Job hunting is not an easy task. Many of us have spent countless hours revamping our curriculum vitae (CV), drafting diverse cover letters and rehearsing for interviews. As much as this holds true for fresh graduates, it’s also valid for highly-experienced individuals, mainly because of the constantly-changing employment trends in the job market. Young job seekers of today assert that a degree from a renowned institution would help them land a high-paying job immediately, while experienced personnel beam over their years of practical knowledge. Both, however, encounter difficulties when pursuing a job in the current market, which compels one to question, “What are the employers really looking for in the job seekers of today?”
“To me, enthusiasm and attitude matter the most. Candidates need to be passionate about their work and look forward to learning new things on the job. With a positive mindset, new recruits are able to quickly grasp processes and procedures and prove themselves as potential and reliable employees,” responds Samia Zuberi, an executive senior manager and HR consultant, when requested to specify the assets managers seek in a potential interviewee.
Attitude explicitly is an important ingredient, as employers want to hire individuals who are serious about their jobs and are willing workers. Degrees can only take one to the interview table, how they conduct themselves during an interview and on the job depends on their positive approach and confident outlook.
The interviewees, many a time, are oblivious of the function of the company they’re applying to and their job responsibilities, which gives an impression of not having done their homework to raise the red flag. Also, individuals need to be fervent and devoted to their deliverables, which can only happen if they are engaged in their desired profession; therefore, applying for the right job in the right field is the first step towards getting employed.
The second element which plays a pivotal role is the level of competences a candidate possesses, and their congruity with the organisation. Hina Arshi, headmistress of a well-reputed institution, believes in probing candidates on the essential soft and hard skills needed to perform the job effectively. “I ask a variety of questions ranging from self-awareness to technical know-how to see if the applicant is worth employing. Teamwork, flexibility, communication skills and persona are given key importance in our profession. I encourage them to narrate incidents where they practiced teamwork, flexibility and good customer service. I, specifically, inquire how they have used communication skills in their earlier jobs in order to connect with the stakeholders. I determine the level of their competence accordingly. At times, team working is applied at a low level while communication skills are administrated at a high level and so I decide where to employ an applicant,” she cites.
Competencies, in today’s market, have taken the lead as they play an imperative part in job performance and achievements. Behavioural competencies can’t be taught; they are innate abilities, distinguishing one candidate from the other and this is the main reason why one candidate gets the job and the other doesn’t. Fresh graduates regularly question, “How do we polish our soft skills when we haven’t even got any job experience as yet?”
The best way through which they can refine and filter their skills is by taking up extracurricular activities in colleges and universities and interning in different organisations. Internships familiarise students with the corporate environment, procedures and help them groom into self-reliant employees. Internship experiences weigh a lot on CVs and managers want to hire fresh graduates who’ve interned somewhere as then it is relatively easy to train and mould them according to an organisation’s work ethics as compared to the experienced individuals, who may take time adapting.
Another significant determinant in getting employed in the current, cutting-edge, competitive job market is the applicant’s technological knowledge. Employers of today give this extreme attention during interviews. Social media tools like facebook, twitter, blogs, flickr, YouTube, Linkedin, friendfeed, Skype, etc., have taken over businesses and employers need people who can engage with customers efficiently via the social media, analyse products instantly and improve services. Notepads, iPads, iTablets and touch screen gadgets have made interactions swift and reviews, feedbacks, likes and dislikes are posted straightaway. Therefore, incessantly evolving technology may happen to be a disadvantage for the Generation X employees unless they keep up with the rapidly-changing times and applications and the tech savvy new recruits.
Last but not the least; an interviewee’s personality speaks volumes. How he or she dresses, walks, talks and expresses his or her viewpoints are noticed throughout the interview. At times, candidates dress outrageously, which may work against them. Wearing flashy jewellery and ostentatious neck ties, suit coats, etc., isn’t considered impressive at all.
So this entire discussion boils down to the fact that there are multitudinous jobs lying vacant in the market, it’s just that job seekers need to possess the right attitude, essential skills and desirable knowledge to fill in these vacancies.
The writer is a career advisor at a local institution.