A Startup’s Hiring Dilemma, a Dean’s Quote, and My Mission

India’s biggest employability gap? Not degrees, but soft skills. A son’s hiring story and global insights prove it.

A Startup’s Hiring Dilemma, a Dean’s Quote, and My Mission

A few weeks ago, I was speaking with my son, who is a Product Lead at an AI startup and a deep tech expert. He was in the middle of recruiting for his team and shared something that stayed with me. They had to reject candidates—MTechs from reputed engineering schools—not because they lacked technical knowledge, but because they fell short on soft skills. These were smart, capable individuals, but they struggled to communicate, collaborate, and carry themselves with confidence in a high-stakes environment.

That conversation hit home. And then, almost serendipitously, I came across an article on Poets & Quants titled “Soft Skills, Hard Impact: B-School Leaders on What Really Matters in Biz Ed.” It reinforced exactly what my son had described from the trenches of industry hiring. The article highlighted how business school leaders across the world are pushing the narrative that while technical skills matter, it’s the soft skills that separate a good professional from a great leader.

Take Geoff Garrett, Dean of USC Marshall, for instance. He pointed out that employers consistently rank communication, adaptability, and problem-solving above technical expertise. In other words, it’s not enough to be brilliant at what you do—if you cannot explain, influence, or collaborate, you’re handicapped in today’s workplace. Similarly, François Ortalo-Magné, Dean of London Business School, observed that leadership is no longer about command and control—it’s about empathy, influence, and collaboration. Leadership today isn’t about positional authority—it’s about the ability to inspire trust, to listen, and to create impact across diverse teams.

These are not fluffy ideas. They are survival skills in a world where automation, AI, and Industry 5.0 are redefining the contours of work. Yet, as I reflected on this, I couldn’t help but notice a gap. The global B-school narrative is centered around top-tier students—bright minds already groomed to operate at a high level. But in India’s mid-segment education ecosystem, particularly in tier 1 and tier 2 towns, the challenge is magnified.

The Reality Check in India

I have interacted with thousands of students and professionals across India, and here’s the pattern:

Technically Sound, Softly Challenged: These students are often technically strong. They can code, analyze, or work through technical problems with ease. But when it comes to interviews, group discussions, or workplace communication, they falter. Their voices don’t project confidence, their body language gives away nervousness, and their ideas—though powerful—get lost in translation.
Industry’s Harsh Truth: Employers today are impatient. They do not want to “train for basics.” They want plug-and-play professionals who can step into roles with confidence on Day 1. A student who has the knowledge but cannot articulate it effectively risks being overlooked.
The Hybrid Skill Era: Industry 4.0 and 5.0 demand hybrid professionals—people who blend technical expertise with critical thinking, creativity, and leadership presence. It’s no longer a choice; it’s a mandate.
Urban-Rural Divide: While metro students may have greater exposure through internships, competitions, or networking platforms, their peers in tier 1 and 2 towns often lack structured avenues to practice and refine these skills. This gap is widening—and it threatens to leave behind a vast pool of capable but underprepared talent.

My Point of View

Reading the Poets & Quants article reminded me of the work we do every day at Imagofy. The global conversation around soft skills validates what we’ve been witnessing on the ground in India. But here’s the nuance: while top-tier schools are pushing students from “good to great,” we in India must first help our mid-segment students go from “invisible to employable.”

That’s not to say they lack ambition. Quite the opposite. Their hunger is unmatched. But ambition without articulation often goes unnoticed. Talent without presence often goes unrewarded.

So, the real question is: How do we democratize soft skills training? How do we ensure that a bright student from Durgapur, Ranchi, or Bhubaneswar has the same access to communication mastery, personal branding, and critical thinking tools as someone studying at an elite global B-school?

Where Imagofy Comes In

At Imagofy, our mission is to bridge exactly this gap. We are committed to:

Helping students master spoken and written English, so they can communicate with clarity and confidence.
Coaching them in body language and presence, because 70% of communication is non-verbal.
Training them in personal branding and profile optimization, ensuring they stand out in a competitive job market.
Equipping them with creative, critical, and cognitive thinking skills, to make them better decision-makers and future-ready professionals.
Guiding them through interview preparation, group discussions, and career counseling, so they enter the corporate world not as nervous freshers, but as confident professionals.

The Way Forward

Degrees will continue to matter, but they will only open the door. What keeps you in the room—and propels you to the next level—is your ability to connect, inspire, and lead. And in today’s India, this is not a luxury. It is survival.

As the article rightly pointed out through its global voices, the world is moving fast, and leadership is being redefined. For India to truly capitalize on its demographic dividend, we must make sure our youth don’t just have the knowledge but also the voice, presence, and mindset to make an impact.

At Imagofy, we have made this our mission—to empower students and professionals, especially from India’s heartlands, to transform themselves and gain the edge that truly matters.

Because in the final analysis: hard skills may get you hired, but soft skills will get you ahead.

I’d love to hear from you—do you think our mid-segment colleges are doing enough to prepare students for this reality? Or is it time we reimagine how employability is built in India?

#SoftSkills #Employability #Imagofy #Leadership #FutureOfWork

Categories: : Career Counselling, College Selector, Elevate _ Professional, IMAGOFY, Public Speaking, Soft Skills