Recruitment has changed. If you haven't, then stay unemployed

Stop saying “I have a degree, I am hardworking, I am X,Y,Z….. I really need a job now, please help”

Start saying “Look at my portfolio, I have done all these in the past. If you hire me, I can do all these for you and I will be an asset for you”

There was a time when companies came to your college door steps and hired you (fresh graduates) based on some ‘aptitude’ tests or something similar. Then they trained you from scratch and made you employable. If you think the ones who cleared the tests were ‘special’ ones, you are so wrong. Companies just used it as a measure to select few from the whole crowd. Well, some of them were really skilled, and those students never depended solely on placements. Anyway it was all good for everyone, but not anymore. A lot has changed, but let’s not get into those for now.

How recruitment has changed in the recent years?

Placements at colleges are going to be history very soon. Mass recruitment is over. There are opportunities, but both companies and freshers are finding it difficult to meet their respective requirements. Let’s look into the two main reasons.

Skills mismatch

Companies are expecting certain standards. Even if you are from a Tier 1 institute of the country, many of you don’t possess it. Yes, you might be a brilliant student. You would have cleared India’s one of the top competitive exams and secured admission at a premium university and scored good too. But real work is not about clearing the aptitude tests and clearing exams with the tricks you knew. Those won’t work in organisations. There are no previous years question pattern here. It is a whole new world, where execution is the only thing that matters.

You are not visible

I am an employer who have an opportunity for you. But where do I find you? Where is your portfolio? Naukri and timesjobs are not going to help you get visibility, not anymore. It is overcrowded with low quality postings and good companies left that place long time ago.

What have you done to prove already that you can get something done? Your degree certificate from a premium institute is good. But that’s not enough. There are plenty of you, who have the same.

If you are not visible online in 2017, chances are you will NEVER find that job profile you really want. And then don’t complain that, “this industry is not doing well and I don’t have connections to get me job”. Nobody is doing here a favour for you. Everyone does hire you to get something done. (When you finish reading this post, come back and read this one as well, you won’t regret.)

Now let’s say you have a portfolio. Is that good?

Portfolio should contain only the best piece of your works. Remember, less is more. Make it clean and attractive. Think from an employer point of you. When you see a portfolio you should feel like having him/her in your team. Don’t have money to invest to make a good portfolio? Find creative ways. You don’t have money as you are unemployed. You are unemployed as you don’t have a portfolio worth sharing. See the connection?

This is not just for artist who have physical evidences of works. It is applicable to all industries. If you have done something good, show it.

How can you start your career?

It’s simple, but requires effort.

Start building a good portfolio from your college days itself. At the end you need only the best and relevant works in the portfolio.
Build real connections in the industry you are aiming at and know how they became who they are now.

I feel everyone should interact with professionals from different sectors to not only understand the market scenario but also to be market ready. Academic courses will only provide knowledge, but interacting with professionals will help you in application of knowledge. – Kuntal Raha
Be visible online.
Share your portfolio at the right locations and with right people (below average companies won’t appreciate it, you don’t want to work there anyway, trust me).

Note: When you approach people to build connections, make sure you have the right approach. They don’t owe you anything and they are not going to do you any favours. Offer them something valuable instead of asking, “hey buddy, i am good at X and i have a degree from Y. placmts were bad last year u knw, so pls help me to find a job yaaar”.

It simply won’t work !

What does work then?

Study whom you are approaching.
Know what might impress them.
Know what they are looking for.
Offer it.
At the end they will approach you with an offer.

It is not a cheap dirty trick. People do appreciate genuine and skilled people.

Be valuable. If you are visible and have value, people will find you.

Understand this, even when you are unemployed or are on a low profile, which you are not happy about, there is someone else out there, in a company you wish to work for, in a pay which is so much higher than you.

Why are organisations not firing them and hiring you, even when you are ready to work for less than half of his/her salary? Because they can’t risk the work quality with you. They don’t know your skills and what you can do. Therefore expecting them to give a chance to prove that you are good is foolishness.

One last thing for people who think that having a degree from a Tier 1 institute is everything. There are people out there in the job market who were building a portfolio when you were busy writing your assignments and exams. Such people were less few years back and they did not have any platform to get the exposure. This is 2017, a kid from Africa can now take work from India and get it done, may be at a cheaper rate and better quality. So you are in competition with a whole new level.

Continue Reading

Read how a Mechanical Engineer became a Senior Graphic Designer, even without a Design related degree.

Hint : He simply build a portfolio.

Read how Sahil became an artist after failing to clear his B.Sc degree.

Hint : Passion, practice and patience.

How Sundar became a Design Strategist, without a formal design education.

Hint : He researched well about the previous projects the company did, before reaching out to the organisation he wanted to work for.