Searching for a job? DON'T PANIC!

FRICTIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT, WHEREIN ONE DOES NOT HAVE A JOB IN HAND, BUT IS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ONE, IS PARTICULARLY STRESSFUL. HERE'S HOW TO DEAL WITH IT

EMPLOYEES' ENGAGEMENT and efficiency is heavily dependent on their fit in the organisational culture and job profile. However, finding this fit is never an easy task and professionals in the process of doing so, face many hurdles and anxiety . Frictional unemployment, wherein one does not have a job in hand, but is on the lookout for one, is doubly stressful because of the idleness. Candidates need to make use of this time in the most productive manner and utilise the tools at hand to make the search faster.

Searching for the right job inevitably takes time and struggles on the part of a professional. Mukund Menon, director ­ HR & communications, International Paper India, explains, “In today's economy and business scenario, the choices available are very limited if you are looking for something specific. The hunt for the right job, company , location, environment and work culture is beginning to turn into a compromise, more so because we can't find all in one.If most of them are fairly available under one roof, you would find that there is tremendous competition for the spot.  The current trend is to encourage succession and cross-functional movements that present good opportunities for internal candidates. The options that open up for external candidates are narrow and would finally be offered to someone who is truly the best.“

Kothandaraman R, GM ­ human policies, HTC Global Services, tells us how freshers, especially average performers, are often on the receiving end of frictional unemployment, “The ones in the creamy layer get picked from tier-I colleges and get into desirable jobs, but for the majority , it takes time and a great deal of struggle to get the right job. One may need to wait or com promise on the role in another company which may probably be a start-up or not popular yet.“

The currently-unemployed professionals provide unique benefits to employers looking for fresh talent. Charles XSA, VP , Ugam, elaborates, “While it may be argued that candidates without a job have lesser bargaining power, it is also true that employers usually prefer such candidates because of the reality of demand-supply challenges. The probability of such candidates joining immediately is higher than those joining after serving a notice period. Many offered candidates drop out when they go scouting in the market.“

Ritesh Agarwal, CEO, OYO Rooms, tells us how this period of wait can lead to stress and low morale, “The time period during which professionals are searching for an ideal job is the time of uncertainty . By when will they get a job and whether it will be as per their expectations are crucial matters of concern.Thus, this wait becomes stressful and an individual tends to get impatient and demotivated. But, one must remember that finding the best opportunity is worth all the hard work and struggle.“

Pradip Sachdeva, HR head, Mankind Pharma, gives tips that such professionals can adopt in order to make their efforts fruitful and yield results faster: > Develop skills: Beyond the specific set of technical skills that employers seek, certain skills like interpersonal skills, communications skills and other soft skills are sought by nearly all employers and every job seeker should work on these; > Professional networking sites: Candidates should initiate discussions on appropriate industry topics with other people and create an impression. They can also follow employers and leaders on these sites.

Should such professionals take up available roles in order to gain experience or is it better to wait for the right role to come along? Sanjay Jhunjhunwala, MD, Turtle Limited, answers, “At the start of one's career, professionals should not sit back and waste time.But, all individuals should set up a definite plan for themselves. The most important parameters are identifying the skill sets one has, self-grooming, networking and most importantly , setting a deadline for achieving the appropriate kind of job for themselves. Generally , professionals have short-term goals, but no long-term aspirations.“

Hence, the period of frictional unemployment can be nerve-wracking, but candidates can use this time to hone their skills and expand their network.

Source | Times of India | 9 September 2015