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Part of landing your dream job involves knowing the ins and outs of that particular job, says Ankit Shyamsukha, CEO, ICA Edu Skills.
Spend some time to figure out what you want and what skills are required for a particular position.
With companies undergoing remote working guidelines, the technical and soft skills are becoming vital perks that interviewers are looking for in an interviewee.
The way you present yourself in the online interview will say much about your ability to work efficiently.
Once hired, along with mastering the technology, you must learn to follow certain protocols. Therefore, it becomes pivotal to figure out which interview skills you may require for the particular job you are applying for.
Many educational brands and training institutions are sharing free online courses to brush up your skills which again, is the need of the hour.
Following are some of the silks that will help you to land on your dream job:
1. Poise
Like they say it 'Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.'
When things go wrong, it becomes crucial for you to stay calm and poised. This quality shows that you will be able to work under any strenuous and pressuring circumstances.
In times of COVID-19, when we are adapting to the challenges of the ‘new normal', a crisis is inevitable.
Exhibiting the calmer side of yours will not only impress your future employers but also help you manage the crisis efficiently.
Remember one more thing, a poised person at work always receives appreciation.
2. Proper meeting etiquette
Attending a virtual meeting has its pros and cons. No matter how boring or uninteresting the meeting gets, you need to show enthusiasm.
You must look engaged and that you are a vital part of the conversation.
It's very easy to get disconnected when you are attending an online meeting as there are so many windows open on your laptop along with Internet issues.
Since your voice is the first impression, it needs to be upbeat.
Make note of the things beforehand that you need to talk or share in the meeting.
Use the mute and chat features in case you’re facing any technical or unavoidable issue.
Try to learn the various features before you attend a meeting in an online meeting platform.
3. Build a strong network
A LinkedIn survey shows that 85% of jobs are filled through personal/professional networking.
This means if you have a strong network and simultaneously aware of utilising it, then your chances of landing a dream job becomes higher. However, the question is, 'How to build a network?'
It's a very simple process, your network can be built by sending out email invitations, staying proactive on social media and reaching out to professionals from your forte.
Networking is quite similar to going on dates. You need to foster important human connections.
4. Do your research
Part of landing your dream job involves knowing the ins and outs of that particular job.
When you are applying to a new company, you must do your detailed research about the company founders, work process and branding components.
The company's Web site, Twitter and LinkedIn pages will help you in your research.
Research also entails examining your qualities that align with the job requirement.
Spend some time to figure out what you want and what skills are required for a particular position. The more you learn, the better are your chances to secure your dream job.
5. Knowing computer hygiene
As work thrives on technology now, it becomes crucial that you set up a backup system for your computer files.
However, studies show that one-third of the employees avoid taking backup of the documents because it consumes a lot of time.
In your interview, you might be asked to indicate your experience utilising the technology, describing how you organise and store files using cloud-based collaboration tools.
How do you keep track of links and tabs? Do you use Dropbox? Google Docs? Confluence?
So, be well prepared about such questions beforehand.
6. Learning collaboration
A year ago, collaboration only meant teamwork. But, now the meaning of collaboration has expanded and gone beyond teamwork.
In the remote working setup, the collaboration also means sharing documents online and editing them before the deadline.
Several cloud-based tools, such as Google Drive, Basecamp, and Trello, ensure the kind of collaboration that most companies demand today from their employees.
7. Critical thinking
You need to have quick logical reasoning and creative solutions for every demanding situation.
Most companies will give you a hypothetical situation to check out your critical thinking skills.
Critical thinking is a personal skill and cannot be imparted through the education system.
We have machines and robots to solve our issues but it’s an individual duty to perform and execute logical reasoning under any kind of pressurizing circumstances.
8. Future-ready employees
Experts assume that there is an increased demand for future-ready employees, who can easily adjust in the digital or niche skills setup like e-ommerce, cybersecurity experts, data analysts, machine learning.
According to leading HRs in IT sectors, there is a growing demand for coders in security and networking, microservices, machine learning and Big Data. Whereas, in pharma, they are looking for frontline sales staff who know digital selling skills.
Similarly, in auto, those with technical skills will continue to remain in demand.
While applying for jobs, it is important for you to present yourself as a future-ready, technically equipped professional. This will only improve your chances of being hired.
Ankit Shyamsukha is CEO, ICA Edu Skills, leading training and skill development institute.
