet with the cleaning team to discuss maintenance and cleaning issues. We go over that once a week with one of the cleaning companies we work with. In the middle of the day, we'll work on pricing reports for owners, update the listings, and read through guest reviews.We also schedule <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/home-inspection">property checks and inspections</a> at least once or twice a month, depending on the property. It requires a lot of coordination, so you'll have to get used to talking on the phone frequently, rather than texting or Slacking messages.<h2 id="6416bf44-fab1-45cc-8b50-23bbf7277ff0">The challenges and rewards of property management</h2>Managing properties is time-consuming, especially if you're doing short-term rentals. You have to have 24-hour guest support, and things like cleaning crews and a maintenance person have to be coordinated for each property. The logistics are significantly harder with vacation-rental management versus standard property management.The most rewarding part of the job is helping my clients or the owners see the untapped value in their homes and helping them earn more money than they would have anticipated. I get thrilled when I double their income. I'm also happy to get a five-star review or feedback that we were super attentive, paid attention to detail, provided great customer service, or resolved an issue quickly.<h2 id="be52c448-f4a1-4953-97a8-8fcbc0d51a77">Advice for transitioning to property management</h2>You have to be very organized, have structured processes, and be good at communicating with multiple stakeholders, including the vendors, owners, and guests. My corporate background helped me a lot because it had so much structure, and I came in with project management and logistical skills. I have a certification through the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pmi.org/">Project Management Institute</a>, but getting a degree or certification is optional.To break into the industry, I recommend working for a vacation-rental company before branching out independently. Use the time to learn some of their best practices before you move on. Check out national companies like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vacasa.com/">Vacasa</a> or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hostgenius.ca/locations/tampa">Host Genius</a>, which usually hire in different markets.You could also work with a smaller company like mine, where you just reach out and say, "Hey, do you have any roles?" There's always something to be done, and management companies are always looking for good help. Another way to break in is to attend a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vrma.org/events/event-calendar">regional or national vacation-rental management conference</a> to network. Find a conference in your area, and you'll meet a lot of managers in one setting.<h2 id="4fabd0d5-be6d-4e5a-ba5d-90ebef4300ff">What I wish I'd known before starting out</h2>Property management can be very rewarding, but I didn't realize how important it was to overcommunicate. I also didn't know how hard managing so many stakeholders would be. For every property, I usually have between four and seven different people involved. I have the owner, the lawn person, the trash person, the regular maintenance person, the cleaner for that house, and then I have my guest support.Sometimes, keeping track of who's who can be overwhelming. So if you want to manage a larger <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financing-strategies-for-real-estate-investing-how-to-scale-portfolio-2024-5">portfolio</a>, you need a really good process and team to keep track of everything. You also have to be extremely organized, provide good customer service, and pay close attention to detail.

How I transitioned from a career in finance to short-term property management

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Family offices can pay six-figure salaries but require intense dedication.</li><li>Selecting candidates often boils down to a "personality fit," recruiters said.</li></ul>People who work for family offices often juggle much more than just spreadsheets.Many ultra-wealthy people set up dedicated offices, which could have a handful or dozens of employees, to oversee their<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sergey-brin-wealth-management-jeff-bezos-family-offices-women-cios-2022-8"> investments</a>, philanthropy, and high-end toys, like<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-yachts-owned-by-tech-billionaires-mark-zuckerberg-jeff-bezos-2024-5"> yachts</a>. An office might look after one person's money in one city or that of multiple generations across countries.Family office employees, in turn, can be paid on par with, or even better than, banking,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-equity-salaries-at-blackstone-apollo-kkr-bain-others"> private equity</a>, and other top finance jobs. But the unique nature of the job means headhunters are often looking beyond basic finance skills when scouting candidates for jobs.In recent years, Singapore has emerged as a global hotspot to set up family offices, thanks to its business-friendly environment and lack of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/singapore-attracts-ray-dalio-sergey-brin-family-offices-2021-2">capital gains tax</a>.Billionaires like Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, and Google co-founder Sergey Brin have established family offices in the city-state. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reliance-industries-mukesh-ambani-new-family-office-singapore-2022-10">Mukesh Ambani</a>, Asia's richest man, also expanded his wealth management operations to Singapore in 2022.Business Insider spoke to three recruiters for family offices, two of whom are based in Singapore, to find out which traits give a candidate the best shot of landing a job in a family office.<h2 id="250f7d12-74d8-46a4-828f-083dfef98f32">1. Jack of all trades</h2>Unlike many corporate jobs' clearly-defined responsibilities, family office staff — even executives — juggle a lot, said Paul Westall, the cofounder of Agreus Group."A chief investment officer of Goldman Sachs might not fit nicely into a family office because, at Goldman, they might have 10 analysts and two assistants, while in a family office, they do all the analysis and book their flights," Westall said.Jimmy Soh, a consultant at recruitment firm AP Executive, stressed the need to wear multiple hats and cultivate multiple specializations."Not only do you have to be an investment manager, but you also have to be a family council and any additional roles coming in like a concierge service," said Soh.One Hong Kong billionaire family asked Soh to hire an<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-know-about-billionaires-wealthy-according-to-personal-assistant-2024-9"> executive assistant</a> with a $20,000 monthly salary. The candidate needed to be an accountant with an Ivy League degree who spoke three languages. The job description included planning the family's business and personal trips and managing their yacht and crew.<div type="image" title="Yacht Show Monaco" height="2620" width="4000" msid="113996580" hostid="261" sizebytes="1066772"></div>"Many families will say that the sky's the limit on the budget for these roles because they're looking for the best talent," said Soh. "They can indefinitely add more roles to the job description, which is how they justify this kind of salary."<h2 id="735b5822-dd6a-4c7c-9c35-3ee3c1b99fe1">2. Independence and all-hours commitment</h2>Family office roles also demand a high level of commitment.Phone calls could come at lunchtime — or in the middle of the night, Soh said."Most can be extremely demanding because they hire you for a specific role and can easily outsource the role to other firms," Soh said.In Asia, many family offices are still developing and roles are less defined than in Europe or the US. Candidates must often be willing to "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lessons-hint-ceo-learned-doing-dirty-work-leader-2021-3">get their hands dirty</a> and work long hours for seven days a week," said Pierre Pineau, head of Agreus Group's Singapore office."Asian families, in general, expect you to be available 24/7, and that's not for everyone," said Pineau. "It's not about yourself. It's about what's best for the family office."The jobs can also require independence. Pineau said that in Asia's emerging markets, employees often work independently in one location while the family's main office is in another country.Westall said flexibility is key. He once hired a CIO whose job description included overseeing a family's investment in purebred racehorses. A top candidate — a former banker — had no experience in horses.<div type="image" title="Horse Racing Canada" height="3456" width="5184" msid="113996577" hostid="261" sizebytes="1371120"></div>"But then he got this job and rolled with it because he had to," said Westall. "Key people that last a long time in family offices build trust because when there's an issue, they resolve it with ideas from outside the box."<h2 id="1bba166f-2ad4-4b9b-8108-ea6b7b35d0a4">3. Managing multiple family members</h2>In family offices, technical brilliance alone isn't enough to secure a role. Working closely for one family means managing wealth and relationships."One of the main attributes family offices need is emotional intelligence — someone who can work with multiple people of different levels, from the son who's 16 and you need to explain certain decisions to him, to the wife, and the granddad," Agreus Group's Westall said.Candidates must also have the communication skills to navigate the dynamics and demands of different family members."You are presenting your work to people who might not be particularly financially savvy, unlike your peers at a bank," Westall said.AP Executive's Soh said that the "intangibles" — like interpersonal compatibility and standout personality traits— often make or break candidates."You might be extremely brilliant, but you might be a very hard person to work with or have some idiosyncrasies that might not gel well with the team," said Soh. "It comes down to your personality."Getting hired often hinges on<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personality-hires-bring-soft-skills-to-work-2023-11"> personality fit</a>, said Westall. Families might reject candidates for small details like how they walk or dress — but others are open to unconventional hires.Westall shared a story of a family office executive who started as a cleaner while he was in film school. He helped the family with a script they were writing and was eventually hired to oversee investments in the family's film business."Sometimes they are not always looking for someone with obvious experience, but someone who could add value in that family office," said Westall. "That's an unusual story, but there are some bizarre ways people can get into family offices."Do you have a story to share about working with or for high-net-worth individuals? Email this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:lwee@insider.com">lwee@insider.com</a>.

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