What a tragedy it is that we have a large number of companies, which are searching for suitable employees and we also have a large number of unemployed people. Both of them need each other, but this match-making requires some additional things. As per the companies, most of the graduates are unemployable. As per the graduates, they are first division holders and deserve the best placements.

While recruiting a candidate, a company is looking for a combination of following skills: -

1. Technical skills:- ability to understand the technical aspects well and ability to execute the required work to perfection
2. Presentation skills:- ability of the person to express himself properly and create desired impact on the customers
3. Human skills:- a good human being having essential qualities and characteristics like honesty, team worker, initiative taking, leadership, self-motivation etc.

Most of the degrees only focus on technical skills (that too theoretical perspectives, without practical applications). Educational institutions do organise a lot of co-curricular activities (which can help in improving presentation and human skills), but these are not part of evaluation systems, hence they are ignored both by students and by the institutions themselves. Thus the present education system focuses only on 1/3^rd of the required skills. A first division holder candidate may not be able to get a very good placement offer because he/she may not have excellent presentation skills.

A student should therefore start building up required skills on his own. Presentation skills can be improved through participation in seminars, conferences, debates, lectures, cultural festivals, essay-writing contests and other such co-curricular activities. A student may take up additional courses to sharpen skills in creative writing, impact making presentation skills etc.

A student should further take up voluntary projects/industry assignments during summer and winter vacations to get some exposure of corporate requirements. These additional assignments and projects will help the student in sharpening the required skills.

A student should additionally take up some social development projects to inculcate required human skills and capabilities. These social development projects can be for helping the society in some or the other form. The student may join some NGO or join the NSS or NCC or Scouts or other forums to get the opportunity to work for some social cause. These opportunities will bring out the hidden gem in the student. The more the student participates in such activities, the more responsible and employable he would become, hence these activities are a type of investment for future.

Most of the students fail in selection process due to minor mistakes. A few questions will enable a student to brush up and prepare for the selection rounds: -

1. Have you studied the job description (the details of the job for which you are applying), identified and understood your role?
2. Have you studied about the history, background, achievements, and context of the company?
3. Have you browsed through fundamental terms relating to the job that you are applying?
4. Have you browsed through the latest news and events relating to your job, position or work area?
5. Have you prepared yourself for some fundamental questions that are asked in every interview like “What is your career-goal?” “Why do you want to join this job?” “Why do you like this field?” “What did you learn in your last institution/job/assignment/achievement?”

It is the learning attitude that is more important than your present learning. A student, who displays a learning attitude and positive thinking, may be selected in spite of poor knowledge, but a student who is arrogant, adamant, aggressive and unwilling to learn is bound to be rejected. A company needs a person, who can be trained to their requirements and therefore an open, flexible, transparent and collaborative attitude should be displayed at the time of interview. A student is not selected for the past performance, or for the present, but for the potential. Remember, you are selected for what you can become. Your past performance is only an indication of your future potential, however, even with poor academic performance, you can display great potential by displaying positive energy, enthusiasm and a learning attitude towards life. For the company, you are a future leader and you will enable the company to serve the society through innovative initiatives.

Start Your Placement Groups

I get surprised to see students wasting their one year after graduation preparing for group discussions and interviews. While they could have built up those skills along with their graduation through practical assignments and social development projects. The students should ideally form their voluntary groups for the purpose of placements. The voluntary groups should undertake following activities: -

1. Organizing mock interviews, in which students would appear with complete preparation (including proper formal resume, formal dress, formal presentations, and group discussions)
2. Organizing counselling sessions with veterans of the field for the benefit of the students
3. Organizing visits to placement / job fairs and conducting cold-calls to the prospective recruiters
4. Inviting motivational / inspirational speakers to inspire the students and change their world-view / attitude towards life and transform them from immature youth into mature and responsible citizens.   

Every company takes screening of at least 4-5 times if more candidates are present than required. It is quite possible that a student may be excellent in all the skills, yet due to fierce competition, he / she may be rejected. This should not dishearten, but it should enable the candidate to pile up more experience and learning for next contest.