Today, employers are not just looking for candidates who are technically and academically brilliant, but also have an overall development. Students should look out for opportunities which will help them develop multifarious skills in their own area of specialisation.
For example, a student studying law can associate with the local legal aid cell in order to understand legal issues that arise and how to deal with them. In the same way, medical students can associate themselves with the district outreach medical camps and render voluntary work which will teach them how to deal with medical issues.
Engineering students can become student members of the manufacturing association at the district-level and state-level to gain experience. Employers do not want to spend time training fresh college graduates. Academic scores are only one of the indicators that employers consider to assess a candidate. They want them to have a blend of academics and industry exposure.
Be it Humanities, Media, Engineering, Medicine, Economics, Science, Law, Finance or Banking, students should take the effort to validate their theoretical knowledge with practical experience. If graduates have experience and good testimonials, it adds to their credibility. Most colleges and universities, through the placement division, help students connect with the industry and support them in finding opportunities. Students should use these opportunities to enhance their practical competencies and help them realise their potential.
kalpana@acl-india.in
She is the founder of The Academy for Communication and Learning