From being an employee’s market, the job market is back to being an employer’s market courtesy the economic slowdown. Given that, it’s become imperative for all those freshers and entry level employees to be as skilled as possible
Gone are the times when job ads were being splashed all around and entry level job seekers were being served these jobs on a platter! With global recession setting in, hiring has become very judicious and recruiters very sparing. Moreover, the first to face the axe during layoffs are the junior level employees. So how can these starry eyed, new-in-the-rat race bag a job and stay gainfully employed? We ask a few industry experts and get their insights on this…
Dr. Pallab Bandyopadhyay, VP and head - HR, Asia-Pacific, Perot Systems
One must make use of this time, learn new skills or improve upon the ones which are already there. One must also maintain good relations with peers, bosses and be willing to put in extra hours beyond the call of duty. If the going gets tough, chances are that such employees will be retained compared to their peers.
Deodutta R Kurane, president - HR, Yes Bank
Entry level employees should be open to varying professional fitment and location options as per the availability. They should also have a clear understanding that compensation levels may not be directly comparable with the levels that existed in the last 6–12 months. They should be focused on their work assignments, tasks at hand, meet deadlines, focus on improving individual productivity and efficiency. In addition, they should be completely aligned with the organisational practices, processes and goals, maintain professional discipline, avoid initiating and becoming party to unwanted gossiping.
Dr. C. M. Dwivedi, group head - HR, Financial Technologies
Tier two cities like Nagpur, Indore, Nasik, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Coimbatore, Trichy etc are coming up and growing in big ways. Lot of MNC’s are setting up their businesses in these cities. Instead of focusing only on metros and big MNC’s, if these new entrants concentrate on these cities, there’s a good chance that they will find opportunities.
Karthik K S, CEO, 24x7 Learning
Freshers should realise that passing out of college does not mean the end of education. Regular learning is a good practice and should be continued throughout the professional life through executive courses, which can act as a shield in tough times. Assessing your potential is the first step to figure out the right training program. Once you assess your strengths and weaknesses, energies should be channelised in attaining those skills through the most effective medium.
Indrajit Sen, assistant VP - HR, Talent Acquisition, Aricent
Employees, especially those at the entry level, should read a lot and update themselves with the latest in their business. Self learning and development along with a positive attitude can go a long way in keeping oneself well-employed.
T N Radhakrishna, head - HRD, UTI Asset Management
Looking at the not so encouraging job market, those at the entry level should run that extra mile to market themselves. This is the time to come out of the rigid stand that one would have taken otherwise. One should look at the opportunities and customise the approach, fine tune the candidature to suit the job needs, be it the professional discipline they come from, mobility aspects ( both geographical and functional), or salary expectation.
Suresh Panicker, HR manager, Jotun India
These new entrants should gain academic expertise and market the know-how of a specific industry and develop their technical as well as soft skills. In addition, they should develop themselves for the company's future needs and roles and responsibilities.
Though there’s no formula for getting a job, if one follows these pointers s/he may just increase their chances of staying employed!
