Though India has a large population of young graduates, recruiters say many of them don’t have basic skills needed in various jobs. A study of MBA graduates last year found that only 10% of those tested had the skills employers were looking for.
Recruiters say undergraduate and diploma courses don’t provide communication, presentation and other such skills that employers are typically looking for. So, graduates looking for a job should make an effort to acquire some of these on their own.
Here are a few tips on how to do that:
Get some practical experience: Indian colleges typically provide theoretical knowledge but graduates don’t know how to apply that to situations in the workplace, say experts.
They advise that students do internships while they are studying in order to get practical experience.
These internships don’t have to be with big companies, so long as they give hands-on experience, says Aditya Malik, chief executive of Gurgaon-based TalentEdge, a software education and training company.
For instance, Mr. Malik says, students pursuing a degree in commerce could work with the accountant at the neighborhood petrol pump, while someone studying to be an engineer could help out an uncle who has a small manufacturing plant.
Another option is to enroll for a training program to get a specific skill.
For instance, take a certificate course in accounting if you feel your bachelor’s degree in commerce isn’t enough. Or, take a short course in supply chain management along with your degree in business.
These courses can cost anywhere between 15,000 rupees ($174) and 50,000 rupees ($877.)
Work on communication skills: Recruiters typically favor candidates who can speak English well, especially for jobs that require interacting with customers.
Practice talking in English with your friends and family, and read books to get a better grasp of the language. And if that isn’t enough, enroll in a class that helps you learn how to speak in English.
Brush up your general knowledge and current affairs: Having bookish knowledge about your subject isn’t enough — recruiters also want to test how aware you are of what’s happening in your industry, and the world around you.
Employers are looking for someone who goes beyond what the college teaches, says Asim Handa, chief executive of staffing firm Gi Group in Noida.
To know more about what’s going on in your sector, you could attend talks given by people accomplished in that field or read articles about it.
To broaden your general knowledge, read newspapers and magazines. You can also sign up for discussions on various sectors, through online forums like the those organized by non-profit organization TED.
Participating in such discussions will help you better understand the perspective of others, which will help you be more confident when you talk to a recruiter.
Smarten up: “Like it or not, appearance has a role in the first impression people get” about you, says Anju Jain, Bangalore-based director of human resources at the India unit of machinery-maker Caterpillar Inc. This is because employees are often the company’s face for customers, says Ms. Jain.
So, everything from how you shake hands with other people, how you dress, walk, talk, and even eat, can matter.
To brush up on these skills, you can look up videos online that have tips on appearance or enroll yourself in a personal grooming programs, which may cost anything between 5000 rupees ($87) to 10,000 rupees ($174.)
Get computer literate: No matter what job you are applying for, every company expects you to know how to use a computer. This includes being able to type, and use basic computer programs like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
If the job that you are applying for needs you to make presentations, it’s a good idea to get some training on how to do that. This can be done by taking tutorials on the Internet on topics ranging from how to use the laser pointer (you don’t want it to shine on your boss’ bald head) to how much text to have in a presentation slide
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