There are a number of graduates who are not employed in the country today. Some lack communication skills; others are not technology savvy. There is a need for people who are qualified and employable, says Rajeev Bhardwaj
What do employers look for while recruiting fresh pass-outs in their ranksIJ If you think they care much about the theoretical knowledge of your studied subjects, you may be mistaken. No matter how much theoretical knowledge you have, unless you display the ability of putting it into practice, surviving in a career will be an uphill task. Moreover, unless you are a graduate in a professional course like engineering, architecture, law or medical graduate, the subjects you studied will not even matter much to your employer. What will matter is how big a bag of skills you bring to the table.
A wide range of organisations today look for bright graduates to man initial positions in multiple fields. Be it sales departments, business process outsourcing units, event management agencies, research analysts, finance sector companies, hospitality sector or back office departments — a large field is open for fresher’s seeking an entry into work life.
However, in India we observe a major paucity of graduates who are skilled enough to be employable. Some lack in communication skills, some are not yet computer savvy in this age of technology. Yet others are not capable of analysing basic facts and figures; while others fail to even summarise their thoughts in writing briefly.
Even writing emails appears to be challenging for some graduates. Despite a major opening up of the country with students having maximum exposure to new age trends and technology, this gap is a serious lacunae that makes our graduates unemployable. Those who do land up jobs are paid abysmally low as recruiters then train them in basic skills. let’s take a look at the skills that add to your employability.
Communication skills
Efficient communication skills can make you stand apart among a queue of interviewees. A confident demeanor, an ability to put thoughts into words, good verbal and written communication, and ability to make presentations can make much difference to your profile. It can not only improve your marketability in the market but also improve your chances of beginning with a decent salary. Being part of extra-curricular activities, on stage appearances as well as joining literary and creative writing groups during college can help you improve on your communication skills. At the same time if you find yourself too lacking in this area, it may help to join a brief professional course on improving communication skills.
General Awareness
A good knowledge of what is happening around the world adds to your personality and IQ, no matter which sector you are working in. Unfortunately, a lot young graduates do not even have the habit of reading a newspaper daily. This takes away from your profile.
Analytical Skills
This may not have been taught in your economics class, but it helps to have a certain level of analytical skills to be able to perform well in a competitive space. It helps you to be able to interpret facts and figures and derive basic meanings from them.
Computer literacy
This is one of the most important skills needed today. Being computer literate means that you are able to work effectively on basic MS Office operations; update Excel Sheets, and prepare Power Point Presentations. It is extremely important to get yourself equipped with these skills before you appear for interviews.
Soft Skills
Not just visible hard skills mentioned above, but a whole gamut of soft skills are also required if you want to establish yourself in a career and rise through the ladder. Adaptability in a competitive environment, ability to persuade and manage relations with customers and clients, flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking are abilities that help employees rise up the rank.
While a good qualification and technological skills will land you in a good position, these soft skills will come handy as you navigate through the daily challenges of work life. It is important to make children step out of the comfortable confines of the homes while growing up and help them grow up through their experiences. It is also important to encourage out-of-the-box thinking and inculcate in them a problem solving ability from early life. These skills will help them adapt better to work life challenges.
(The writer is VP Human Resource, Sun life Financial Asia Service Centre)