Key Technical Skills

In our earlier post, "Strategy for getting selected" we discussed the selection process and about the screening methods and tools used by HR managers to eliminate unsuitable candidates. There are several posts dealing with general skills, attitude etc. But what makes a candidate stand out for selection is the set of Key Technical Skills s/he is able to demonstrate.

What are these Key Technical Skills?Key skills are those skills expected of a candidate who has the requisite qualifications for the position. These skills enable the employer to be able to deploy the candidate productively on the job in the shortest possible time.

Fresh Engineers are expected to know the basics of their specialization (specially one that is most relevant for the position applied for) extremely well. For example, if you say that you have studied power electronics and apply to a power generating company, you must know most of the basic definitions and be able to answer questions without hesitation. Similarly a commerce graduate who wants to join as an accountant should know fundamentals of accounting well. S/he should be able to talk about simple ratios also.

One powerful method to demonstrate your knowledge is to do a project and thoroughly understand the important elements in it. You should be able to talk about it at length and answer any questions. Other methods are - develop a portfolio of work, write a blog, write articles, practically work in related areas in Summer. As students, you should learn to use productivity tools, viz. use of spreadsheets for commerce graduates or use of open source programming tools for IT Industry aspirants. By doing this you draw the interviewer into discussing what you know best.

An operating manager who thinks s/he can use your skills quickly will ensure that you are selected.

Remember, planning and preparation contribute 90 percent to success in your attempt. Read posts about job functions to understand what skills are required for different positions.