VSRD International Journal of Business and Management Research, Vol.

IV Issue IV April 2014 / 133

e-ISSN : 2231-248X, p-ISSN : 2319-2194 © VSRD International Journals : www.vsrdjournals.com

REVIEW ARTICLE

EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS : THE NEED OF THE

GRADUATES AND THE EMPLOYER
1Sufia Rehman* and 2Afaq Mehmood
1Research
Scholar, Faculty of Management and Research,
2Professor and Head, Department of Center for Career Guidance and Development ,
1,2Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA.

*Corresponding Author: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Every fresh graduate coming out of the college is concerned about the future. They are full of questions about how to survive in the job
market, tricks to win and influence the recruiters during the job interview, what are the recruiters looking for and what unique
combination of skills , attributes and values are required in order to secure that first job as well as navigate in the career. There’s a gap
between employer’s expectations and the college produce. Understanding and meeting the skill requirements of the corporate world is
a challenge. In the current economic climate the employers look for skills beyond the degree. Today graduates need not only the
technical skills to perform specific tasks they also essentially need to have the employability skills set: aptitude, communication,
attitude, problem-solving and teamwork etc.

Here we try to seek answers to questions like: What are skills for employability? Why are employability skills important? And how
can a fresh graduate develop these skills.

Keywords: Recruiters, Job Market, Employability Skills, Technical Skills, Communication, Team Work.

1. INTRODUCTION values that are most sought after by the employers from
Securing a good job after college and finding an existing fresh graduates.
place to begin the career is the prime focus of every fresh
graduate. How to influence the hearts and minds of the A graduate’s achievements related to the subject discipline
employer? The question always looms large in the minds are viewed as necessary by the employers but not
of every fresh graduate who wishes to unlock the secret to sufficient for them to be recruited. In some employment
impress and win over the employer. Desire of success in contexts the actual subject discipline may be relatively
the job market and how to click the first job becomes an unimportant. Achievements outside the boundaries of the
issue of survival. In such a situation it becomes even more discipline (such as the possession of so-called ‘soft skills’)
vital to understand and accept the fact that the degree are generally considered to be important in the recruitment
alone is not sufficient to survive the Job Market. It of graduates1
certainly makes their candidature eligible to apply for that
particular job. The subjects / specialization and The employers seek a range of skills or in other words the
grades/marks obtained etc. are also equally important. Employability Skills, which are sometimes referred to as
However in the present competitive scenario there is a the Generic skills, in a graduate during the hiring process.
strong possibility of abundance of equally qualified and They are looking for a mix of skills, abilities, interests,
competent candidates. values and personal qualities. Most of these skills are
common to a number of different career areas
There has always been a gap between employers
expectations and what the colleges produce , one has to The employability skills are both important to the
understand and accept the fact that the employers are employers for recruitment of right candidates but also to
looking for attributes beyond the qualification .Employers an individual for being able secure a job, retain
look for people who would 'Fit In' and become a valued employment and move flexibly in the job market as well
part of the organization and can start contributing to get as for lifelong learning. Employability involves much
the job done without delay. While high chances are that more than the ability of an individual to secure that first
most of the employers will be on the lookout for some job- job. It entails having the capability to network and market
specific skills but it is also true that at the same time they oneself, traverse through a career and remain employable
also want the candidate to have some general skills. throughout life. It requires the ability to ask questions,
During the recruitment process a candidate may face acquire new skills, identify and evaluate options,
questions about both job-specific skills and general flexibility, adapt successfully to changes and to take
employability skills with equal emphasis1. initiatives.

Now the big question is how does a fresh graduate equip What are skills for employability? Why are employability
him/her self to face the challenges in the job market and skills important? And how can a fresh graduate develop
what are unique combination of skills , attributes and these skills. Answers to these questions are dealt with
Sufia Rehman and Afaq Mehmood VSRDIJBMR, Vol. IV (IV) April 2014 / 134

here. • Technical/ Professional Skills

• Core Employability Skills or Personal Attributes
2. WHAT IS EMPLOYABILITY? Even though the Core Employability Skills are the most
Employability Definition: The ILO defines employability important they can only be measured in relative terms
skills as: The skills, knowledge and competencies that through psychometric analysis abilities of the interviewer.
enhance a worker’s ability to secure and retain a job, Communication Skills and Professional Skills are the ones
progress at work and cope with change, secure another job which are measured easily during the recruitment process.
if he/she so wishes or has been laid off and enter more
easily into the labour market at different periods of the life • Communication Skills: Survival in today’s
cycle. Individuals are most employable when they have corporate environment involves interaction with
broad-based education and training, basic and portable clients and managerial staff on a day to day basis.
high-level skills, including teamwork, problem solving, Communication skills are the media for sharing
information and communications technology (ICT) and knowledge, interests, attitudes, opinions, feelings, and
communication and language skills. This combination of ideas in order to influence and ultimately lead others.
skills enables them to adapt to changes in the world of Communication skills include the ability to: listen and
work. express verbally as well as non-verbally to gain
understanding both formally as well as informally.
Employability can be defined as: ‘a set of achievements –
skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make These skills usually get displayed during an interview
graduates more likely to gain employment and be conversation and when targeting success in the Interview
successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits as well as the workplace makes it necessary to give
themselves, the workforce, the community and the adequate importance to good communication. During
economy’3 direct interview emphasis is given on way the candidate
converses and conveys his/ her views and ideas across to
Employability is an assessment of the economic worth of a the listener. The candidate’s ability in verbal and written
graduate at the time of employment. Employability can be
communication, ability to clearly articulate thoughts,
defined as the enhanced capacity to secure and maintain fluency using correct grammar, good vocabulary and
employment. It is a set of transferable skills. comprehension skills are important things that are assessed
by the recruiter during the hiring process.
Whilst Graduateness may be seen as a statement of a level
of knowledge skills and understanding, employability is
Good command over communication abilities is given
concerned with the way in which those who have
high importance where the job requires the employee to
completed university courses can be assimilated into
make regular presentations and direct interaction with the
national / international work environment.4
client/ customers. Soft skills in English are stressed during
evaluation of communication skills6
A group of essential abilities that involve the development
of a knowledge base, expertise level and mindset that is
Listening Skills: One need to be an active listener, good
increasingly necessary for success in the modern listening ability is vital for interpersonal communication.
workplace. Employability skills are typically considered During the interview giving an appropriate response to a
essential qualifications for many job positions and hence
question is possible only when one is able to listen (i.e.
have become necessary for an individual's employment
actively listen)
success at just about any level within a business
environment. Verbal Communication: The ability to express ideas
clearly and confidently in speech comes under verbal
It is not the same as getting a job, rather it implies to a communication. It is the main form of communication
graduate's capacity to survive in a job and be able to move
during a face to face or telephonic interview. Grammar
between jobs, thus remaining employable throughout life. and fluency in English language, good vocabulary,
It is the possession of skills and competence to survive in a command over pronunciation, diction and voice
work situation. Skills necessary for self advocacy and
modulation etc. and above all confidence will help the
networking to cope with the changing circumstances, be
candidate to convey his or her message to the interview.
active in the maintenance of continuous learning and
capable of working within changing teams. Written Communication: Conveying of the ideas and the
message through written text is considered under written
Traditionally these skills were learned on-the-job but the communication skills. Importance is given to good written
changing nature of work place is such that employers communication in the jobs where the ability to write well
expect workers to come with employability skills in hand, enough to be understood in emails and memos is required.
employers are seeking recruits who are job ready, not just
those with technical skills. Reading Skills: To be able to understand and comprehend
the message and drive out the relevant information from
3. EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS CATEGORIES written text. Ability to follow instructions from written
Employability skills can be categorized based on three information gives an edge during job survival.
factors.
• Professional Skills: These skills are the ones even
• Communication Skills
Sufia Rehman and Afaq Mehmood VSRDIJBMR, Vol. IV (IV) April 2014 / 135

though developed through education but are required general lot, essentially the 'Attitude ' of the candidate.
to compete, enter and sustain the professional world.
These include various shades of Academic skills Good Personal Presentation: The first impression on a
potential employer can make a big difference. The first
Aptitude Skills: An aptitude is a component of a judgment an interviewer makes will be based on how
competency to do a certain kind of work at a certain level professionally well dressed the candidate is. That's why it's
which can also be considered as talent Aptitudes may be always important to dress appropriately. Personal
mental aptitude or physical or sometimes both are taken grooming and dress conveys a strong, professional,
into consideration like in defense services. positive image to others which inspires confidence

While researching, the job requirements and job Timekeeping and Personal Organization: Manage time
description, candidates may come across something effectively; prioritizing tasks and able work to deadlines,
about aptitude listed among the requirements. For able to plan activities & carry them through effectively are
example, to work in a particular field an aptitude for sought after by the interviewer.
science may be required. Other occupations require having
an aptitude in math, visual arts or performing arts; verbal Teamwork, Collaboration and Co-Operation: the ability
or spatial abilities; or manual dexterity or motor to be good at working productively and effectively with
coordination. But, what exactly is an aptitude? people towards a common goal. This includes both
workmates and other people who come into contact with
Whenever aptitude is listed in the job description, among the organisation. Teamwork requires working confidently
the qualifications required to work in an occupation, it within a group, recognising & respecting different
referrers to a natural talent or the ability an individual has perspectives being open to the ideas & views of others.
acquired through life experience, academics or training. It Teamwork is a high priority for most employers; being
may also pertain to the capacity of the applicant to acquire able to work well with colleagues is essential. Employers,
a skill. therefore, are looking for individuals who can bring
different strengths to teams – monitoring or evaluating
Analytical Skills/ Data Analysis : The ability of progress; urging the team on when needed; contributing
inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data for innovative new ideas.
the purpose of obtaining and assimilating useful
information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting Leadership/ Management Skills: To be able to motivate
decision making. and direct others are an indicator to the growth potential in
a job and future in the company. The ability to encourage
Computer/ Technical Skills: Technical skills are required teammates to succeed, take charge and guide discussions
in occupations that involve the ability to perform certain all reflect leadership skills.
tasks in a specific discipline or department. Examples of
technical skills include learning new procedures and Good Work Ethics: Employers want candidates who are
adapting them at work, analyzing data, analyzing able to get on with the work independently and reliably
problems, advising people, innovating and thinking of new without someone having to check up on every five
solutions, evaluating data, locating missing information, minutes. To be able to stay on and comply with their own
listening to others, delegating, managing people, deadlines and be able to delegate tasks to make sure things
motivating other people, communication, analyzing get done on time are the skills covered under good work
information, developing plans for projects and refining the ethics.
existing plans as necessary, and coordinating with the
deadlines. A small example of candidate not coming on time can
question is/her Reliability and Self-discipline. There is no
Academic Knowledge: Academic skills are obtained scope for false information. Honesty towards oneself
through formal education or apprenticeship. They can be should always be given top priority, even if one gets
further divided into domain specific skills and domain- through with a lie, it will never take them far and
general skills these include Learning Styles, eventually would lead to problem.
Concentration, Time Management and Comprehension
ability Positive Attitude: Displaying a ‘can do’ approach or in
other words putting across the philosophy of approaching
Some of these skills get assessed during the written tests, life with optimism and confidence reflects the positive
and then during a face to face interview. Internship and mindset of the candidate. All employers greatly appreciate
project work undertaken during the course usually reflect a the positive attitude in the candidate.
lot about the candidate’s capability and the subject
knowledge and its application. From an employer’s Willingness to Learn: the professional world is far ahead
perspective it is important for a fresher to understand and than the academic curriculum covered in the college. A
appreciate sound academic knowledge. candidates willingness pick up new things quickly,
inclination for continuous learning throughout life and
develop the competencies needed for current & future
4. CORE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS OR roles will influence the interviewer in your favour.
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
Skills that make the candidates stand apart from the Self Awareness: Awareness of achievements, abilities,
Sufia Rehman and Afaq Mehmood VSRDIJBMR, Vol. IV (IV) April 2014 / 136

values & weaknesses, candidates views on the current The list is long and for those just embarking on the
and future plans i.e. what they want out of life are professional world after finishing studies but it’s
considered important by the employer. This helps in intimidating. Most of these skills are not occupation
recognising development opportunities – for the benefit of specific and not all these skills and abilities are required
candidate and the organisation. for every job, nor does every job-seeker need every single
one of them, but a good combination of the broad skill
Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills : In order categories is desirable. It is important to keep in mind that
to succeed in the workplace (and in life generally) many of the skills/abilities listed get developed as one
individuals need to be able to evaluate information or gains more and more experience in the workplace.
situations; break them down into their key components;
consider various ways of approaching and resolving them; Some recruiters refer to this set of skills as generic,
and decide which is the most appropriate. These catalytic, core and/or employability. They define a person
managerial skills help to determine the best course of rather than his/her academic knowledge. It is relatively
action, evaluate options based on logic & facts to arrive at challenging to measure these skills in a candidate with-in a
a workable solution is appreciated at the workplace and short time, but face to face interview conversations does
include recognizing long-term consequences of solutions reveal and help uncover these skills.
to problems and probing, devising, implementing, and
evaluating a plan of action for problem resolution.
5. WHY ARE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
Employers want workers who will take the personal GIVEN SO MUCH IMPOTANCE?
responsibility to make sure targets are met; who can see These skills are important for both the employers as well
that there might be a better way of doing something and as those on the threshold of starting their careers and
who are prepared to research and implement change; entering the job market
people who don’t panic or give up when things go wrong
but who will seek a way around the problem. As recent as the last decade, employee training was
commonplace, meaning that new recruits learned these
Negotiation Skill and Networking : Ability to influence skills on the job. The shift from extensive training began
and convince others, to discuss and reach agreement, to be after the 2003 recession as companies became more cost
able to build and nurture contacts and relationships with conscious and did not want to spend on workers to gain
others, and to utilise them appropriately in order to support skills and learn about work culture only to watch them
the development of self, other individuals involved and the defect to competitors. This intensified in the economic
organisation. and employment crisis of 2007-2009. In the current
globalised world the work place are becoming more
Reliability, Integrity, Dependability: The candidates complex , profits are getting slimmer, companies are
ability to adhere to standards & procedures, maintains becoming leaner and the employers expect the workers to
confidentiality and question inappropriate behavior is become productive much faster than ever before. Today
given value by the employers. the recruiters seek assurances that graduates applying for
jobs have at least strong foundation skills and can deploy
Flexibility: While working on the job there are good their knowledge to solve problems, take initiative and
chances of changes in the nature of the job and to the communicate with team members, rather than just follow
structure of workplace. To be able to cope and adapt prescribed routines.
successfully to changing situations & environments, is a
skill which will help in surviving on the job The ability to For the fresh graduates having employability skills is
take on new tasks and to meet the needs of a changing essential not only to gain employment but also to survive
workplace is considered under flexibility skills. on the job. They will be able to respond quickly to the
situation, offer new ideas and perform more effectively
Initiative and Enterprise: Employers give value to the Enhanced flexibility means that they will be able to adapt
candidate’s ability to think creatively and to positively and adjust easily to technological change and
contribute in making improvements to the existing things. organizational restructuring. Similarly, learning ability
allows managing time and work, while leadership skills
Consistency in performance: To be able to withstand and team working where interpersonal and managerial
stress and pressures with demonstrated efforts to skills are required is effective to get the best out of the
continuously perform as per the requirements. A go getter groups and teams. Problem-solving helps to develop a
attitude is a definite winner. Determination to get things systematic approach to tackling the various problems
done, make things happen & constantly looking for better encountered on the job.
ways of doing things all reflect a candidate’s ability of
consistent performance.
6. HOW CAN A FRESH GRADUATE
Use of Modern Tools and Technology: Modern office is DEVELOP THESE EMPLOYABILITY
100 percent Technology driven. Familiarity and SKILLS? AND HOW TO DEMONSTRATE
competence over computer and other equipments that are THAT THEY HAVE THESE SKILLS?
generally used on the job will be an added advantage. Although these skills are a part of the collection of
Knowledge of other technology related to the area of qualities that combine to make an individual employable,
specialization is also expected from the candidate. but this does not mean that these skills are as fixed as
Sufia Rehman and Afaq Mehmood VSRDIJBMR, Vol. IV (IV) April 2014 / 137

one’s physical attributes like height, or as difficult to technical skills.

change as the shape of one’s facial features like eyes &
nose. Employability skills can be acquired, developed Internship and Work Study Programs will play a major
and enhanced. role. The graduate if takes the internship seriously and
honestly can get an insight into the real corporate working
There is clearly no set technique or trick to inculcate these environment. This will be vital in developing and
skills in an individual but an overall cooperative approach enhancing their employability.
by the employers, academic institutions as well as the
students together will work. Traditionally the best way to Active participation in extra-curricular events and
learn these skills was on the job. But today, many activities like team sports help in developing skills like
employers are no longer prepared to take on new recruits teamwork , abiding by the rules, lateral thinking, time
without demonstrated ability in this skills set. These skills management, problem solving and decision making
cannot be learnt from a textbook, but can be acquired abilities as well as communication.
through good quality education. But this is also true that a
school/ college based curriculum cannot help someone
8. CONCLUSION
evolve into being highly productive on the job within a
As discussed above the employability skills are a unique
week, employers also need to contribute. Studies show
combination of skills, attributes and values that are
that key employability skills, such as critical thinking and
required in order to secure the first job as well as navigate
problem-solving, is dependent on deep content knowledge
in the career. The employers too are eager to hire those
and cannot be acquired in isolation. Awareness about
candidates who are 'job ready' with clear evidence of job
current affairs, their surroundings and the world at large
specific skills and can be made productive readily.
and above all understanding how the corporate world
operates can give fresh graduates a better understanding Although employability skills are not a substitute for
about the job work. specific knowledge and technical skills: “They make the
difference between being good at a subject and being good
7. WAYS TO IMPROVE OR DEVELOP at doing a job.”7
EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
The bottom line is that for an employer, a fresh graduate
Projects, dissertations, extended essays and similar
could be one of the very good potential employee, but to
works undertaken during the course , can be
the graduate this is a foundation of a career and a
particularly valuable in developing skills of independent
beginning of a new life as a professional .To have the
research, and planning and organising work , sometimes
competitive advantage in the job market, graduates require
the topic or area of study can also be relevant to the type
to develop their employability throughout their time at the
of work field one wish to enter, giving an edge to a
course. One has to remember that Attitude, Aptitude,
fresher’s resume’.
Communication and Adaptability will differentiate the
Analytical Skills: are capabilities in a candidate of best from the average.
analysing data, interpreting and constructing statistics and
presenting it in graphical format. Research projects, 9. REFERENCES
database analysis from experiments, case study, [1] Laura Brewer, ILO, 2013, Enhancing youth employability:
interpreting complex material, and picking out What? Why? and How? Guide to core work skills ;
discrepancies in reasoning etc. all of these help in the International Labour Office, Skills and Employability
development of analytical skills. Department. - Geneva:.
[2] Skills you need on the job
Written Communication : can be increased through http://www.skillsyouneed.com/general/employability-
writing reports; proper writing up of experiments and skills.html
projects. [3] SkillsYouNeed (2014) What is Communication? [online]
available at http://www.skillsyouneed.com/general/what-is-
communication.html ( March 2014)
Verbal Communication : Debates, seminars and
[4] Deloitte (2010). Employability: A review and analysis of
classroom discussion help in developing verbal the assessment/recognition processes that are used to
communication skills and ability of thinking quickly. accredit and otherwise measure the development of
employability skills - both for individuals and for
Planning and Organising : A knack for managing the institutions London, UK Commission for Employment and
workload of several courses simultaneously; meeting class Skills
assignments deadlines; designing and carrying out [5] V.Saravanan.(2009)Sustainable Employability Skills for
research surveys etc.; balancing academic work with Engineering ProfessionalsThe Indian Review of World
extra-curricular activities and/or employment all help in Literature in English, Vol. 5 No.II – July, 2009
planning and organising capabilities in a graduate. [6] Brown, P. and Hesketh, A. (2004) The Mismanagement of
Talent: Employability and Jobs in the Knowledge Economy.
Teamwork : Group projects and seminars train in team Oxford, Oxford University Press.
[7] Hind, D. and Moss, S. (2011) Employability Skills. 2nd
work.
Edition. Sunderland, Business Education Publishers.
[8] Schneider, K. and Otto, H-U. (2009) From Employability
Technical Skills : knowledge of specific techniques Towards Capability. Luxembourg.
through practical lab sessionsstreng then candidates’ [9] 4ILO Governing Body GB.298/ESP/3, 298th Session,
Sufia Rehman and Afaq Mehmood VSRDIJBMR, Vol. IV (IV) April 2014 / 138

Portability of Skills,
March,2007.http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed
_norm/@relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_gb_2
98_esp_3_en.pdf
[10] Hanushek, E., and L. Woessmann. 2011. GDP projections
for low-income countries based on education quality.
Background paper for UNESCO 2012 Education or All
Global Monitoring Report. EFA GMR 2012 Youth and
skills: Putting education to work
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002180/218003e.pdf
[11] http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/employability
-skills.html(march2014)
[12] Brown, P. and Hesketh, A. (2004) The Mismanagement of
Talent: Employability and Jobs in the Knowledge Economy.
Oxford, Oxford University Press.
[13] Hind, D. and Moss, S. (2011) Employability Skills. 2nd
Edition. Sunderland, Business Education Publishers.
[14] Schneider, K. and Otto, H-U. (2009) From Employability
Towards Capability. Luxembourg