So, what exactly does this idea of employability mean? Well, it is a company’s way of saying that people have the right type of skills to succeed in a job. During university, it is important to focus on things that will make you more employable and try to gain broad experience. You may be thinking of a perfect applicant in your head and then try to tick off the tasks that you need to accomplish before you apply for a job. However, sometimes that does not produce the best results.
It is true that employers are looking for the total package, composed of technical knowledge, soft skills including ability to work well in teams and previous work experience. It is useful to start with building blocks like these, with the aim of developing them as you progress through university. Unfortunately there is no secret formula to becoming more employable, but focusing on a few areas for improvement usually works well.Work experience is regularly cited as a requirement when applying for graduate jobs. Still, what you manage to actually learn from it is vital for your personal development. Then during interviews, you will be comfortable explaining the tasks you did and what you enjoyed most. Quite often students are drawn to the big names of companies, since they think that they will look impressive on their CV. However, it is more important to gauge the type of experience you will gain and how much involvement you will have. Indeed, the exact company you work for is not so critical, since other types of work (e.g. voluntary work) teach similar skills that will prepare you well for the future.Overall, it is difficult to think of a simple action plan outlining how to become more employable. As mentioned, there is no secret formula but you need to build up your skill set and focus on the most important areas. This is so that you can say not only why you want the job, but also what you hope to bring to the company when you join.
