Unlock Your Potential: The Essential Guide to Employability
Landing your dream job after graduation can feel like a daunting task.
But don't worry, you're not alone! According to a recent survey, 66% of graduates feel unprepared for the demands of the modern workplace. However, by focusing on developing key employability skills, you can significantly increase your chances of success. In this blog post, we'll explore how you can improve your employability and how our focus on preparing you for the real world.
What does employability mean?
Employability goes beyond simply having a degree. It's the combination of skills, knowledge, and experiences that make you a competitive and valuable asset in the job market. This includes technical skills specific to your field and crucial soft skills like communication, teamwork and problem-solving.
A strong work ethic, a positive attitude and the ability to adapt and learn quickly are also vital employability skills. Essentially, employability demonstrates that you possess the qualities and capabilities that employers actively seek, making you a desirable candidate for a wide range of roles and contributing to your success in the professional world.
How can I develop my employability?
The job market is competitive. To stand out and land your dream role, you need to actively boost your employability. Here are some key strategies to consider:
Develop essential skills
It’s important to develop the hard skills you need to succeed in your career. Hard skills are essentially technical skills that are specific to your role. For example, for a job in computing, a hard skill is programming. These skills can typically only be developed through a course, extensive experience or independent learning.
Besides this, it’s important to also have soft skills. There are regular, basic skills all people seeking employment will need. These include:
- Communication: excellent written and verbal communication is crucial. Practice clear and concise communication in all your interactions.
- Teamwork: develop strong teamwork and collaboration skills through group projects and extracurricular activities.
- Problem-solving: cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Look for opportunities to analyse challenges and develop creative solutions.
- Time management: learn to prioritise tasks, meet deadlines, and manage your time effectively.
- Adaptability: Be flexible and willing to learn new things quickly. The workplace is constantly evolving, so adaptability is key.
Gain relevant experience
If you want your CV to stand out from the crowd and to be as employable as possible to employers, you need to have relevant experience in your field. You can do this in a few ways, such as internships, part time jobs and volunteer work.
Here at TMC, we provide our students with lots of opportunities to gain real world experience in their respective fields, boosting their skills and employability.
Build your network
Building your network is crucial for career success. Here at TMC, we have a wide range of industry connections and actively share these links with students through events and workshops.
Our students can leverage these resources to attend industry events and gain valuable insights into their chosen field. Remember, your network can open doors to exciting opportunities and provide invaluable support throughout your career journey.
Focus on personal development
Think of personal development as a journey of understanding. What makes you tick, what you're good at, and where you want to grow? Don't be afraid to ask for feedback from your tutors, mentors, and friends – sometimes an outside perspective can shed light on areas you might not have noticed.
Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and step outside your comfort zone. Remember, it's okay to stumble along the way. The key is to learn from your experiences, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward.
This ongoing process of self-improvement will not only make you a more well-rounded individual but also a highly sought-after candidate in the competitive job market.
Continuous upskilling
In today's rapidly changing world, upskilling is crucial for career advancement. It involves continuously learning and developing new skills or enhancing existing ones to remain competitive in the job market.
This could involve acquiring new technical skills, improving communication and interpersonal abilities, or developing leadership qualities through an evening course while you work. By proactively investing in your professional development, you demonstrate a commitment to growth and adaptability, making you a valuable asset to any organisation.
What are the most important employment skills?
Organisations are looking for people they can train to develop the skills required for the job but they need young people with general employability skills too; they want them to demonstrate these skills in their applications, at interviews and in the work role.
According to Indeed, these are the top skills employers look for:
- Communication
- Time management
- Problem solving
- Teamwork
- Digital skills
- Initiative
- Project management skills
- Emotional intelligence
- Confidence
How TMC supports developing student’s employability skills
The Manchester College now has a team of Employability and Partnership Coordinators dedicated to finding quality work placements and work-related activities for students. Each coordinator is assigned to a particular curriculum area and is specialised in preparing and matching each student to the right placement for them.
More information on this and all aspects of Employability can be found on the College Moodle platform. If you're passionate about a particular field and eager to build a fulfilling career, choosing the right course at TMC is a crucial step. Our diverse range of college courses are designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and experience you need to succeed.