What Does It Take To Get A Job Nowadays?

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In 2006, a survey done in Malaysia revealed that there were 20,217 graduates who failed to find a job (The Sun). What on earth happened? After all, graduates would have undergone 3 - 4 years of studies and they would have graduated with their certificates. Employers should be fighting each other to hire them, right? Apparently, not so.

Very often, employers are heard lamenting that the graduates who come for the job interview are not ready or not prepared. Some even commented that many graduates don't even know what the employers really need. So, employers hire experience over qualification. But this is a catch-22 situation. If the graduates don't get a job now, how do they get the experience that employers seek?

But business is business. Employers won't just hire fresh graduates for the sake of providing them the experience. The candidate has to earn his right to work in the company. Believing the opposite is true would be a fantasy, unless of course if the company in question is owned by the candidate's family. That's an entirely different story.

A graduate faces several hurdles before s/he can get a job. S/he has to know how to write a good cover letter and resume that stands out from the other job applicants. Next, s/he has to impress the interviewer more than the other interviewees and several things are at play here (professional etiquette or manners, communication skills, maturity of thinking, dressing). Once the candidate gets the offer letter, there's another hurdle that will determine how far s/he can go, i.e. can this person work or perform? Many of these things are not taught in school.

Don't get me wrong. School does a good job in supplying the knowledge but I'll let you in on an open secret. Everyone goes through the same system and learns the same knowledge! In other words, it is pretty safe to assume that all the interviewees are well learned and knowledgeable, in the same areas. But besides this, what else is there? The big question to ask is, "If they are all the same, whom should I hire?"

Graduates must be able to answer the following question: I'm the right person for the job because..." And the answer had better be original and different from the others. Otherwise, we would be back to square one. "Why should the company hire you?"

Lighthouse Education and Training, a Miri based company is organizing a 1 day intensive workshop named "Career PowerSkills Workshop" to address this need. Participants will learn how to 'brand' themselves and stand out from the rest and how to continue to build this personal 'brand' to advance in their career. Besides this, participants will also learn how to write powerful and original cover letters and resumes that highlight what employers are looking for today. In addition, participants will learn what are the 30 most common interview questions and how to handle an interview professionally. Last but not least, participants will learn how to dress for career success. The workshop (in English) will be conducted on 29 November 2009 from 9.00am to 5.00pm at the Lighthouse Training Centre in Miri. Fees is RM200 per person only inclusive of learning materials and meals. Please call 014-6992900 or email mylighthousemiri@gmail.com for more information.