Can you get the message across?
Vani Doraisamy
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What does it take, apart from a decent academic score, to make sure recruiters pick you? Listen to a host of top-notch HR professionals who spoke at The Hindu Education Plus fair.
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Communication, not just academics, is the key to ensure recruiters do not give you a go-by. All you need is the ability to sell yourself properly. Says Chandrasekar Pingale, head of human resources at Scope International, the BPO major, the qualities employers look out for in a prospective employee are the drive to go the extra mile, being a team player, a commitment to excellence, energy and creativity, consistency in performance and above all, adherence to core values. "You could have all the knowledge in the world, but if you are unable to articulate that knowledge, you are wasting your employer's time.''
"There are huge employment opportunities in the BPO sector even for fresh graduates without any specialisation. But our experience with freshers has shown us that not many are able to effect the shift in mindset from college to corporate life.'' And many also run the risk of weighing a job in terms of monetary gains and not sticking to ethical and moral values. According to G.D Sharma, vice-president, Human Resources, Larsen and Toubro, a combination of work ethics, positive attitude, pro-activeness, discipline and honesty are definite assets.
Also, what are the common mistakes job-seekers make? According to Suresh Reddy, principal consultant, 3rd Eye, creating a right impression starts with the right resume. ``Most resumes are poorly written and have no photos. Let your prospective employer see what you look like even before he meets you. A neat covering letter is another essential.'' And then comes the mind-programming. ``Go in for psychometric skills to understand your own aptitude. Practise taking mock interviews. Poor subject matter skills, poor general knowledge and poor body-language are definite turn-offs,'' he advised. ``Habits, attitudes and values, apart from good communication skills are what will make you a world-class professional,'' said S. Venkatesh, vice-president, NIIT.
And for those who tended to neglect the all-important communication skills in the race to score a few more marks, the experts had this to say: academics and looking for a job are two separate things. If you were a top-ranker but lacked interpersonal skills, it amounted to nothing. A good academic track record denoted, at best, consistent performance and nothing more.
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