If you have just graduated and are finding it hard to secure a job in the current bleak economy, read on for Rhea Kavarana’s tips on how to kill it in the job sceneario
It is no secret that the global economy is currently in a bad condition. With the drastic rise of the dollar, import duties and increasing excise, India has joined the world and we would be naïve to think that the ripple effect of this economic downfall would not reach us. It has, and it is causing serious problems for job seekers, especially freshers.
The immediate goal of any fresher is to get out of college, sit for placements (both on as well as off campus) and get a job. This has become increasingly difficult in today’s economy as only a sliver of candidates are getting recruited. Earlier, one would understand that freshers who do not have all the skills would rightly be rejected. Today however, qualified graduates are receiving letters of rejection, which are a red flag and a reason for graduates to up their game.
Now the question that rises here is, how can we combat this? The facts at hand are that the economy is in the doldrums, the job scene is scarce and a newly graduated individual may not get the job he/she had initially coveted. But let this not bog you down. Like every fight, this can be fought too, and here’s how.
START WITH A BLANK SLATE
Very often, new graduates sit for placements and interviews with a preconceived notion of what they want to do in a company. They have already decided which particular title they want, how much it should pay, what their responsibilities would be, and so on. While ambition must be encouraged, it is also necessary to nderstand that a graduate has little or no experience in the real world of a work environment. Therefore, start afresh. Approach a company with your skills and strong points and give them what you have to offer. At the same time, be open to positions outside of what you came through the door imagining. Trust the company. They will train you to do a job that you may become really good at. This openness will increase your chances of landing a job, as it broadens the horizon of jobs you are initially willing to take on.
APPLY EVERYWHERE
This point cannot be emphasised enough. Often students choose a certain bunch of companies/firms, covet them for their brand value and are adamant about applying there. While there is absolutely no harm in doing so, it is also necessary for freshers to also apply elsewhere. Keep your goal in mind and work towards it, even if it is a coveted firm. But also understand the condition of the economy and apply to several places. It is important to note that when freshers start out in a big firm, they often get lost in the vastness of the company, which is already so huge. Getting recognised in such scenarios is difficult. If a fresher begins in a smaller firm, he/she can not only take on more responsibility, but will also gain more industry experience, which will help him/her in future applications.
TUNING YOUR RESUMÉ
Often freshers tend to have a CV that is stored as a template and fired out on email to several companies. This is one of their biggest mistakes. Recruiters go through thousands of resumes in order to choose applicants, so understand what each company is specifically looking for and tune your own resumé to reflect that you, in fact, offer that. Personalise each resume to fit the needs of the company. Highlight what they are looking for. This is time consuming but is more appreciated than a one-shoe-fits-all CV.
STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Employers today are looking for multi-faceted individuals who can handle more than one job role. This is done to cut costs from the employers’ end. Therefore, it is vital to show the potential employer through your resumé as well as interviews that you are a multifaceted candidate who can handle more than one job role. Diversity is the name of the game and if you can do the job of two while being just one, the chances of you getting hired increase.
GIVE A GREAT INTERVIEW
We all have heard time and again about the importance of a great interview. This applies more so in a bad economy. It is so important to come across as a professional, intelligent individual who can handle workload. This largely affects the probability of getting a job. If a fresher comes across as anything less than top-notch (especially in trying times like this) a job is almost guaranteed to not come your way. So pull your socks up and give a killer interview.
“While giving an interview, freshers should bring up how their career goals align with the organisation in question’s goals rather than just jumping at the ‘brand’ of the organisation. For example if you go for an ad sales role and highlight how you’ve studied advertising and are interested in working in the field, this shows that you have come with a goal and a valid reason.” – Disha Makharia, Assistant Manager (Human Resources), Conde Nast Publications (India)
Volume 3 Issue 11
