KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILL

Often read and heard it myself when fresh graduates or young executives had some difficulties to land a job or when competing in the job market.

"Employers are looking for experienced candidates.How can we have experiences when we are fresh?"

"They should give more chances to fresh graduates to gain experiences by hiring them.If not, they will stand no chance at all"

" I have about about 1  year plus of working experiences but they offered the job to the fresh graduates.How could they do that?"

"My results are great but still they can't consider that!"

" I answered well during the interview but still did not offered the job"

"Sometime they asked me about something I did not study.That's unfair!"

I heard the first two remarks from fresh graduates and parents.

I do not have hundreds or thousands employees but as an employer and has gone through the same process to get my jobs from the start, I would like to share this.

What fresh graduates or young executives often often failed to realize is when we called after we have shortlisted  them for interview sessions, we always looking at something different from what they always thought.

To me it's no longer how good or great they feel about themselves but it's about how they show it to us based on how they performed during the interview session.

I am looking more on what kind of attitude that can transpire from the moment I look at the CV and later when I ask my assistant to call candidates about the interview.I will ask how all candidates responded to the phone call and how they confirm the come or not to come for the interview.

Everything will explain or tell something about each candidate

1. The Application and CV

• How the application (now mostly via e-mail) and CV was written and format presented

• Type of photo attached

Then how they do the follow ups on their application via email or phone calls

2. For the interview...

• Time they arrived
• How they dressed
•  

3.Then the interview itself...

I am more looking at characters,values and skills that transpired throughout the session

• How prepared the candidate is
• Their confidence level
• How they explain and share they experiences in studying or working before
• How good are they in certain basic skills especially in communications
• How knowledgeable they are in topics related to the job that they applied

Now let us  discuss about the title.

From all the 3 stages, generally I can make my decision based on attitude and skills  shown by each  candidate.All that will also show how confident of each candidate when they performed during the interview sessions.

Candidates with high level of confidence often stand above others especially during the interview.The best time to impress!

Sometime when I saw them nervous or shaky, I did asked them why.

Most answers are common,they said these...

1. No or lack of experiences- well understood for fresh graduates
2. Knew little about the industry-they don't dig or  read enough to know more
3. Could not communicate/deliberate answers to my questions properly in English mostly and in Bahasa Melayu as well-confirming they are poor in  language and communication skills

...and they also admitted that all of the above made them feel not so confident to come and to go through the interview process.

So, I believe the main issue is not anything particular of the above three items or lacking or experiences  that will deny their chances to get a job. 

It's an issue of the LACK OF CONFIDENCE or QUALITIES that employers are looking among fresh graduates or young executives.Unfortunately in most cases, all that could not be seen in the class of their degree or some experiences that they may had.

They must express and communicate  all that CONFIDENTLY with all experiences,knowledge and skills that they have during the 20-30 minutes interview session to impress me and other interview panelists.

Confidence is not just a requirement to secure a job but it is needed throughout the entire life of your career unless you have no intention to move up the ladder in your career.

Confidence will make us more convincing and with that, it will open open us to more opportunities in whatever field that we are in.

So, the focus is to put all efforts to build or increase the level of confidence in you if you are really serious to improve it.

 Confidence is the result of three key elements and they are KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILL.

Ideally we have it all when we are about to start to jump into our first job but unfortunately it is not the case all the time for fresh graduates and your executives.

For these groups of job seekers, the lack of experiences must be the one that seen as the most important element.At a young or certain age, employers have some expectations on what level and types of the three elements that candidates should possess.

Bear in mind that once you have been called for the interview, it means you have met all the basic requirements for you to be considered for the job.Take the interview session as a level playing  field where all candidates stand the same chance.All have to convince the interview panelists. It's more about how much you can show your true values and qualities that other may not have or have less.

Little or no experience is common for fresh graduates or young executives.You will gain be more and more experiences as you continue to work. Do not make it as the main reason to keep you feeling less confident all then time. 

Use and ride on  other key elements to convince the prospective employer that you are confident enough with  the knowledge and skills you already have.That overcome the barrier of  the lack or absence of  working experiences to be considered for the job. There are many ways you can gain knowledge related to the  industry that you are interested in. 

You also have plenty of time from your days at the campus and methods available out there  that can be tried and practiced to develop the skills needed that will enable you to present or explain the knowledge that you have a more convincing way. 

Knowledge is very much easier to gain today.Clicks using your fingers at this IT and internet age  will open doors to all sorts of knowledge that you need to know about the nature of job and industry that you are keen to explore in your career.It is totally hard to believe or unacceptable to claim that you cannot find enough information or knowledge on almost everything today.Try impress with how deep of your knowledge on the field or industry that will amaze them.

If you a a fresh graduate, you should not worry too much on skills to perform the actual job that you are applying.Focus on skills that you must possess that will help you to perform the job better.For example, if you are looking for a job in a research industry, you must show how good the analytical and data processing skills that you have  and techniques that your know well.If you want to enter the marketing related jobs, you must have strong communication skills and current knowledge on the market trends.

Do not just find excuses or play the blaming game if you do not get  the attention because sometimes that is  the attitude which will close your opportunities or to advance  draw people's attention or for you to move forward. It could be has nothing to do with the lack of your experiences that is not give you the CONFIDENCE that you need but because of your UNCONVINCING attitude.

Stay calm and build your confidence from now because no one can do it for you.