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Afiniti International Holdings

  • 500 - 1,000 employees

Afiniti International Holdings Graduate Programs & Internships

  • Technology

What it does: Artificial intelligence and advanced analytics provider.

Best known for: The media has described Afiniti as a ‘unicorn’. The term refers to privately held startup companies with valuations exceeding US$1 billion.

Staff stats: More than 900 employees.

The good bits: Graduates can learn a lot by working with Fortune 500 companies.

The not so good bits: Entry-level salaries are lower than the national average in some countries.

Hiring grads with top marks in: engineering and information technology; software design and development; computer science; human resources and law; business and finance; marketing and sales.

The Afiniti story

Former Morgan Stanley investment banker Zia Chishti founded the company in 2005. Afiniti worked on algorithm, coding and data analysis during its first few years. The company subsequently filed for several patents on its work by 2008 and secured Caesars Entertainment as its first client in 2009. Some of the initial products and services include an AI software that predicts interpersonal behavioural patterns between callers and contact centre agents.

In 2013, the tech group clinched McKinsey & Company as an investor through a venture fund partnership. The investments allowed Afiniti to start a global expansion in 2017, the same year when it recorded a valuation of US$1.6 billion. The company’s workforce comprises 19 nationalities at several offices in 14 countries.

The recruitment process

The company hires individuals through referrals and online applications. Afiniti’s recruitment stages will vary based on the applicant’s location. U.S. graduates should expect the process to last from two weeks up to four months. The recruiters may conduct interviews in person or through video. Common questions refer to your expected salary, knowledge about Afiniti and reasons for joining the company.

In Pakistan, the interview process can be tedious with several steps. The first one involves a screening test. Shortlisted candidates will move on to a general HR interview followed by technical and analytical interviews that will test their cognitive, logical and job-related skills. An interview with the chief technology officer might be necessary before a final HR interview for hiring the right person.

Career prospects

Afiniti has 23 business departments. Some regional offices have more job openings than in other locations. Graduates in Pakistan can choose to apply for IT and engineering jobs in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Other usual vacancies include research and development positions in Turkey, business analytics roles in Washington, D.C., and production support jobs in Brazil and China.

Some of the entry-level roles in Pakistan include a full stack web developer position, which only requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or in a related field. The company also accepts Computer Science graduates for software development engineering roles at the Washington, D.C., office and for technical support engineers in Brazil.

Remuneration

Afiniti relies on years of experience to determine salaries for candidates. Entry-level software engineers in Pakistan earn PKR 57,000 per month, which is slightly lower than the national average of PKR 58,500. Interns earn at least PKR 12,000 every month. Employees in Pakistan receive quarterly bonuses, outpatient healthcare coverage that’s 5 per cent of a person’s gross salary, and undergraduate scholarships to foreign universities.

In the U.S., the company’s average annual salary of $73,000 for software engineers is also lower than the median salary of $86,000 in the IT services industry. Afiniti also provides discretionary bonuses, equity and stock options in case of an IPO, but some employees believe that the company can improve its healthcare insurance and 401(k) contributions.

The culture

The company’s customer-centric business means that employees, such as software engineers, are expected to be available 24/7. The lack of formal policies at the workplace may tend to confuse some employees. This scenario stems from Afiniti’s business nature as a startup, even with its billion-dollar valuation.

USA

The high-pressure environment partly causes frequent employee turnover. The pressure may originate from sales deals that include unrealistic targets for tech employees. However, optimistic individuals with a can-do attitude can use this situation as a metric for delivering seemingly impossible tasks.

Pakistan

The regional offices share some similarities with the U.S. counterpart. Graduates should expect to work long hours if they plan to join Afiniti, although this might be necessary for those who want a promotion. There are several learning opportunities from working with Fortune 500 clients and employees in other locations.

The competition

Afiniti competes with Calabrio, CallMiner and Mattersight in the computer software and IT services industry. Afiniti has more employees and a bigger valuation than the three competitors.

The vibe of the place

Job security doesn’t seem to be a problem at Afiniti despite being a relatively new company. Being a unicorn in the startup sector implies that the group hasn’t reached its full potential. It’s no secret that a shortage of skilled workers in several IT sectors, including cybersecurity, have led to higher base salaries to attract qualified candidates.

Fresh graduates can only negotiate a higher base pay with the company after they acquire experience and relevant skills. An uneven work-life balance seems to be the trade-off for an above-average paycheck due to the company’s customer-centric business. Graduates who prefer a new and challenging task every day will fit in well with Afiniti.

Jobs & Opportunities

Locations With Jobs & Opportunities
  • Pakistan
Hiring candidates with qualifications in
B
Business & Management
E
Engineering & Mathematics
I
IT & Computer Science
L
Law, Legal Studies & Justice