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Excel, core Java, Python are just some of the skills that will put you ahead in the hiring line, says Sarvesh Agrawal.
Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
Over the past decade, there has been a decrease in the number of students getting employed.
According to the NASSCOM-McKinsey report, only 26 per cent of India's engineering graduates were employable.
That is a shocking percentage given that we are on our way to becoming the youngest country in the world with an average age of 29 years old.
The major reason for this is the skill gap, that is, students do not have the required skills that the employers are seeking.
So, to help improve your chances of getting a job, you could learn new in-demand skills.
Broadly, based on the profiles that are currently in demand, we have listed nine skills that could help you in getting a job.
1. Business communication skills
Written and verbal communication is a prerequisite for almost all the jobs.
Good business communication doesn’t mean having proficiency in spoken and written English but having interpersonal skills as well.
Having good communication skills will give you an edge over your peers in the professional world along with the ability to write a good resume and cover letter and put your point forth in group discussions and interviews.
Content writing, content development, proofreading, and similar profiles could be considered after learning this skill.
2. MS Excel
This is a widely used software in the professional world.
Having knowledge about this skill will help you in handling raw data, generate inferences, and make informed business decisions.
This is a skill that would come in handy at every stage of your career.
Data entry, Excel trainer, business analyst, and similar profiles could be considered after learning this skill.
3. Digital marketing
It is a vital part of marketing and comprises different segments like e-mail marketing, web analytics, social media marketing, search engine marketing, search engine optimisation, blog creation, video and mobile marketing.
It is the perfect way of reaching out to the masses and establish a name for the brand.
Social media marketing, digital marketing, marketing research, and similar profiles could be considered after learning this skill.
4. Language
Companies in India are going global so the need to hire people fluent in foreign languages has increased in the past decade.
There has been a steady increase in the number of opportunities, offering both part-time and full-time opportunities in various languages.
Some of the languages you could learn are -- Spanish, French, German or Chinese whereas, content development, client interaction, language expert, and similar profiles could be considered after learning this skill.
Apart from the skills mentioned above, there are five more technical skills that are in demand and could be learned. Those skills are:
5. Web Development
A website is the first impression for most of the companies and the work involved in developing it is web development.
It can range from developing a single page to a complex website.
Broadly, there are two kinds of web developers: front-end and back-end developers.
Front-end web developer deals with the visuals of a website, while the back-end web developer deals with the functionality of a website.
Front-end developer, back-end developer, full stack developer, and similar profiles could be considered after learning this skill.
6. Core Java
It is one of the most common and popular programming languages.
It was created in 1995 and works on different platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, Raspberry Pi, etc.).
It is an open source language, easy to learn and simple to use while being secure and fast.
It is used to develop mobile apps, web apps, desktop apps, games and much more. Software developer, program analyst, software engineer, and similar profiles could be considered after learning this skill.
7. Python
Python is designed for readability and its codes are similar to the English language thus making it a popular user-friendly coding language.
It is used for back-end web development, software development or system scripting.
Being an Interpretive and Object-oriented Programming (OOP) language it adapts itself to the real world and works on debugging the codes without the hassle of a compiler thus saving time on refining the code lines.
Data scientist, AI developer, game developer and similar profiles could be considered after learning this skill.
8. Programming with C and C++
C is a general-purpose programming language used for wide range of applications from operating systems (Windows or iOS).
It is highly efficient and doesn’t require a change in the program in case the operating system is changed.
C++ is a subset of C language.
It is an efficient and a general-purpose programming language based on C.
The popular programming language has been used to develop various applications like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign.
Both these languages play a vital role in coding and application development.
Software developer, web designer, web developer are just some jobs that require these skills.
9. Android App Development
Android is the most widely used mobile operating system with over 2 billion users.
The applications are designed to ease the process of accessing different information.
The objective while developing an application is to develop a simple application with wide-ranging functionalities.
Once you learn this, you may apply for job roles like Android app development and subject matter expert.
While these skills may land you your dream job interview, at the end of the day, what really matters is how much hard work you are putting in to excel and execute your skills.
It is important to have resilience, ownership and the urge to perform better with every opportunity you get.
Once you have a clear sight of what you wish to pursue, ensure you are best at it because that is what is truly required in landing a job.
Lead image published only for representational purposes only.
Sarvesh Agrawal is the founder and CEO of Internshala, an internship and trainings platform.