Employability of Freshers !

I recently read an article in a large English news paper http://goo.gl/owoL3S about the poor employability of youngsters entering the job market. This spurred me to pen my experience with them.   As a HR consultant  engaged in talent acquisition day in and day out, I come across   fresh graduates in their 20 something trying to brake the ice in getting their  first job.  When ever we approach this set of youngsters, the instant  response would be : Is it an MNC company? ; Is it a 5 day working culture; I don’t want a field  / Sales / Voice job;  will I get xxx CTC (usually the sum total of their expense & Liabilities ), etc.  All questions that will only answer their immediate comfort and financial needs and none the quality of work, responsibilities or future growth.  

Accepted,  End of the day, every one works because they need to earn a living.  However, an employment has to be viewed as a career and not just an engagement for  livelihood. When an  organization employs a person it’s not just  for appointing a person to do a set of task , it’s an investment in the person after  taking into account their productivity expected in the short and the long run as the investment has to fetch the desired returns. So, they will pay what the persons is capable of delivering . This is why the current trend is to call employees as ‘Human Capital’ and moving slowly away from calling them ‘Human Resource’.

What are the parameters that will determine the persons employability?  Primary consideration will be the fitment of specific skills that the particular position demands.  Equally important to the employer is the personal skills of the individual like communication, common sense (most uncommon nowadays), discipline, positive attitude, Integrity, willingness to go the extra mile, , passion, etc.. If one wants a better pay packet, they will  have to show case their skills at the interview for the company to see value in them .  Now comes the tricky part.  Its easy to tell people to develop their skills but in reality ,its a different ball game. It calls for a concerted effort. It can not happen in a few days of training. Training sessions can only show the way.  Only persistent practise and the individuals passion to improve their quality of skills  can mould them into a valuable professional. Now, this is the rare gem that  employers are desperately seeking to find & willing to pay.

Now coming to the size of the employer. Many may aspire to join a large MNC,CMM Level 5 company as one may feel secure here due to the size & number of heads.    Nothing wrong in that. But the truth is,  there is no security here as well. Furthermore , they only recruit the best.  If you are not able to make it the first time around, then you must hone  your skills so that you can apply at a later date and brake into that cadre.  Moreover, MNCs /CMM /Fortune 500 companies form a small part of the employment market. Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises(SME) form the bulk of the hiring.  Here you get  wide exposure, become a  multi-tasker and  get faster recognition. Working with these companies can lead to excellent opportunities internally as well as externally as  MNC / prized companies acknowledge the fact that people from smaller companies are good performers.

Last but not the least, while this may be addressing the young  job  seekers, most of what has been said above is very much applicable to experienced job seekers as well.