In our earlier articles we discussed on today’s unemployable graduates and why they are considered unemployable. Our intention in those articles wasn’t to discourage today’s graduates by saying they do not have what it takes to do a ‘good job’. But we want them to face the reality that they are not ready for a job and they should learn how to become employable.
Today’s graduates are not striving hard to be ready to perform well in their job. Due to which employers are highly disappointed with the graduates. In such a scenario, if you are a fresher and looking for a job, it is imperative for you to take a proactive approach to transform yourself from unemployable to employable to get a good job and to succeed in your career.
What is Employability?
Having a set of skills, knowledge and personal attributes makes a graduate more likely to perform on his job and be successful in his chosen career. Employability of individuals often depends of the Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge (ASK) they possess and the graduate’s ability to use them effectively.
What skills make you employable?
Skills that help you in performing well in the workplace are willingness to learn, self-management, thinking and problem solving, working together, communication, motivation, commitment, etc. These skills are not only important to get a job, but also to retain it (that is avoiding getting fired).
How to improve your employability – Transforming from unemployable to employable
- Having a degree is not just enough – Degree is just a door to employment opportunities, but employers are looking for more than just a degree. Employers want to hire candidates who can actually do their job well.
- Assess your employability skills – Make a note of your skills, qualities, interests, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, things that energize you and above all, what do you have to offer an employer.
- Know what employers are looking for – Besides your degrees and technical skills, employers require you to demonstrate your ability to perform on the real job. Apart from your subjects, you can learn things like typing, basic computer skills, and all that can help you do your job easily and quickly.
- Find out about the real job – Talk to your friend or relative who works in a professional company and try to find out how they work and what is expected from freshers.
- Pursue employability attributes – Knowledge (what do you know), skills (what can you do with what you know) and abilities/attitudes (how you do it).
- Be proactive – Don’t wait for someone (college/university) to make you ready, take initiative and responsibility to develop your ability to perform on real job.
- Keep yourself busy – Better do some part-time job or apply for internship, this will keep you busy and also you’ll gain some experience. It helps you to practice all the theory you learned in your school/college. It also helps you to develop a positive work ethic and shows that you are serious about the job.
- Have realistic expectations – Your degree will not decide your compensation, but your performance will. See what others are getting in the industry. How are your skills compared to them? You are untested whereas those with jobs already have practical experience. Find out what their starting salary was when they started, instead of current salary. Some discount is necessary to get the deal.
Ignorance leads to no job – Today, many of the freshers are living in their own dream world. They think they will get a job as soon as they finish their graduation. They mostly interact with other people (who are also unemployed) and have a wrong perception on job market. So don’t be ignorant, face the facts, overcome the challenges and learn to become employable.