How to sell yourself?
Employability is one of the prominent goals that students seek when they enroll for any course in
the college. According to a survey by NDTV news report June 2013, 50 lakh students graduate
every year in India out of which 50% of the students are not fit to be hired. Another report in the
Economic Times, June 2013 says that somewhere between a fifth to third of million engineering
students graduating out of the colleges in India run the risk of being unemployed. Now, I dont
want to scare you with those figures and my goal in this article is not to paint a bleak picture for
the graduating students. Rather its just the opposite. I believe that with few disciplines and
changes any student can sell himself or make herself employable. So what are the qualities that
employers look in a graduate? In other words how do you sell yourself to your prospective
employees? Following are the qualities that students need to inculcate to make themselves
employable ready.
1. Clarity of Basic Concepts: Students need to be clear of basic concept of their respective
discipline of study. During interviews, be sure that your employer will pose a few
questions to check your clarity on basic concepts of your disciplines. You need to clearly
express in your own words your understanding of the basic concepts. Remember any
elevation however high wont stand if the base is weak. It is sure to collapse one day.
2. Good Communication Skills: You may have heard of the hilarious phrase, Pregnant but
not delivering! Many of our graduates are in such a sorry state that they are full of
knowledge but unable to express their knowledge. We live in the era of Information and
knowledge. Today the persons real resource lies in the knowledge he/she possess and his
ability to communicate it. Many of the graduates of our institutes fail at this very
important front. Todays employers will certainly prefer a graduate who is good at his
basics concepts and has excellent communication skills over the one who is excellent at
his basic concepts and has average communication skills.
3. Confident Personality: How a person carries himself or herself speaks a volume about
his/her personality. Do you keep eye contact with others while speaking or shy away?
Does your hand shake convey your confidence, over confidence or timidity? Does your
body language deceive the words that come out of your mouth? Who would you prefer
for your loved one undergoing a surgery? A timid doctor who gives you no hope or
doctors who exudes confidence and gives you hope? Well the answer is obvious and
applies to all fields of life.
4. Proactive Attitude: This is one of the majors when it comes to employability.
Employers are surely looking for a yes man/woman. It surely does not mean that you
have to settle for any kind of work that is thrust on you. But the willingness to do more
than you are paid for is the key to success and recognition at any work place. The
employers will surely pose a question or two that can test for your proactive behavior. Be
sure to show your willingness for long hours, transfer to different location, multitasking
when you are queried on it.
5. Willingness to learn more: It is said that the best teachers are the best students. A person
who is willing to learn and curious to know more is a person set to rise higher. During
your interview this should come as one of the prominent feature of your personality.
When the interviewer asks you for questions from your side, you could ask questions
like, Does your organization afford opportunities for further learning? What are my
chances of growth and learning in your organization?
6. Etiquettes and Grooming: The ancient phrase says it so well, When in Rome, do as the
Romans do. Every place has its own culture and etiquettes to be followed. If one adapts
to this culture, he or she is readily accepted in that place. This is also true of the corporate
world. You should look that you belong to the place and not an odd one out. If you want
to be accepted in the corporate world you have to follow the ethos of the place. Once
your prospective employer feels that you are a person who will readily blend into the
culture of the organization he will develop an affinity and liking for you and treat you as
equal. So dont miss familiarizing the etiquettes and the essential grooming habits of the
place that you are going to be a part of.
Conclusion: A woodcutter who could cut more trees with his axe than any one else was
once asked the secret of his success. He replied, After every tree I cut, I take time out to
sharpen my axe. Thats the secret to success. With the above tips, if we could take time
to sharpen our skills we are sure to taste success. Wishing you all the success.
Sohan.
