Are You Employable?

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Photo by Emily Morter on Unsplash
Photo by Emily Morter on Unsplash

Here’s the most central question, are you employable? This question will change your perspective.

Maybe we should begin to wonder at this prospect. What makes other degree holders more employable than others? Is it their ratings such as 2.1, 2.2 or pass that is the determining factor?

Only in answering this with some honesty can we then look at unemployment objectively. We have to dismiss all subjective conceptions such as corruption. Those do contribute, but employability also plays its part.

“Employability” refers to the ability to get and keep work. It’s not only about being able to get a job, it is about becoming employable so that you are able to keep the job in an unstable economy like ours. Most people do not know how to navigate the job market and therefore struggle to find opportunities they desire. – Career Development Services (SA)

For job-seekers, it is very common to assume that employers need us. For every job opening, thousands of applications come flooding to recruiters. Whether or not people meet the criterion, it doesn’t matter to them it seems. The simply apply.

Candidates should study the job market. They should seek to know what employers are looking for and seek to become just that. Have you ever been told that education is a key to success? Well I have. Is the statement true? Well to some degree, yes.  But to really succeed, many will testify academic learning isn’t enough.

Even for those who are currently employed, employability plays a huge role. If conditions push for you to find new employment, then remaining employable should help you attain that new job.

To be relevant, it is important to improve your set of skills and add new skills. You also need to grow and seek for more knowledge, and understanding. Overall, you need to improve your personal attributes.

Top skills that make you employable include but are not limited to personal development, communication, creativity and innovation, teamwork, professionalism, organisational skills, flexibility, commercial awareness, problem solving, initiative and ability to use new technologies.

I advise candidates to do all they can to become relevant in the job market and if that fails they must do what is required. But by all means, candidates should be as serious about improving their employability prospects.

In the end, you need to frequently assess your employability skills. This will keep you informed on what you will offer to your employers.

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Teboho Polanka
Teboho is a Social Worker, Writer and Inspirational Speaker. He is in pursuit of MSc. in Managerial Psychology. Graduates are able to apply psychological principles and methods to tackle challenges in the work environment and provide effective practical solutions. Acting as industrial-organizational psychologists.