JOB SPECIAL ...Landing the Right Job in 2018

Landing the Right Job in 2018

Continuous evolution of your skill set is the only way forward, says Devashish Chakravarty

2017 was the year of jobless growth for Indian firms. A majority of employers decided to wait and watch when it came to hiring for growth or replacement. It appears that they were busy realigning their businesses to the twin realities of demonetisation and GST. A survey by Manpower Group measuring hiring outlook for India reported it was the worst year in recent history. If you or your friends were looking for a job, this was a harrowing time. Let’s look at the job trends for 2018 and your strategy for dealing with an uncertain future.

TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN MARKET

Even as the IT/ITeS industry struggles with challenging market conditions, the coming year will see tech hiring increasing across non-tech companies and industries that are being forced to adopt more efficient ways of operating. As a tech professional, you will have multiple avenues for growth if you are willing to work in different industries and learn relevant skills. If you are not a technology professional, you have to get comfortable with the fastpaced changes at workplace and be an early adopter of all things new.

CHANGING VALUE OF SKILLS

2018 will see an accelerating change in how employers put a price on your skills. Every industry has been impacted by automation, data-proliferation and changing products in a competitive market. New skills will be required and they will command a premium, while other skills will become redundant. A Ficci-Nasscom report says by 2022, 9% Indians will be in jobs that don’t exist today. As a professional, a learning attitude will be critical. Your employer will want to see how eagerly you adopt new ways of working and learn skills to maximise your contribution. Master this for higher hikes and bonuses.

WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY

Your employer will be increasingly flexible about how you work. Work from home, lesser inter-city travel and creative retention policies will be on the table to help the company reduce overheads and keep you engaged and happy. Feel free to negotiate on your quality of life. If you have personal challenges like an extended lunch time to pick up your kids from school— discuss them with your boss and suggest alternate working hours or a pro-rata salary cut. But don’t forget to deliver on your responsibilities. As a star performer, you will get greater flexibility than usual.

COMPENSATION UNRELATED TO EXPERIENCE

Bad news for seniors and good news for youngsters. The recent trend of increments and bonuses not being linked to years of experience will continue. Companies have learnt the hard way that what worked in the past is no longer valid for the future. Thus, they are rewarding outcomes over experience. As much as 65% of your bonus and hike will depend on your company and individual performance instead of longevity. Do not be afraid if are young or rest on your laurels if you are older. Deliver on personal and company’s targets to make the year pay off.

CAMPUS CHEER AND FUTURE FOCUS

Campus hiring will bounce back with more hires and better pay. Services, consumer, retail and infrastructure are working on new projects and campus hiring helps in quickly scaling up. If you are not graduating in 2018, then focus on your English and Maths. Use campus activities to learn effective speaking and writing, be comfortable with technology and data.

WILL YOU KEEP YOUR JOB?

If job security is your concern, become a critical cog in the wheel. Are you leveraging tech and changing processes to deliver results reliably without requiring more people in your team? Are you reducing burden and manpower in other teams by taking on new tasks? As the only person in a contributing role or an employee contributing to multiple teams, your job will be secure.

6 SECONDS/ 60 SECONDS HIRING

Firms will be short on time and hiring managers will continue to spend about 6 seconds on your resume and will make a rough decision in the first 60 seconds of your interview. Invest deeply in your resume and interview to get good results. Pick an easy-to-view format, make important details visible, lead sentences with numbers and have the most saleable skills and achievements at the top. For your interview, pay attention to how you look, reach ahead of time, listen carefully to the first few questions, prepare crisp answers and lead responses with results and outcomes you achieved.

ETP1JAN18