Tips from the CEO

Is Technology Diminishing Certain Jobs in the Workforce?Hello Everyone, I am Vineet Jain, the CEO of Egnyte. Every Thursday, I will be sharing my thoughts about the technology industry and the fast paced start-up environment. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and hearing about yours as well. Together we can learn from each other.While technology's ability to remain in a consistent state of innovation is exciting and beneficial to our lifestyle, at times it can remove the need for jobs in our workforce. For example, in the manufacturing industry machines have almost completely replaced the need for humans to be a key part in the manufacturing process. Similarly, some administrative jobs are disappearing because computer programs have been developed to handle everything from personal finances to processing company payroll. These technologies increase the efficiency of the work environment, but sometimes at the cost of someone's job.Specifically, I have noticed in my experience working at start-ups that the role of recruiters in a small business environment is diminishing. With online headhunting resources such as LinkedIn, Craigslist, and alumni based social networks, finding the right people for the job is becoming easier. When we create a new position, we post it on these sites and within days have a solid pool of resumes to choose from. Furthermore, I enjoy personally meeting and interviewing people to work for Egnyte. Whenever I have the opportunity to interview potential employees, I am able to see how they will fit into the culture that we have formed here at Egnyte.I am not implying that the role of recruiters has become obsolete. When a company has to ramp fast and hire a large number of employees, indeed, recruiters play a significantly important role. When I look at the current hiring at our neighbors - Google and not too far away - VMware, growing to this scale would not be possible without recruiters.