In this dynamic world, the corporate sector is changing at fast rate with advancement in knowledge and technology. In the same way, the needs and expectations of the job market have been raised on a higher caliber and employability implies that candidates have a competitive advantage that markets them to get jobs. Job requirements have also become dynamic, and many employers are seeking a work environment that is characterized by flexibility. In the past, division of labor in the workplace was based on the area of specialization and skills acquired. The current job environments are now encouraging switching of roles and on-job training, meaning that any person working in the organization can perform different roles.
In the first week of lectures, the topic concerned the introduction of employment with respect to skills and knowledge. The topic covered the various skills and knowledge and their relevance to the economy. From the topic in the first week, I learned various things. First, skills and knowledge do not only require education but also continuous training and information due to the changing nature of education and the corporate environments. Second, skills and knowledge are crucial to the ability to adopt new technologies with efficiency. Therefore, people aiming to enter the job market need to be familiar with the use of technology, be aware of technological changes and information. Technology is a crucial aspect in organizations because it facilitates innovation and productivity of workers. In addition, technology increases efficiency in the work process and it may even create employee motivation, which employers are always looking for in order to improve performance within their organizations. Adequate skills also encourage innovation through the use of technology.
In the second week, the lectures focused on employability. Employability implies physical, mental, professional and social capabilities that job candidates need for them to work on a regular job environment (Hind and Moss, 2005). I learned two critical issues. First, although it is equally important, academic qualification is almost being disregarded in the current work environments globally since it is not the most important thing in real tasks. As seen in the first lecture, the global corporate culture has integrated the aspect of switching of roles and is implementing on-job training, which are not necessarily based on previous skills and knowledge. However, during the recruitment process, employers give a minimum job requirement that usually imply basic training depending on the field of study. Second, one of the most important requirements is a good attitude. Attitude has increasingly become a key factor in job assessment because it plays a crucial role in all job relationships. People with a wrong attitude are difficult to work with in the workplace because they usually have contradictory goals. For example, optimism gives the worker the motivation to pursue organizational goals and objectives regardless of previous results. It is the ability to focus on the positive side of things while learning from failures and mistakes, and dedicating effort to solve those issues. In addition, clients are the most valued stakeholders in the corporate environment, and treating them satisfactorily requires a good attitude and a vibrant job relationship. Customer satisfaction results from an efficient and quality customer service, which requires right attitude. My attitude is characterized by a desire to learn from others and failures and I have a good attitude in interpersonal communication.
The third week covered the topic on the recruitment process, which is usually done by the human resources department in an organization. In this week, I learned that it is the goal of any organization to attract and retain talented and qualified job candidates, and the process of recruitment uses the already prepared job description. A job description shows the specifications of job positions and what is expected of the holder of that job position. Therefore, since there are numerous job applicants with similar basic qualifications, the human resource managers look for other skills and talents that differentiate them. Some of these skills include social skills. It is paramount for a job candidate to demonstrate ability to communicate effectively in order to be able to handle and understand clients, give comprehensive feedback and reports. At the same time, good communication skills with confidence enable employees to express themselves including the issues going on around them such as challenges, perceptions and views. Creativity and ability to work with teams are also crucial to the process of performing tasks and solving problems. Teamwork implies a combined effort where employees contribute their skills and creativity to complete projects, reports, and in sometimes fieldwork (Cole, 2010). Again, as seen earlier, attitude will play a critical role in the handling of tasks within a team. People with a wrong attitude are most likely to have compatibility problems while working in a team. Similarly, there are people who hate working with groups or teams because of their character, personality problems or other issues. Other important skills that job candidates should demonstrate are leadership, motivation, ability to work under minimum supervision, responsibility and honesty. After assessing myself, I have leadership skills and I am excellent when working with teams.
In the fourth week, the lectures covered the issue of training and development, job interviews and organization culture. In this week, I learned about the dynamic nature of work environments and the current trends that require workers to be up to date with information in order to increase efficiency in the provision of services or products and satisfaction of clients. First, when there are technological changes, organizations install new technology in the production process or service delivery. Employees should expect sessions of training, which could either be funded by the organization or some organizations demand prior training. In this case, an understanding of current corporate issues and trends is important for job candidates. In addition, candidates should demonstrate this understanding in the job interviews by the way they express themselves. In most cases, as part of the recruitment process, job interviews seek to find skills and knowledge that can be used to deal with current organizational problems. Employees also become subject to an organizational culture that comprises of values, beliefs, and general lifestyle (Alvesson, 2002). Employees working in different settings should not carry a poor culture with them to a new organization.
In conclusion, the four-week period of lectures on employability was highly informative and they gave me insights that I intend to consider for me to be employable. The most important thing is that is was able to learn current global issues that apply to the corporate sector. I was satisfied with the instructor because he handled key concepts with emphasis. The instructor was funny and he was available for consultation.
References
Alvesson, M. (2002). Understanding organizational culture. London: SAGE.
Cole, L. (2010). A handbook on transformational teamwork. Conway, AR: TeamMax.
Hind, D. and Moss, S. (2005). Employability skills. Sunderland: Business Education Publishers.
