Are you marketable enough ?

Due to the ever-evolving and rapidly changing corporate scenario, the future of India Inc. will throw a lot of challenges at aspirants. Therefore, ask yourself, ‘what will the professional world demand out of you then?’ and ‘are you well equipped to hone newer skills?’ India Inc. gives a few quick tips that can help you sustain your ‘market value’ even in 2020

Look around and you will realise how competitive the world has become. With each passing day, competition is growing and the need to keep abreast of the latest trends and stay ahead is becoming even stronger and more importantly, a lot tougher, right? What could make you look like the most eligible candidate for a particular job profile today might not hold true in 2020 perhaps! The constantly evolving workplace and the even constantly evolving India Inc. are bound to undergo a lot of change and with it, the requirements and the skill set expected out of a candidate will undergo a transition too. Ask yourself, do you think the way you function today and the skills that you are equipped with will suffice to face bigger challenges and keep you marketable for the future? You may not be concerned with surviving beyond the current recession, but you should be. Reinvention isn’t just for people who are unhappy in their current jobs. In order to have long-term, successful careers, we all must work towards staying marketable in the future. “Companies, today, function in a global business environment wherein geographical and economic barriers have gotten blurred. It is very important for individuals to equip themselves with newer skill sets and stay relevant to these changing market needs,” says Shantanu Banerjee, director HR - Steria (India). According to Debi Prasad Das, head- HR, Atos Origin India, “Bill Gates on a recent visit to India said that India needs to move away from low-cost labour towards highend research and development work, the type of work that drives innovation and products. This transformation of the IT industry will have to start with each of us in the field realising the need to re-invent ourselves. Not only in our thinking of what we are doing, why we are doing and what we would like to do, but also realising the need to challenge our own self to think beyond our current operations.” “Sergei Bubka, the soviet pole vault sportsperson is an example. Though he had held all the world records and was way ahead of his times, he did not rest on that. He kept raising the bar and by the time he retired, he was way ahead of his nearest rival and that stayed for some years after his retirement too. The reward is not just in the results you will ultimately produce, but you will learn more about yourself and enjoy the journey,” Das adds. He points out that this theme -- fostering what Morrie Shechtman refers to as ‘self-information’-- is thoroughly explored in ‘Fifth Wave Leadership’. It essentially means that people want their jobs to teach them about themselves, provide valuable information that not only makes them more marketable in today's marketplace, but also helps them become better people. Banerjee feels that employees should map their career goals with the skills necessary to further their career prospects. Mamta Wasan, VP HR & training, Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) further adds, “It is also important to learn something new every five years – a language, hobby or skill. Take on more responsibility at the workplace. Take advantage of job rotations. This way, one will learn new things. Ask yourself what ROI are you able to give to the organisation.” So, if you understand and analyse the rapid changes in the workplace scenario and the increasing competition, it’s time to pull up your socks and work towards making yourself more prepared and industry ready for the future. DAS POINTS OUT A FEW ACTIONABLE POINTS THAT CAN BE USED TO MAKE ONESELF A BETTER PROFESSIONAL AND MARKETABLE FOR THE FUTURE: Be on time. Get to meetings on time. Get to work on time. Get to that interview on time. Punctuality is noticed and valued. Eliminate ‘good enough’ thinking.‘Good enough’ thinking means doing the bare minimum to get the job done. Challenge yourself to go the extra mile. This requires more effort in understanding the problem, solving and checking it for quality, but the results - and you - will stand out. Dress like a professional. Start challenging your boss. Improve yourself. Try to keep raising the bar on your own performance and keep competing with yourself.

POSTED BY: PALLAVI SINGH

PGDM III SEM,'B'