How can you boost your graduate employability?

Understanding your strengths and skills is a good first step, and using self-assessment tools can be a great way of learning a bit more about yourself, but it's important to use valid and scientifically sound tools. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is not a valid or reliable self-assessment and has extremely poor predictive validity. Scientific research has shown it does not predict important career outcomes, job success, and achievement. If you're looking for personality assessments, tests that use the The Big Five personality model are the most widely accepted and scientifically validated approach to assessing personality. These have five major factors, along with 30 facets that can highlight specific areas of strength in your career.

The MBTI is one tool of many you can use to determine your strengths and weaknesses. Rather than assume the test is flawed, why not consider it was one input of many you can undertake to get a better picture of who you are? One such assessment gives some insight, but a few more in addition will give you a better picture of who you are, your gifts and talents. Taking a few assessments - a few good ones in addition to MBTI would be DiSC (communications style), Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligences or Kolb Inventory (learning preferences or styles), and/or the Enneagram (much like MBTI), are very helpful for recent graduates to get a better picture of the many career options within their discipline or career cluster.

"Graduate employability ranking is a measure of how well a university prepares its students for the job market" is not an accurate or true statement. First, it is a lagging indicator, and as such does not reflect market trends or hiring practices in many fast-changing sectors (some of IT/tech, and related fields such as biotechnology, communications). Also, all university rankings are inherently flawed, and it's critically important to understand their components, factor weighting and biases. Students and employers are well-advised not to rely on rankings as a primary source of insight into employability or fit with a specific employer.

CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) does just that, it identifies potential areas of comparative strength. I say potential because for talents need to be developed to the point that they continually result in near perfect performance to be truly considered a strength. Semantics aside, just by taking and the CliftonStrengths assessment and understanding it, you have 3 immediate benefits. 1. You can more eloquently answer the “strengths” question in an interview. 2. Having your dominant talents on a resume often sparks conversation and demonstrates a commitment to development. 3. The results give you an actionable plan to improve yourself. There is a reason that many Fortune 500 companies have adopted a “strengths-based” culture!

I often tell students this one phrase when I kick off mentorship sessions or speaking engagements: "Begin with the end in mind." Once you have an idea of where you want to go, ask "where am I now?" Colleges need to invest more in these assessment tools in order to better equip student to successfully transition to the workforce. Some students may not be clear on what they want to do - internships and rotational programs can help, if we leverage the results from their assessments. I took an assessment during my internship and the hiring manager used that data to put me in a position that aligned with my strengths. Within a few months at the company, I got to present to our entire Information Technology Leadership Team.

Take the opportunity to learn from other people wherever possible. By talking to people who have worked in a specific industry and role you can gain insights into their personal experiences, challenges, and successes. This can help you to understand the day-to-day realities of the job and whether it is a good match for you. People who work in a specific field also have insider knowledge that can be difficult to learn without speaking to someone directly. They can provide you with information on industry trends, qualifications needed, job outlook, how to get started and explain how to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls.

Over the past 20 years, employer rankings of desired skills for candidates have consistently had the following at the top of their list: ?Effective communication ?Leadership ability ?Teamwork ?Interpersonal skills(relates well with others) ?Learning and Adaptability Probably not what you thought, huh? If you want to be competitive, be prepared to demonstrate these abilities on your application/cover letter, and especially during the interview process!

I might suggest that one might reflect upon their self and the opportunities and decude their own best course of action (make a plan) first, then embark upon these type of actions?

It is always best to say in the know about your area of study. Practices change often, so it is important not to stay stuck in old habits.

This philosophy on learning changed my life & financial trajectory "Formal Education will make you a living, Self-Education will make you a fortune." Jim Rohn Contrary to popular belief, commencement does mean the end of studying & learning. If anything the true definition of the word should remind us that it is merely another beginning. A commitment to lifelong learning and development is more important than ever, especially with the advent of powerful AI tools and technologies such as CHAT GPT

This is critical, as "who you know" has been the game those who "win" in the corporate world have been playing since time immemorial. Get to know, connect, contribute, value others as you value yourself. Learn what people are getting paid, ask for success strategies, and pay attention in the rooms where the decision makers are, even if you're just bringing the coffee. Network = Net worth.

Give give give, before you need to take. On social media, you can create free resources in order to establish yourself as a giver. This also helps you set yourself up as not only an expert, but to network through your resources.

Even in this world of bloated HR departments and AI selection processes, the majority of jobs are landed through someone you know. This makes it vital to get to know people in the field you want to work in. It is surprising how a small network can point you in the right direction, bolster your confidence, and let you know about jobs that are coming up. Networking is still a key skill when it comes to employability.

This is an area I needed some persuasion to tackle. I've always believed, it's not who you know but, what you know. However, I've come to realize that a good network is not so much about seeking employment but about building a coalition of allies. As a scientist I move in scientific circles and rely on the cooperation of other scientist in getting things done. I communicate with other scientist on science based social media platforms. I go to science networking events. I get to know my fellow scientists. We all have a common passion and belief being in the same field. So, we rely on each other and help each other when we can. I believe that is the true strength of any network.

Creando una red de empleos para que el graduado se incorpore directamente en la empresa y poder fortalecerse con los estudios y la práctica

Absolutely, sure, yes do this. I did and it gave me things to do that built up certain skills. Things generally work out, but be strategic and really think about what you want to do/contribute to the world. What is your special contribution that no one else has? Do that...well determine a market, then do that.

Always keep your ears to the ground. I joined a number of scientific organizations. Within those organizations are opportunities for members to gain employment, create projects to be seen by others in the scientific community, and do volunteer work. Joining such organizations helped me gain experience and exposure in the field but, you have to be open to doing such work. You also have to look for those opportunities. I can't begin to tell you how many of my friends and fellow students believe that these opportunities just fall into your lap. Some are not aware that you have to go down many rabbit holes in order to find these opportunities. What I mean by that is you have to click on one link and follow that link to where it leads you.

The framing of this piece doesn't work. New graduates? If so, then it isn't a changing industry. If they have been in industry for a few years then likewise. Solid employability skills will support them through lifelong learning and employment.

Perhaps one thing missing from this list is "develop an entrepreneurial attitude". This doesn't mean you have to start your own business.It's about being an agent of change rather than just a survivor of change. It could involve intrapreneurship, role innovation, portfolio career building, etc. This requires individuals to be alert to opportunities to create value and to be confident enough to take calculated risks.

Here, I am reminded of the 9th Rule of Acquisition, "opportunity plus instinct equals profit." When a new opportunity presents itself to you, always go with your gut. If it feels right to you then, move on it. However, you have to be ready to make that move. You should always be in study mode that way you are always learning. Be confident in what you do know that way when a situation or circumstance arise where, you feel like you could or should know more, you can easily adapt because you are prepared through your studies. By doing this you have become flexible within your environment. I would also encourage you to challenge yourself by embracing new and different situations and surroundings. Become more than the sum of your parts.

Using an Eportfolio to serve as a repository for professional development and showcase achievements. If used for certification, you can add artifacts related to national certification and have these artifacts handy when you need to update your certification.

For research, I highly recommend using AI (especially ChatGPT and Perplexity AI) to brainstorm and prep for interview. For your interview prep, you could ask ChatGPT this: "act like an interviewer, who regularly grills candidates and gives really hard questions." Then, going can give it context and bounce ideas off of it.

I would definitely research the company. Go into the interview knowing more about the company than the interviewer. Not to outshine the interviewer, believe me you do not want to come off as arrogant but, your attitude tells the interviewer a lot about you. If you know about the company beforehand, then it will show through to the interviewer. Ask someone you know to act as if they are the interviewer. That person can then grill you, ask you the tough questions, and give you pointers. This shows your value to the interviewer. These things let the interviewer know how much of an effort you are willing to put into the company. Pray, it may not be what you believe but, it has been my experience that prayer works but, you have to believe.