Move over degrees and certificates, Employability skills are what employers are seeking now! Yes, you heard it right, companies now want to invest in candidates who have impeccable employability skills. Employability is the new criterion that freshers and college students are trying to cross. And guess which is the crudest way to dabble into the employable pool? An internship.
New rules: To be classified as a potential employee, companies are now hunting for people who not only have their core skills in place but have an overall performance quotient. Cognitive skills, emotional intelligence, social skills are the set of competencies that come handy. After all, we all are nothing but high-functioning brains. Let us find ways to polish these aptitudes.
Cognitive Skills are intrinsic
We all are diverse in each aspect of our lives. However, there is one thing that we all share; the ability to think. Using your brain power to ponder, analyse, comprehend and evaluate things is what constitutes cognition. Although, it is said that these skills are innate to every individual but a little polishing can get you places!
Professional world and cognition
Interviewers are not going to question you whether you can think or not, they know you can. But they might check and cross-check your capability to think under pressure, varying situations and complex circumstances.
1. Have an unquenchable desire to read
Reading makes an individual exposed to so many new experiences and situations. Reading compels a person to think and use their intellect. Make sure you have a desire to read if you want to learn new things that might come handy in your life.
2. Experience, observe and analyse
To enhance your cognitive skills, it is vital that you understand what does observing a situation means. If a circumstance is repeating itself, there must be a reason or pattern governing the incident. Acknowledging that reason and then acting accordingly is what a person with excellent cognition would do.
3. Evaluate problems, explore solutions
Problem-solving is not rocket science. Anyone can come up with workable solutions for any problem. However, what makes you a person with a strong intellect is your experience and your ability to use your experiences to experiment with solutions because not every problem is the same.
4. Communication skills
Not many people possess the communication intelligence. But, it highly likely that you can brush up your communication skills. It is vital for freshers nowadays to possess excellent communication skills to compete in the global market, both verbal and written.
5. Research and strategic planning
Strategic planning requires quick decision making, excellent skills to examine situations. Decision making is an aptitude that is sought after in candidates. Improvise your decision-making skills and see how your employability hikes!
6. IQ and EQ
The world is over book smarts. Companies need people who understand more than just the job. Your IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and EQ (Emotional Quotient) both are important. Your IQ gives you the ability to think and reason. A person with developed EQ tends to be self-aware, optimistic and with controlled impulses. Improve your EQ and be labelled as an excellent professional.
Yes, internships are a great way to get your career wheels spinning. Start your internship today and get your employability skills soar the high professional skies!
For more college life, success tips and internship postings, stay tuned to the blog. Post your queries, opinions and suggestions in the comments section below.
