Joretha Augostine
Special Focus

What soft skills are employers looking for in Freshers? | Joretha Augostine | Chief People Officer | flydocs

Joretha Augostine

Most businesses globally and in India are surer than ever that the changing demands of,Generation Z, and the accelerated pace of digital transformation in the technology-driven post-pandemic world will change the demand for skills forever.

Time is neither on the side of business nor on the side of Freshers

There used to be a time when Freshers could start their careers, and take their time to strengthen their know-how in one aspect of a job role. They then moved on to another aspect of a job role to build their proficiency and responsibility at a time.

According to the Future of Jobs Report 2023 by the World Economic Forum, 44% of workers’ core skills are expected to change in the next five years. To remain competitive, companies are moving to skills-based instead of role-based development.

What skills does a Fresher need to succeed in today’s business environment?

As companies are more focused on outcomes over inputs, they are looking for Freshers who are;

Data literate: Can you use data instead of just knowing how to turn problems into actionable outcomes?
Technology savvy: Do you know, and can you use technology within your field of discipline to deliver outcomes?
Customer-centric: Do you and can you use tools to identify pain points, develop use cases, and build customer personas to impact customer-centric solutions?

It does not stop with just these outcomes-based skills. To be successful, companies are also looking for Freshers who have creative and social skills. You would be able to launch into a skills-based career if you can;

Build self-awareness: Regularly reflect on your behaviour and understand how to have a positive impact on others
Build relationships: Invest time and effort in understanding others’ perspectives and use this to strengthen the relationship and networks
Work collaboratively: Value progress over perfection, actively seek out stakeholders’ opinions and interests, and co-create solutions

As a Fresher, think of launching your career in the same way as you would be collecting points and rewards in a game.

The skills you need today will unlock the outcomes you need to be stronger at the next level.