Academic Employability Skills

This report discusses the importance of academic employability skills and their impact on personal and professional efficiency. It includes evaluations of four articles on the skills employers seek in graduates and how to keep your job skills current. The report also includes an assessment of the author's own employability skills.

Academic Employability Skills

Executive Summary
Academic employability skills is most important aspect for an individual through
which they can accomplish their pre-determined objectives and goals in a well define
and effective manner. These skills enhance personal as well as professional efficiency
of individuals in significant manner. Present report include discussions upon four
different articles that are Employability Skills: The Skills You Need to Get a Job, What
10 Skills Do Employers Most Want From Graduates?, Want a job? 7 things graduates
MUST do in the lock down and How to Keep Your Job Skills Current.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary...........................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY.......................................................................................................................1
Article 1: Employability Skills: The Skills You Need to Get a Job.................................1
Article 2: What 10 Skills Do Employers Most Want From Graduates?.........................2
Article 3:Want a job? 7 things graduates MUST do in the lock down...........................4
Article 4:How to Keep Your Job Skills Current..............................................................5
Own employability skills.................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Academic and employability skills plays crucial role for an individual growth and
development as both the skills makes them employable. It is essential for a person to
have good understanding of various range of skills in order to develop their career in
effective way (Agran and et. al., 2016). In terms with academic skills they are basically
made of certain core skills like presentation, academic, referencing etc. While on the
other hand, employability skills include skills like planning and organising, teamwork,
self-management, communication, problem solving and more (Kornelakis and
Petrakaki, 2020). All these skills facilitate individuals to increase their overall
productivity efficiency in a well define and effective manner. Present report has been
conducted on, employability, in order to summarise this concept four different articles
have been evaluated in this report. In addition to this, this report also include evaluation
of own employability skills.
MAIN BODY
Article 1: Employability Skills: The Skills You Need to Get a Job
According to the evaluation of respective article it has been evaluated that there
are different type of skills that employers are seeking. In order to become more
successful it is essential for individuals develop these skills over time. In addition to
this, this is being determined that soft skills are termed as employability skills with the
help of which individuals can make themselves employable (Employability Skills: The
Skills You Need to Get a Job. 2020). Further, as per according to analysis soft skills or
employability skills acts as building block for an individual career growth. Thus, it is
essential to develop employability skills at early stage of life. By mastering these skills

individual can effectively facilitate themselves to ensure long term career growth. Thus,
this is being determined that by taking significant use of these skills more efficient
career growth and development can be assured by individuals.
According to article evaluation, it is essential for individual to learn to effectively
work with others, which is further being defined as interpersonal skills (Agrawal and et.
al., 2020). With having honed interpersonal skills individuals can gain advantages in
terms of offerings good satisfaction to consumers, effective negotiation and decision
making ability and more. Interpersonal skills include non-verbal communication, verbal
communication, emotional intelligence, negotiation, influencing, listening, team
working, persuasion, decision making, mediation, problem solving, conflict resolution
and more (Six Ways to Improve Your Employability While Studying’ 2020). These skills
are mainly required for all the form of jobs. In order to develop these skills individuals
can take advantage of interpersonal skills self- assessment as to duly identify their
strength and weaknesses (Ayala Calvo and et. al., 2020). Along with this, this is being
evaluated that in order to learn new skills as to improve efficiency and own
competitiveness an individual is required to stay organised and learn to manage their
time in a well defined and effective manner for this they can duly take advantage of
priority matrix through which they can allow themselves to accomplish their task those
are more important (Bhagra and Sharma, 2018).
In addition to this, they are also required to undertake significant use of self
management as well as self regulation in order to improve their self discipline. This will
further allow them to yield responsibility of their own actions (Byrne, 2020). Lastly, one

of the most important skill that are required to be posed by an individual for better
employment opportunities is, willingness to learn as with the assistance of this they can
make themselves exposed to more new experiences as well as ideas (Clokie and
Fourie, 2016). It further assist them to significantly make improvement in their existing
level of knowledge and skills.
Article 2: What 10 Skills Do Employers Most Want From Graduates?
By evaluating respective article, this is being determined that employers present
wide range of choice when they are looking forward to hire highly qualified as well as
skilled candidates (Five Million Left Without Right Skills After Covid-19’2020). Thus, it
becomes essential for students or graduates to effectively evaluate skills that are
trending and seeking by employers. By possessing those skills graduates can
significantly increase their competencies and can further enhance their value (What 10
Skills Do Employers Most Want From Graduates? 2020). Along with this, present
articles reflects that it is important for an individual to learn to create strong and
attractive resume or CV, posses good way to write cover letter and more in order to
effectively showcase their soft skills to employer at first (Cotronei-Baird, 2020). In
addition to this, in present article there are ten type of skills are mentioned that are
being duly needed by graduates to get a job. In this, most important skill is team work,
it has been evaluated that during the process of graduation students get many
opportunities to perform their work like presentation in a group. It is an essential skills
that employers are looking forward in order to promote collaboration in organisational
workplace structure (Jones and et. al., 2017). Thus, it is important for graduates to
have strong team working ability as to get opportunity to have better job.

In addition to this, problem solving skills, commercial awareness, ability to
organise and plan are some of the crucial skills that an employer seeks from
candidates in order to ensure higher productivity and effective workplace efficiency
(Kaputa, 2016). In addition to this, according to analysis of given article decision
making, communication skills, negotiation and influence, digital skills, technical
knowledge of role and ability of synthesise information are some of the skills that are
must for candidates to have in order to enhance their value, competence and efficiency
to get a job. Further this is being determined that it is essential for graduates to
effectively engage themselves in research before making any application for jobs in
order to evaluate which skill is utmost important for them to have as to fulfil employer
expectations, this will further allow them to customise their application form of CV
accordingly through which they can attention of employer towards them in a well define
and effective manner comparatively to other candidates (Khattar and et. al., 2020). In
addition to this, graduates are also required to make themselves up-to-date with
technical knowledge and apply the same in entity workplace structure in order to
effectively fulfil expectations of employer. Thus, this is being determined that employers
are looking forwards to recruit and hire those candidates who are having wide range of
skills and competence among them as to increase their workplace productivity
(Kornelakis and Petrakaki, 2020).
Article 3:Want a job? 7 things graduates MUST do in the lock down
It has been seen that whole world is suffering from Covid-19 pandemic and
individuals all around the globe are practising social distancing. During this time period
graduates can significantly take advantage of technology in order to successfully build

their career for future growth (McGunagle and Zizka, 2020). However, it has been
evaluated that in order to cope with the losses many organisations are looking forward
to salary-cuts and layoffs (Want a job? 7 things graduates MUST do in the lockdown.
2020). Thus, it is becoming utmost essential for graduates to take advantage of this
opportunities of lock down and sharp their skill, potential and efficiency. As per
according to the evaluation of given article it has been determined that, graduates are
require to overcome their skill gap. Further it has been determined that they can
further take this Covid-19 crisis as an opportunity to maximise their skills with the help
of technology. As it has been evaluated that there are various form of ed-tech
platforms those who are engaging in the operations of providing free courses, with the
help of this graduates can enhance their problem solving and critical thinking approach
(Misra and Khurana, 2017).
In addition to this, according to evaluation graduates can also undertake
opportunity of online internships through which they can harness their theoretical
practical, knowledge and skill in a well define and effective manner. Graduates must
also emphasize upon sharpening their soft skills in order to increase their value
(Nisha and Rajasekaran, 2018). One of the most important way that will allow
graduates to enhance their competence and skills is undertaking use of evaluating
their employability ratio, for this they can further undertake significant utilization of
SWOT evaluation through which they can develop a formative plan to fill inefficiency of
skills. In addition to this, it is also important for graduates to engage in the process of
continuous assessment to identify industry trends and ways to fulfil them. Graduates
must also learn new language as to make themselves extra ordinary comparatively to

other candidates (Al-Shehab and et. al., 2020). Lastly, graduates must also ensure that
they stay updated with future industry trends in order to effectively transform their
potential and competitiveness.
Article 4:How to Keep Your Job Skills Current
By evaluating respective article, this is being identified that in order to ensure
continuous growth it is essential for an individual to update their skills according to
current trend (7 ways to improve graduate employability in lockdown’ 2020). For this it is
essential for an individual to evaluate certain career and determine most demanding
skills that employers are looking forward in that particular field (How to Keep Your Job
Skills Current. 2019). Along with this individuals can also take assistance of scooping in
which they can effectively evaluate background of standout performers in respective
field skills that aid them to excel. In addition to this, by following industry leaders on
social media also facilitate individuals to make decisions related to the skills that will
help them to accelerate their future growth (Rayner and Papakonstantinou, 2015).
Further it has been evaluated that by making formative identification of skills,
individuals can formulate professional development plan through which they can target
required skills to gain more opportunities. In addition to this by attending online tutorials
and workshops individuals can duly undertake use of online programming classes
through which they can keep their skills updated (Sarkar and et. al., 2016). Further it
has been duly determined that by attending professional networking conferences
various from of job skills can be acquired by individuals (Stewart, 2020). Professional
journals is also one of the most effective measure through which individuals can

significantly track changes and can make further improvement in their skill and
knowledge for more growth and development (Younis, 2020).
Own employability skills
Employability skills aid individual to enhance their future growth as well as
opportunities in best effective manner. According to above evaluation, this has been
identified by me that I an having good communication, team work, and problem solving.
In order to gain more growth and development in my career it is essential for me to
learn all these skills (Ayala Calvo and Manzano García, 2020). I have undertaken use
of skill gap analysis method in order to identify required skills for future development. In
order to learn skills, I am looking forwards to undertake advantage of various form of
online learning programmes and courses in order to maximise my career growth
(Wilton, 2020).
CONCLUSION
As per according to the above mentioned report it has been concluded that
labour market is highly competitive, thus in order to ensure more competitive
advantages it is essential for individuals to learn various form of skills. With the help of
this they can effectively able to ensure maximum growth and development. There are
various ways through which these skills can be acquired such as lectures,
observations, brainstorming, online and more. According to the above evaluation it has
been identified that with the help of academic skills students can effectively encourage
themselves to become more effective as well as efficient learner. While in terms with

employability skills, communication and interpersonal skills allows individuals to
enhance their work efficiency and fulfil their goals and objectives with more
competitiveness. Thus, it becomes essential for students and individuals to have
proper understanding of both the form of skills and learn them from different sources in
order to gain advantages of more opportunities.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Agran and et. al., 2016. Employment social skills: What skills are really valued?. Career
Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. 39(2). pp.111-120.
Agrawal, S and et. al., 2020. Employing CBPR to Understand the Well-Being of Higher
Education Students During Covid-19 Lockdown in India. Available at SSRN 3628458.
Al-Shehab, N and et. al., 2020. Do employability skills for business graduates meet the
employers’ expectations? The case of retail Islamic banks of Bahrain. Higher Education,
Skills and Work-Based Learning.
Ayala Calvo, J.C and et. al., 2020. The influence of psychological capital on graduates’
perception of employability: the mediating role of employability skills. Higher Education
Research & Development. pp.1-16.
Bhagra, A. and Sharma, D.K., 2018. Changing paradigm of employability skills in the global
business world: A review. IUP Journal of Soft Skills. 12(2). pp.7-24.
Byrne, C., 2020. What determines perceived graduate employability? Exploring the effects of
personal characteristics, academic achievements and graduate skills in a survey
experiment. Studies in Higher Education, pp.1-18.
Clokie, T.L. and Fourie, E., 2016. Graduate employability and communication competence: Are
undergraduates taught relevant skills?. Business and Professional Communication
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Cotronei-Baird, V.S., 2020. Academic hindrances in the integration of employability skills
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Jones, M and et. al., 2017. The hard truth about soft skills: What recruiters look for in business
graduates. College Student Journal. 50(3). pp.422-428.
Kaputa, C., 2016. Graduate to a great career: How smart students, new graduates and young
professionals can launch BRAND YOU. Nicholas Brealey.
Khattar, A and et. al., 2020, May. Effects of the Disastrous Pandemic COVID 19 on Learning
Styles, Activities and Mental Health of Young Indian Students-A Machine Learning
Approach. In 2020 4th International Conference on Intelligent Computing and Control
Systems (ICICCS) (pp. 1190-1195). IEEE.
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McGunagle, D. and Zizka, L., 2020. Employability skills for 21st-century STEM students: the
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Rayner, G. and Papakonstantinou, T., 2015. Employer perspectives of the current and future
value of STEM graduate skills and attributes: An Australian study. Journal of Teaching
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Sarkar, M and et. al., 2016. Graduate employability: Views of recent science graduates and
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Stewart, B.A., 2020. An empirical approach to identifying employability skills required of
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Wilton, N., 2020. Do employability skills really matter in the UK graduate labour market? The
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Younis, Z., 2020. Multiple Tools for Innovative Interdependent Learning Techniques in Higher
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Want a job? 7 things graduates MUST do in the lockdown. 2020. [Online]. Available
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"Soft" Is An Understatement: The Importance Of Transferable Skills’
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