‘Build marketable skills for a competitive career’

Interview of the Day: ‘Build marketable skills for a competitive career’

Suman Rudra, India HR Leader, NCR Corporation gives tips on identifying marketable skills

What are marketable skills, in corporate terms?
Marketable skills are skills for which there is market demand.  It’s basically a process of identifying the skill one possess and linking it with the organisation’s need.  The need depends on the economic environment and also dependent on the business cycle. In a booming economic environment many skills becomes marketable as business growth requires more hands and feet on the ground but in a recessionary environment the ability to protect present business and focus on costs are the skills in demand.
What are the different types of marketable skills? Which ones are most sought-after, today?
There are three different types of skills. The first is functional skills which can be utilised in a wide variety of jobs. Examples are communication, organisation, problem solving, managing, leading etc.  The second is self management, sometimes called personality traits but are skills that define success in a particular career choice. Examples are initiative, risk taking, ability to work independently, being a good team player, assertiveness, dealing with stress. The third type of skills are work content and special knowledge specific to job function like building software code in a language/platform, architect, accountancy etc.
How can one know/discover their marketable skills?
Whatever the person has done successfully in past, there can be patterns identified on what they are enjoying and being successful at and to identify the skills. This can be done in a session with a career counselor. Having identified the skills they need to map the same with the job requirement or career they want to pursue, identify gaps and create a development plan.
Are there any skills, which have always been crucial, but have become marketable, recently?
It’s important to realise that marketable skills are constantly changing. This also varies according to job function. Like in sales & marketing the skill in demand is to reach out to customers with the media in vogue like mobile or social media. This has given rise to positions like marketing specialist in social media or digital marketing, similarly in finance the focus has been new laws like Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), International Financial reporting standard (IFRS). In HR its ability to drive a performance organisation, build leadership and constantly drive change. At CEO level it’s the ability to drive the organisation through short economic cycles of recession, keep team motivated and do business ethically.
How to identify and develop marketable skills?
There are tests available to identify skills/competencies one possesses. One such tool is Strength finder by Gallup. 360 degree feedback is also one tool available to develop leadership skills and competencies. These tools provide you detailed reports which guide a person with a development plan. There are many job specific tools also available. The point is to understand that which skills are in greater demand and what the aptitude for those skills is and then create a skills shortlist to focus on developing them instead of going for all of it. It’s best to have the end goal in mind, and then fill in the gaps.