Employability refers
to a person's capability for gaining and maintaining employment.
Hillage and Pollard, 1998
Having a good degree does not mean that you are employable,
you need a combination of qualifications, experience, personal characteristics
to avoid being unemployable. The other point to note is that you may be
employed, but are you really employable? Find out what you need to be truly
employable:
1.
Creative: You are hired to get things done effectively
and efficiently. You need logical, analytical, and problem-solving skills to
sustain your employability.
2.
Innovative: You cannot stay in your comfort
zone. You have to innovate (Lat. innovare: "to change") and do things
differently. It means taking risks and making mistakes. To change is to create
new ideas and stand above the crowd.
3.
Collaborative: Be able to work hand in glove
with others and achieve company goals. Know how to leverage the strengths of
others to boost your own productivity.
4.
People skills: Be cheerful. Acknowledge and pay
attention to others. Be interested in and look for the good in others. Know
when and how to approach others to get things done. Develop the habit of seeing
things from the point of view of others.
5.
Technical skills: This is your area of
specialized knowledge and expertise. The most important thing is that you must
be able to perform by applying what you have learnt.
6. Enterprising:
What is your business sense? According to Wikipedia, it is the keenness and quickness in understanding and
dealing with a business situation. Are you able to see the big picture and make wise decisions?
7.
Communication skills: The ability to communicate
effectively verbally and in writing is crucial for your employability. Learn to
listen attentively, study their body language and understand unspoken words.
8.
Language skills: The way to impress another
person is to speak his or her language. The more languages you know, the easier
it is for you to connect with others. In a cosmopolitan country like Malaysia,
it is a necessity to know English, Malay, and Chinese to sustain your employability.
9.
Personal attributes: Be honest, punctual, and able
to meet deadlines. This is the way to gain trust and respect. Be flexible and
adaptable. Productive habits like
getting up early, planning ahead, and organizing from day to day are effective
self-management. Adopt a can-do attitude and never whine in the face of
difficulties.
10. IT
skills: To be employable long term is to learn continuously.It is essential to
embrace and adopt technological advancements and be productive. Move forward
with the changing environment and stay ahead.
No comments:
Post a Comment