Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has gone back on his word regarding the Chief of Staff (COS) role hiring that sparked debate on social media. Goyal had asked for candidates who were ready to pay Rs 20 lakh up front with no salary for the first year.

In a recent update titled ‘Update 3’ on X (formerly Twitter), Goyal explained that the mention of “You have to pay us ₹20 lakhs” was intended as a filter to gauge candidates who could recognize the value of a fast-track career opportunity without being deterred by perceived obstacles. He clarified that the posting, which received over 18,000 applications before it was closed, was designed to identify individuals who could “appreciate” the unique career path, rather than an actual demand for payment.

Update 3. https://t.co/8a6XhgegQM pic.twitter.com/1GOFIOta9O
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) November 21, 2024

For the unversed, Goyal’s two-day-old post stirred intense debate on LinkedIn and X over its unconventional terms: the successful candidate would not receive a salary during the first year and would be required to pay Rs 20 lakh for the position. Goyal highlighted the role as providing “10x more learning than a two-year degree from a top management school.”

Goyal sahab when offered 20 lakhs 🔽 pic.twitter.com/qFvkje2LTA
— Kawaljeet Singh (@kawal279) November 21, 2024

One user asked for a reason for using the Rs 20 lakh filter and wrote, “Pretty sure there must be many out there who have the right intent but money would be a deterrent. So essentially you’ve filtered out most of India that isn’t as privileged.” To this, Goyal responded, “As I said, we have a lot of people who don’t have the money and still wrote in, without feeling constrained about the 20 lacs. Those are the people we will interview for the job. Not the ones who have the money.”

Please read update 3. As I said, we have a lot of people who don’t have the money and still wrote in, without feeling constrained about the 20 lacs. Those are the people we will interview for the job. Not the ones who have the money.
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) November 21, 2024

The latest update has received mixed reactions from the internet. While some people are mocking Goyal and calling it a publicity stunt, others are appreciating the way of hiring.

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Some users were outraged by the latest post. One wrote, “so basically you did all this and drastically reduced your target audience. i mean, you could’ve simply said that you’re hiring a chief of staff, and this is the compensation, etc. directly?”, while another commented, “The idea back-fired and you back-tracked”, one user noted, “This was really a very bad precedent you set and now you are trying to whitewash your acts.”

Does this mean we trust you more on your word going forward?

or less?

maybe just hire a better PR team?
— amul.exe (@amuldotexe) November 21, 2024

One user mocked saying, “i feel so much lighter like a feather with you off my mind”, while another described Goyal as “India’s best dramebaaz”

Nooooooo

You should have maintained character

This should have come after selecting the candidate
— Kan (@k_a_y_b_e_e_) November 21, 2024

Some users found this a great move. One commented, “I felt the idea was great. The post was not just a recruitment advertisement—it was more than that. The position offered wasn’t merely a job; it was an opportunity far beyond that.”Great strategy @deepigoyal… applicants who trusted their guts are in for a win in all aspects.” One also wrote, “Marketing genius @deepigoyal knows how to stay in the news!!! I don’t remember a better marketing genuine than you’re at the moment. From marketing Zomato to personal branding, @deepigoyal has cracked the code!! Kudos, impressed.”

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