SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS

TO PROSPER IN THE CURRENT JOB MARKET, POSTGRADUATES MUST BE ABLE TO WORK HARD AND MANAGE EXPECTATIONS, WHILE HARNESSING THEIR SKILL SETS. DAVID WILLIAMS PRESENTS DETAILS

   Each year, thousands of graduates leave India to pursue masters' courses overseas. They carry with them the hope, that after they complete their education, they will have the opportunity to work abroad and build their skills, their bank balances and their resumes. This year however, many have been disappointed.
   Forced to return home in the downturn, they have found themselves absorbed in a domestic job market that was, at least until recently, experiencing its own hiring freeze. What's more, joining the returnees, were master's graduates from previous years, who had managed to secure employment abroad, but failed to either have their contracts renewed, or asked to take a sabbatical until the economic situation improved.
   This seems to be a rather challenging situation, yet one of the most important things you have to do if you are to find a job, is to remain positive while working hard at every angle. Shilpa Nagendra from Bangalore, who is currently pursuing a Master's in Biomedical Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in the US, says, "It is hard, but on the other hand, I think if you give a hundred per cent to your job search, you can definitely land up with a job. In this situation, you need to put that extra zing into grabbing every opportunity you get. You've got to be persistent and more flexible in terms of relocating and travelling. You need to open up more areas in your research, like networking, volunteering, or even attending conferences, just in order to be able to meet people that could, in turn, lead to a potential employer. And you need to keep abreast with the current affairs in your field of interest."
   "As far as the Indian job market is concerned, I think the number of postings for masters' graduates is really picking up," says Raja Guru Bohar, from his vantage point on Cornell University's Master's of Professional Studies in Plant Breeding. "My tip for improving your chances of getting a job when you return, is to have good contacts with people working in different fields, so improve your socialising skills, and increase your networking. All this exposure and knowledge will really give you the confidence and courage to face and solve all sorts of problems, which is the main requirement of companies in any field."
   "I would advise anyone studying abroad to build their networks," agrees Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, Vice President at the executive search agency Stanton Chase International in Bangalore, who pursued a master's in the UK. "Join specialised groups, become more active in business forums, and keep in touch with your institution and alumni. Ensure that summer jobs or internships have relevance to the overall career focus you have. Stay connected to trends and economic indicators in your own country as well. There was a time when an international degree had great value in the job market. Now, it may be good, but not as dramatic as before."
   What if you find yourself returning to India to look for a job? In such a difficult market, it is essential that you stand by your conviction that the experience you have had overseas is valuable. Miriam Ebenezer is the India-based International Liaison Officer for the UK's University of East Anglia. She says, "Sometimes returning graduates do get discouraged when they haven't got a job and have been back in India for two or three months, but you shouldn't give up. You have to know that you have something special, something that so many students in India may not have."
   "Multinationals, for example, want to employ people with international experience, because the understanding of different cultural working practices is an invaluable skill. Studying and working abroad, even if it's only parttime, gives you an edge over your compatriots. When you have international experience, you understand how important it is to evidence decisions, or show leadership and initiative in your job." "It is obvious that a non-Indian postgraduate degree brings several benefits to employers," says Bohar, adding, "There is the exposure to world-class laboratories and other facilities, for example. Experience also helps you think innovatively and improves decisionmaking."
   Keeping faith in the quality of your experience and what it can bring to Indian employers is important, but it is also important to articulate that experience in a way that helps people understand what you can do for them. For example, people who are unfamiliar with the shorter UK master's programme, might wonder how much you could have learned in a year. It is important to emphasise how intensive a period of learning it was. You also need to articulate your understanding of how another country's working practices can benefit the employer. Unless they are actively looking for someone with a non-Indian degree, they will not necessarily work this out for themselves.
   "I think some Indian students are under the impression that Indian companies are going to be very receptive to anyone with an international degree," adds Ebenezer, "but even with a well-regarded degree such as one from the UK, you are going to need a certain attitude. You need to bring yourself out. You need to show how valuable you will be to employers by drawing attention to your skills and experiences, both on your CV, and in the interview. Indian CVs can often be too plain."
   The writer is a leading international
   education consultant) Source:
   topgradschool.com