Abstract
The unforeseen changes in the macroeconomic environment globally will affect today’s successful business models. This will in effect translate to a shift in the employment landscape. Technological advancements and demographic changes will affect how jobs are created, recruitment patterns, career progression, job content, skills needed and the levels of productivity needed. The changing employment landscape will be anticipated by both businesses, governments and individuals so that they are able to fully seize the opportunities presented by these trends and to mitigate undesirable effects. Likely, in this dispensation, the service industry will have the biggest proportion of job openings for graduates with a hybrid skillset. Business processes will continue to be automated and new smart solutions developed. Those who will be employable in many areas in the business sphere must have a variety of skills, especially skills in project management and information technology.
Introduction
The implications of the current disruptions to business models are far reaching to both employers, students and educators. All stakeholders must embrace the reality of the new opportunities as well as call for concerted efforts to mitigate the anticipated disruptions on skills, occupational requirements and recruitment patterns (IMF 98). The current knowledge that graduates will possess must be changed and aligned to the current industry’s requirements. This essay is an analysis of the current employment environment in the business sector, factors influencing its changes and the implications these changes have on future recruitment patterns and employment opportunities. This paper will look into the skills that these changes will have on candidates seeking employment and how they can position themselves for those roles.
The share of employment in the utilities sector as well as in manufacturing is expected to fall. The construction industry is predicted to upsurge its employment capacity as governments venture in public infrastructure. This growth will further be witnessed in business services sectors including transport, tourism, communication and trade, which will provide the largest employment opportunities. The marketed services sector providing services such as education, social work, public administration, and health will provide limited employment opportunities as governments reduce public sector employment to lower costs of wages (Wilson and Hogarth 24). Graduates have no option but to have necessary skills, knowledge, ability, traits and experience in order to secure a job in the most potential areas. Technology will replace some jobs that are currently done by humans (Wilson 29).
Source: (Wilson 29)
Knowledge, Skills and attributes
Education and experience will be enough to make people eligible to apply for a job. However, graduates who want to be successful in the roles they are recruited must exhibit a mix of employability skills. Not only will graduate be required to have technical skills associated with the roles they apply for, but they will additionally be required to have soft skills that will be transferred when they change jobs in different sectors. The employability skills these graduates must possess include interpersonal skills, ability to make critical decisions, good communication skills, numeracy, digital skills, presentation skills, leadership skills and communication skills (IMF 204).
Employers will be identifying candidates with the right skills and qualities required for the job positions they advertise that will in turn drive the success of their organization. There has been reporting by employers of skills gaps in certain occupations. This, though, may be explained by other factors including uncompetitive wages, poor working conditions, inefficient recruitment policies and a discrepancy between job and skills location, it must be noted that companies are making efforts to facilitate their talents movement as well as training them. Employees new to a workplace may not have all the job skills needed for a role, employers will offer a strong involvement and ownership of skills and thus will offer a helping hand in developing and maintaining these skills by offering necessary trainings.
There is a strong debate on what exactly a skill is and what the unit of measure is. Generally speaking, skills are qualitative in nature and, by and large, are a measure of what quality of work one can deliverer in an organization. In the present case, skills that are needed are not exactly the hard skills to run or operate a machine but rather skills that make a candidate a better colleague, respectful and a good ambassador. The kind of skills that candidates will be required to demonstrate must include, but not limited to, ability to solve problems and negotiate. Work will now be done through project teams and a candidate must be able to relate with team members. They will also be required to have digital skills such as a general computer literacy. Without these skills they will be deemed unemployable.
Graduates must also be aware of a new phenomenon where there is a sizeable qualification mismatch. This is where a candidate’s level of qualification is higher or lower than that which is required for a specific job. It may also mean where there is a mismatch between what people can actually do and the content of their jobs. New technologies have been mentioned as a driver of this mismatch. Graduates must invest in acquiring necessary skills and knowledge. Before one can start to practice in any regulated profession, they must be affiliated to a relevant professional body where they can network and are inducted to their business practice. Joining such bodies reduces qualification mismatch and necessary coaching is offered.
Recruitment Patterns
Upon their graduation, students must also place themselves visible so that employers can identify them. They will be required to be aware of graduate programs which provide students with industry-based learning to prepare them for “real employment environment”. Other strategies graduates can apply include maintaining an online presence. Graduates will have to open social media accounts and create their online profile in such places as LinkedIn where potential employers will see where they studied, worked and if the content of the job is suitable for them. Graduates will also need to frequently consult recruitment companies, visit university job boards, newspapers career sections and network with people working in business sectors they want to join.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it must be noted that despite the changes taking place in the employment environment, graduates have a real chance of successfully finding their dream job in any business sector provided they have sufficient skills, traits, abilities and have a good online profile. Graduate employability is understood by employers as the qualities, characteristics, skills and knowledge that a graduate possesses. Not only will the graduate be expected to have a technical competence from their degrees but also a demonstrated possession of attributes like team work, critical thinking and managerial abilities (Davidson 145).
Works Cited
IMF. “World Economic Outlook Update: Is the tide rising?” International Monetary Fund, 2014. Document.
Archer, W. and Davison J. “Graduate employability: What do employers think and want?” The Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE). (2008).
Wilson, R.A. et al. “Future skills supply and demand in Europe” Research Paper No. 26 Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. (2013).
