I am helping my cousin find the right job and I don’t really know if the way I am guiding him is correct, coz there isn’t a place where I can go and check what exact skills are required in a particular job market and what should a person do to get that kind of a job. It was because I was inquisitive and had lots of people to talk to that I was able to understand what I like and who needs my skills…this doesn’t really happen to everyone. So, what we really need is:
· Realistic ways of identifying and informing skill set – there are amazing job portals that help us find a job but they sometimes place or engage you with someone who isn’t worthy of you (or may be, you aren’t worthy). Resume is flashy and there is no dearth of marketing words that a resume can’t fit. It becomes really difficult for people to map their skills to what the employer is looking for.
· Skill set and training – so many people are looking for jobs, and so many employers are looking for candidates. Doesn’t it make sense to hire the guys who looking for jobs…but the unfortunate thing is that people want to give jobs to only those who already have a steady job…why? Because they are doers and they are really confident about the skills required for the job.
· College doesn’t help – there are so many professors in the colleges teaching kids engineering/commerce/arts…how about they tell their kids – how to use LinkedIn? How to join the communities and find the right people in the community (those who can help you get the right job)? Why not and why to apply for jobs at different offices?...people expect you to enter a job and then understand what it’s all about; as a matter of fact, job roles are pretty clear to the many who were on the job, we just need to connect with these guys to understand what the job is all about.
· Unrealistic job requirements – I saw a job with a ridiculous list of job requirements from a fresher; even guys with 5+ years in that role will find it hard to fulfill those requirements. A lot of employers are losing employees because they do not have well formed job descriptions.
The questions that need to be answered: What kinds of jobs are there in the market? What exact skills do I need to get the job? How to get hands-on experience on the skills the employer is looking for?
I am going to do my bit, I will prepare a required skill set for Technical writers. Actually, I am writing a book for technical writers…so, I’ll just give the required sections for free.
