Oct-2011/ Volume-1/Issue-3/Article No-13/ EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TO THE FRESHERS: A STUDY Kumaresan krishnamurthy* 1, S.

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1 ISSN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT RESEARCH AND REVIEW Oct-2011/ Volume-1/Issue-3/Article No-13/ EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TO THE FRESHERS: A STUDY Kumaresan krishnamurthy* 1, S.Kamaraju 2 1 Management Studies, Bharathiyar College of Engineering and Technology, Karaikal ABSTRACT 2 AVVM Sri Pushpam College, Poondi, Thanjavur *Corresponding Author: e mail: kumaresh.bcet@gmail.com Due to globalization and competition, the development of human resource is considered to be an important factor incorporate sector. As the development ofpersonality and development of organization are interrelated, the soft skillslike goal setting, attitude building, attitude enrichment, entrepreneur skill, communication skill, self motivation, self analysis, self enrichment, alertness, career aptitude and motivation are prerequisite in job market. This article presents how soft skills help to the freshers for employability. Keywords: Globalization, human resource, motivation and soft skills. INTRODUCTION The global Economy is under the total influence of globalization and liberalization. The process of globalization has caused far reaching changes in the development of technology and industry, Thereby the rapid development in information and communication Technology (ICT) and various resources. Among the various resources available in development process, the human resource is considered to be essential for every organization. Properly trained and highly skilled human resource is perceived as the greatest asset of an organization as skilled personnel contribute efficiency, growth, increased productivity and market reputation for the organization development, provided the welfare of the employee taken cared by the organizations. That is why all the industrial, commercial, research establishments and even governments have had a separate Human Resources Development department for attending the matters relating to employee s recruitment, training and development, morale and motivation. In the present job market scenario, acquiring a degree is certainly not a passport for a job. It is only a necessary document and not a sufficient document. The present decade is paradoxical in the sense, job openings are in abundance running in lakhs but plethora of candidates who undergo selection process do not meet the required specifications of the employers and hence remain unemployment. This not job ready scene has to be turned to job ready scene. The students passing out from the educational mills need to acquire extra skills. The precise and oft repeated skills are communication skills and body language. Major employers often lament that the graduates invariably lack this skill which is most needed in the job milieu. The present job environment often focuses the need for this skill.

2 What are employability skills? Soft skills Employability skills provide students with a strong conceptual and practical framework to build develop and manage teams. Grooming of the students to the requirement of the employees begin with strong analytical skills and effective communication skills both oral and written. Most multinational companies and domestic companies expect that the employee should have good communication skills. When facing the interview, whether a face-to- face interview, a telephonic interview or video conferencing, one should prepare very well in a systematic way to impress the employer. Thus the Employability skills are: Effective Communication skills Inter-personal and Team work skills Problem solving-analytical skills Adaptability and flexibility skills Personal skills Effective Communication skills Soft skills and interpersonal skills are crucial to increase employment opportunities and to compete successfully in the campus recruitment. The real key to the effectiveness of professionals is their ability to put their domain knowledge into effective practice. In this context, soft skills have a main role to play with people at the emotional level (peers, subordinates, superiors, clients, suppliers, etc.) through Emotional Intelligence (EI). Thus effective communication skills are required to: To provide students with a strong conceptual and practical framework to build develop and manage a team. To play an important role in the development of the students overall personality, thereby enhancing their career prospects. To provide strong practical orientation to the students and help them build and improve their skills in communication. Strategy of Communication Most of the Business Correspondence/ Professional Presentations are goal oriented and audience specific. So the business people pay more attention to the following: Objectives of Communication, Audience Awareness, Techniques of Summary and Call to Action. Presentation; And While the objectives are known for communication, one will never lose out, as the effective communication plays different role with different people like the Boss, or Chief Executive

3 Officer, peers, clients and subordinates. An analysis of the audience, such as their expectation, feeling, belief, their background, and their points of resistance or negative perceptions is helpful. If the answer is found through summarization of the ideas to these questions, one can find less difficulty in communication/ presentations. Call to action is expected based on the reactions/ actions of the audience. Role of Body language or Non-verbal Communication During the century, the term body language non verbal communication was not so popular. Globalization of the business competitions paves the way to know the importance of the Body language and its role in employability. Table 1 also illustrates the body language and interpretation. Table 1: Body Language Codes Non-verbal behavior Brisk, erect walk Standing with hands on hips Sitting with legs crossed, foot kicking slightly Sitting, legs apart Arms crossed on chest Walking with hands in pockets, shoulders hunched Hand to cheek Touching, slightly rubbing nose Rubbing the eye Hands clasped behind back Locked ankles Interpretation Confidence Readiness, Aggression Boredom Open, Relaxed Defensiveness Dejection, Doubt, Lying Doubt, Disbelief Anger, Frustration, Apprehension Apprehension Boredom Anticipation Head resting in hand, eyes Confidence, Superiority

4 downcast Rubbing hands Sitting with hands clasped behind head, legs crossed Tapping or drumming fingers Steeping fingers Patting/ fondling hair Tilted head Stroking chin Looking down, face turned away Biting nails Pulling or tugging at ear Sincerity, Openness, Innocence Negative, Evaluation Impatience Authoritative Lack Of Self-Confidence, Insecurity Interest Trying To Make a Decision Disbelief Insecurity, Nervousness Indecision However, the culture also plays an important role in decoding the gestures, postures and other clues, as there is no uniformity in the meaning derived from the body language across the cultures. Writing skills As the business correspondence goes in global level, writing skills are no exception in being part and parcel of employability. As a professional, one is required to document things, draft proposals, and Business Correspondence like Principles of clear writing, often misused words, applications and requests, positive and negative responses to requests, routine messages, memos, report writing, organizing meetings, preparation of agenda and minutes, business etiquette, telephone etiquette, etiquette. (Developing Communication skills, Mohan Krishna, Mac millan,2002) The ability to communicate clearly and concisely is an advantage to a promising employee. Hence the writing skills give them an edge while interacting with people at all levels. The following can ensure effective business writing: Using Simple Sentences

5 Avoiding Jargon And Bombastic Words Be Concise and Precise Be Objective and using Specific Terms Expressing The Information With The Help Of Graphs, Figures, Charts, Examples Choosing Real Life Examples Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills It is often used to measure a person s ability to operate within business organizations through social communication and interactions. In a survey of four major metropolitan areas (America-Atlanta, Boston, Detroit and Los-angeles) in different regions of the US, Harry Holzer an economist at Michigan University, found more than 50% of entry level jobs required social and interpersonal skills. A survey conducted in Los Angeles and Detroit by Phillip Moss and Chris Tilly, Economist at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, determined that 86% of employers included soft skills among their most important hiring criteria. The following Interpersonal and Team Work Skills are required for the employability: Negotiations Social Skills Assertive Skills Cross Cultural Communication Negotiations Building trust among the workers within the organizations, clients, and customers outside the organizations is one of the most important challenges for any organization. However, the creditability of an organization depends on the negotiations skills of the employees, which in turn depends on the interpersonal skills of the employees. For this purpose, the employees need to be upright, transparent and trustworthy in their dealings. Social Skills A person with good attitude can easily cast a positive spell on others and can ensure a better working environment resulting in better productivity. Hence the attitudes, values, beliefs, motivation, desires, feelings, eagerness to learn, willingness to share and embrace new ideas, goal orientation, flexibility, persuasion, futuristic thinking, compassion, diplomacy, and various skill sets of communication, manners, and etiquette are playing crucial role on this. Thus the social skills deal with different situations diligently and responsibly. Assertive Skills

6 Another very important interpersonal skill required for employability is assertive skills. A person having more sensitivity, tolerance, good negotiation skills, openness, compassion, and flexibility of behavior can tackle conflicts better than anyone lacking these skills. Perhaps these skills are always preferred to the employability. Cross-Cultural Communications Due to rapid development in information and communication Technology, the global Economy is under the total influence of globalization. No business organization is confined to a particular people or locality. The process of globalization has caused far reaching changes in the development of technology and industry. Thus the employability requires a person joining such concern should have the diversity of culture, faith, value and thinking process. Problem-solving and Analytical Skills Problem solving and Analytical skills are required to assess the ability, logical awareness and complex ideas of the incumbent. It involves in the identifications of problems and the formulation and evaluation of alternative solutions by weighing risks and benefits. Another possibility in this case is that consumer decision-making depends on the sort of product. When it comes to purchasing a house or making a similar capital investment, the decision is mainly rational and so it depends on a good deal of information. Thus it requires cognitive skills, analytical ability, critical thinking, power of judgment and decision making to cope with the challenges. Adaptability and flexibility skills Due to global challenges, Technological advancements in various fields world over are very rapid, every day new products or machines or equipments with more and more advanced features are incorporated in to industry and the change is inevitable. In order to cope with the industry demand, adaptability and flexibility of the employees are so essential. Changes in technology bring corresponding changes in the nature of work. Computers, telecommunication systems, robotics, and flexible manufacturing impact the organization. With changing technologies, employee s skills become obsolete. The adaptability to change and diverse conditions and environment of work coupled with high standards of work ethics are going to be crucial. So the organization will look for the ways to identify the candidates so as to have the adaptability and flexibility. Personal skills Soft skills include personal qualities that promote employment, such as self-esteem, motivation, and a willingness to learn. All business concerns look for the people who are team players rather individual prodigies. They look for the people who can get along with others, who can uplift the morale of others, who can set standards for others. Thus most of the organizations expect honesty, integrity, consistency, leadership qualities, determinations and dedication, innovative, risk taking abilities.

7 CONCLUSION As the above discussion is a testimony to the growing importance of soft skills for the employability, the development of individual through soft skills and the employability of the organization are interrelated. The employability of individual is also imperative. Thus the soft skills play an important role for the employability. With the commitment, and confident of the candidate, this soft skills will ensure that they have a smooth transition from aspiring students to young successful employee/ entrepreneur. REFERENCE Conrad Cecilia A and Wilhelmina A Leigh Soft Skills: A Bridge or Barrier to Employment. Vol. 27.No. 1 (January), Welfare To Work Partnership, Taking The Next Step Vol. 76, No. 5, , Saks, Julie M. McCarthy. Effects of discriminatory interview questions and gender on applicant reactions. Journal of Business and Psychology 21:2, 175, Jean M. Barclay. Improving selection interviews with structure: organizations use of behavioral interviews. Personnel Review 30:1, 81, Krishna, Mohan. Developing Communication Skills. Mac millan, Prasad, H.M.How to Prepare G.D and Interview. New Delhi; Tata McGraw Hill, Andrew and Michael Maynard.The Perfect Presentation. New Delhi; Random House Business, Bhatnagar, R P. English for Competitive Examination. Macmillan, Jim Dugger. Business Letters for Busy People; Jaico Publishing House, 2008.