Who is Joinrs?

Joinrs is the meeting point between students, junior profiles and companies: thanks to our AI model, we help job seekers identify and discover the best ads in line with their ambitions. At the same time, more than 150 client companies carry out employer branding and talent acquisition strategies on our platform with the aim of attracting candidates most compatible with the company's values. If you are a company and would like to learn more, click here.

A Joinrs conversation with

At Joinrs, we go beyond just matching candidates with opportunities. In addition to facilitating connections, we conduct insightful interviews with professionals from diverse backgrounds and industries. Through these conversations, we provide valuable insights and perspectives to our users, enriching their knowledge and experience on our platform. Join us in exploring the depth and breadth of expertise across various fields to enhance your career journey.

Hayfa Bukhari

We had the chance to host a Q&A session with Hayfa, a Talent Acqusition and Employer Branding expert with an academic background in Marketing. She currently works at Cognizant, where she has cultivated a comprehensive and robust skill set focused on attracting top-tier talent, enhancing employer brand visibility, and improving the overall candidate experience. Her role is pivotal in ensuring Cognizant maintains a competitive edge in the dynamic and ever-evolving job market. We thank her again for taking the time to participate in this project. Now it is time to read the interview!

1) Tell me a little about yourself: What is your background and what made you choose this specific career or industry?

Hi, I’m Hayfa. I currently work at Cognizant as a recruitment marketing and employer branding specialist. My role involves developing and executing employer branding and talent attraction strategies to showcase Cognizant as an employer of choice.

Additionally, I manage the social media channels and create content for Cognizant's careers page, and I also support internal communications and events.

I wanted to gain experience in the IT sector after working in the property and education sector, which is why I took on this role which allowed me to grow my skill set in talent attraction marketing.

2) As you currently work as a "Talent Acquisition Marketing and Employer Branding Specialist” for Cognizant, can you describe the company culture and the type of employees who tend to succeed here?

Yes, sure. We are a global IT consulting and services company that assists clients in transforming their business, operations, and technology models for the digital era. Our culture is based on our core values:

·         Start with a point of view

·         Seek data, build knowledge

·         Always strive, never settle

·         Work as one

·         Create conditions for everyone to thrive

·         Do the right thing, the right way

The type of people who tend to succeed at Cognizant are those who are innovative, adaptable, and team-oriented. They enjoy working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, where they can learn new skills and deliver value to clients across different industries and geographies.

3) How does your organisation support employees from diverse ethnic backgrounds in their professional development and career advancement?

At Cognizant, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential for our success as a global company. We value the unique perspectives and experiences of our employees from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and we strive to create an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive and grow.

We support our employees from diverse ethnic backgrounds in their professional development and career advancement in several ways:

We offer various learning and development programs that help our employees enhance their skills and knowledge, as well as prepare them for future roles and opportunities within Cognizant.

We have several Affinity Groups that provide a platform for our employees to connect, network, and share best practices with colleagues who have similar backgrounds, interests, or goals. We organise events and activities that celebrate the diversity and richness of our cultures, such as cultural festivals, and heritage months, and raise awareness of different topics such as Windrush.

We have a Diversity & Inclusion Council that oversees and guides our diversity and inclusion strategy, policies, and initiatives across the organization. The council consists of associates from different business units and functions who represent the diversity of our workforce and clients.

4) How do you measure the effectiveness of your Diversity & Inclusion initiatives within Cognizant and what metrics do you use to evaluate progress?

We measure the effectiveness of our Diversity & Inclusion initiatives by tracking some of these metrics:

- The representation and retention of diverse groups across different levels and functions of the organisation, as well as their career advancement and development opportunities
- The participation and engagement of our employees in our Affinity Groups, events, and activities
- The impact and outcomes of our D&I programs and interventions on our business performance, client satisfaction, innovation, and social responsibility
- The perception and awareness of our employees, clients, and stakeholders about our Diversity & Inclusion culture, values, and practices, as well as their sense of belonging and inclusion

We also benchmark our results against industry standards and best practices and identify areas of improvement and action plans for continuous enhancement.

5) What valuable tips and strategies can you share with our community to help them excel in job interviews with potential employers?

Here are some valuable tips and strategies to help you excel in job interviews with potential employers:

- Research the company and the role before the interview. Learn about their mission, vision, values, products, services, culture, and achievements.
- Review your resume and think of specific examples that demonstrate your skills, and achievements. Use the STAR method to structure your answers and provide evidence of your capabilities and contributions.
- Dress professionally and appropriately for the interview.
- Ask insightful questions at the end of the interview. This is your opportunity to show your curiosity, intelligence, and engagement, as well as to learn more about the company and the role.

Interview conducted by Thomas Gigante