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How to Stand Out From the Crowd as a Fresher

Deep Ballu

Subject Matter Expert
Every graduate's dream is to get a good job, develop and grow in their career, reaching great heights. However, this dream starts with clinching the right job.

Getting a job as a fresher can be a challenging task as there is an increasing number of graduates produced every year in India. As of this year, there are about 20 million new graduates in India, and fewer spots are available to be filled in the job market. Less than 5 per cent of those who apply for jobs get employed. Hence there is a need to be outstanding and unique as a graduate to have the edge over other candidates who are as qualified as you are or even more. Below is a list of ways to stand out from the crowd as a graduate:

Commercial awareness 

The business world is a whole new one compared to life in a university. It is easy to be engrossed and carried away by the plethora of school activities that one may miss out on the latest happenings in the business world. This is a challenge for new graduates as statistics show that less than 36% of new graduates are commercially aware. 

Having up-to-date information about business and real-life challenges can be a desirable quality employers look for in candidates. As a result, taking the extra effort to update oneself on business generally and the firm you have chosen to apply to is considered important. 

Create an online presence 

Another way to give yourself an advantage when seeking employment is by leveraging free internet tools such as social media applications and websites for building your professional profile, such as LinkedIn. On a website like Facebook and Twitter, keep your best features on your profile and promote yourself so that an external reader can have an insight into your personality just by reading about you online. Some employers Google out their candidates during the hiring process, so you may want to keep your online profile clean and scandal-free. Keep in mind, when it comes to job seeking, the LinkedIn website is one to pay attention to. A good number of people have gotten employed using this website well. 

Networking 

Fresh graduates can increase their odds of getting employed by attending networking events. You are more likely to meet with people who can benefit you in these events. Starting a casual conversation with important people can help them learn a few things about you that may interest them. You can get their business cards and LinkedIn profiles and follow up on them. Endeavour to get yourself a business card. It adds more value to you and gives credibility to your professionalism in the business world. 

Know the organization in which you are applying 

Having sufficient information about the firm is a recognized advantage when it comes to impressing your employer. Most interviewers commonly ask why a particular person wants to work with their firm. This is usually your clue to reveal what you know about the organization, its history, structure, and highlighting its strongest features. You can learn about organizations on their websites and keep up with their latest projects, successes, and challenges. This shows your seriousness to employers and your sense of commitment and could go a long way in helping you land your dream job. 

Excellent communication skills 

Everything you do during an interview hinges on communication. It doesn't matter how talented or efficient you are; if you are not able to communicate effectively to your employer, you may end up getting overlooked. Investing in developing communication skills, therefore, becomes a priority for graduates. Communication skills range from using language, being a good listener, and having the right body language to presentation skills. So if you want to pique the attention of your employer, master the art of communication, which is knowing what to say, when to say it and how to say it. 

Wrapping up 

Every graduate's dream is to get a good job, develop and grow in their career, reaching great heights. However, this dream starts with clinching the right job. The job market is highly competitive and requires individual brilliance, creativity, and the right application of the tips mentioned above to get your desired job. The key to winning your employer over is a well-measured display of confidence in your abilities as you strive to make a name for yourself in the business world.