Technology has changed how people live and work. This change is even more pronounced and rapid for those in the recruitment industry, and given the spate of things, this rapid change is projected to continue. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, the business landscape is shifting as companies are forced to adapt to the new normal. In some records, several companies have downsized or outsourced human resources to keep their costs low while they rebuild. Others have reevaluated the skills they need for each position and focused on getting more specialists who can be cross-trained. As an expert in this area, Giridhar Akkineni believes the solution lies in innovation, which has been at the forefront of his pursuit for over a decade.

Akkineni is the CEO of AkkenCloud, an enterprise Staffing and Recruiting software platform. His passion for innovation dates back to 2002 when he owned interWorldnet, an I.T. Staffing firm based in Connecticut. Being in the DOT-COM era, most of Akkineni’s clients were startups trying to leverage the growth of the internet, and that came with uncertainties. When the customers went out of business, it created a ripple effect that affected Staffing companies like Akkineni’s. To avoid similar losses in the future, Akkineni began researching an All-in-one solution connected to sales, recruiting, time and expenses, invoicing and payroll.

To his surprise, none existed in the market. So, determined to save himself and other people from such trouble ever again, Akkineni set off to build a foolproof Staffing software platform. The goal was to create a platform to centralize information, enhance efficiency, and boost profitability by automating the “fill-to-bill-to-pay” the Staffing business process, and that’s how AkkenCloud came to be. AkkenCloud remains an infinitely flexible, remarkably intuitive, and astonishingly powerful platform that’s the first of its kind in the Staffing industry.

Over the years, Akkineni has observed the pattern of industry transformation. From regulations to technology and the recent pandemic, Akkineni says change is the only constant. As a result, Staffing companies must learn how to adapt. Akkineni believes his breakthrough happened when he accepted that and pivoted. “Time always presents new challenges. You don’t stay the same,” he says. “Find ways to do things differently, not just to survive but to grow.” That means heavily investing in tech, which he believes every company should do.

Also, over the years, Akkineni has learned to be proactive; Regardless of how bad things get, he believes there are limitless growth opportunities in the industry. However, you can’t sit on your hands and do nothing. This lesson has been ingrained into Akkineni from his days as a graduate student, who had just gained a chance to further his studies in the U.S. Quite humanly, Akkineni almost lost track of his vision as he got derailed in the euphoria of his achievement. However, he was quickly reminded and set on track once again by his professors. They pointed out that many students also got a similar chance; however, what distinguished them was what they did after that. “Your future is in your hands”- Akinneni took this common saying and ran with it, thus, creating a job for himself rather than waiting to land one.

Today Akkineni is glad he chose entrepreneurship. His company continues to offer innovative client-side services that have transformed the Staffing world for good. As recruiting continues to change rapidly, his All-in-one SaaS platform has helped hundreds of Staffing companies retain operational efficiency and become profitable. The goal is to continue doing that and making the industry friendlier to Staffing companies despite their challenges.

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