How to be job-ready? -By Vinayak Garg from IIM Shillong

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You might often wonder if you are the perfect fit for the changing scenario of job requirements across the globe. Do you? If yes, then read how to be job-ready and stay ahead of the pack.

The financial year-end brings much hustle in the corporate world. While some young guns gear up to take on their corporate roles as interns or trainees, the finance experts burn the midnight oil to wrap up their account books. We focus a lot on polishing our technical expertise; we sometimes remain unaware of the behavioral changes that we need to make to present our best selves. As we go on trekking on the corporate ladder, let us see the backpacking essentials we need to carry apart from our technical skills and jargons to cruise through the journey successfully. 

Attention to detail

A senior leader in one of my previous organizations, once shared that you can do any technical or non-technical job roles only if we can learn the art of paying 'attention to detail' (ATD). It is one of the foremost requirements and comes in handy even before we get a chance to apply our technical skills in any of the job roles. And trust me, it plays a major role in learning how to be job-ready.

Study the organisation structure and know your people well

It was one of the first lessons I received at IIM Shillong, and little did I know its importance. The importance of organizational structure and its awareness was only realized when I was able to correlate it with my previous jobs and the issues associated with it. It helps us to be aware of the hierarchy orders in the organization and approach relevant people for any process, in particular, thus making the entire process more efficient.

Documentation

The ability to document and organise the work that we do is one of the critical indicators of our ability to take on key roles of an organization. While on the one hand, it helps us to use the work as a ready reckoner for all future purposes, it also serves as a self-sufficient tutorial for all those who may decide to take on our role. 

Focus on communication

We may do a lot of work, have a lot of ideas, and a sound implementation strategy. Still, all of it is vain if we cannot mould our communication according to the audience's requirements. There may be stakeholders to whom we may need to sell the idea in 15 seconds, and there may be stakeholders with whom we need to deep dive and show our subject matter expertise. Balancing these two extremes generally decide how fast the idea will be killed or implemented.

Another aspect of communication is the need to overcommunicate – what is done, what needs to be done, and the status updates to avoid miscommunication. Overcommunication is always better as it helps address all the contingencies, and there is no scope of manipulations. An effective manager needs to develop this skill to get the job done with the least lag possible.

Zoom in zoom out

While some may confuse it with the new normal of corporate life, let me clarify that it is different. The ability to zoom in and zoom out is to see the macro and the micro picture as and when required. Being able to see the 10k feet view and the micro-print at the correct time goes a long way in the implementation of the ideas.

Network with your team

An art that I inculcated at my recent internship at Google. A generic behavioral aspect of Indians is that we are not good at networking. Still, the culture at Google taught me how networking opens many doors merely by talking to people. The most exceptional example of networking is that some of Google's best products are developed solely by the interaction of cross-functional teams.

Be financially aware

An essential part of our on-job requirements is to be mindful of our finances. While some onus also lies on the employer, it is always beneficial for us to know how our salary is calculated, the tax implications, and the extent to which we can reimburse that tax. On the one hand, it helps us reduce financial anxiety, and on the other hand, we can also lend a helping hand to our colleagues who may be struggling with these aspects.

Learn to say No

It may be vital for a new joinee to showcase the zeal and the enthusiasm to work and get the task done, but it should not mean that we succumb to our personal life. An empathetic employer will always appreciate the need to maintain a work-life balance. Its other extreme is when we take the employer for granted and ignore our roles in the veil of being new to the organization. Even when we may think that this behavior is not getting noticed, rest assured that it gets noticed and have a future bearing on the future possibilities of broader roles and responsibilities.

Learning to say 'No' also hold implications in dealing with office bullies and making a strong point so that the culture of bullying is discouraged from its root. Whenever faced with such a situation, we need to put our foot down and say that this is one thing where no compromise will be tolerated.

Spread happiness

Being empathetic to our co-workers and spreading joy is the least we can do. A smiling face and a greeting help to absorb many tensions between the two parties. I remember how this has played a role in my career in dealing with many difficult situations. At the same time, we must inculcate a habit of appreciating our teammates on the excellent work that they have done. Being appreciative and grateful to our team members help us in forging great bonds of friendship and makes the workplace a better place to work.

Under-promise and over-deliver

Target setting is another art that we all need to learn to manage the stakeholders that we are dealing with. It requires being aware of our potential and continue to outperform ourselves. Generally, the key is to set the target such that we can achieve it and overtime aim to exceed our goals.

While this list on how to be job-ready may not be mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive, my experience has revolved around these factors. Yes, we all learn on the go, and this is my attempt to take a break and reflect on what I have learnt so far, what has worked and what has not.