1. TALENT CRUNCH
The problem presently being faced in the job market is not scarcity of
jobs but scarcity of talent. It is a problem of unemployability not
unemployment. In the past, we had unemployment where applicants had the
eligibility, suitability and capability towards jobs but unfortunately there were
not many employment opportunities. After the liberation, privatization and
globalization, the industrial climate in India had drastically changed for better
and fortunately there are ample employment opportunities in India. But the
problem prevailing now is of unemployability where people have eligibility not
having suitability and capability despite availability of employment
opportunities.
It is like having everything on the platter in front of you but not able to
eat. It is also like having plenty of water in the ocean but the applicants are not
in a position to drink due to talent crunch.
CAUSES:
The present Indian educational system is not in right pace with the global
education and is based on rote learning. It stifles creativity and innovation and
encourages cramming, mugging up and by hearting the contents. Students,
instead of understanding, analyzing and interpreting the information they read
and reproduce during the examinations. In such a scenario, how can we have
talented-stuff?
Now a days, guides have proved to be handy and students score high
marks only by reading the guides and the previous model question
papers during the exams. They are not reading variety of books. Referring
diversified books provide different, divergent and wider knowledge base and
unfortunately that is missing now. They score highest marks in the academic
exams and take the competitive exams where they face a lot of heat.
2. Unfortunately there also, too many guides that glide the students to clear the
written tests in the competition. And the final heat is in the interview where they
fail miserably because here memory may not support much but the employers
look for various qualities like communication skills, team spirit, leadership
skills, analytical skills, problem solving skills, flexibility, adaptability and
absorbability. Research reveals that 2 out of 10 of the recruited employees
really possess the skills related to job and the rest do not possess but still are
being absorbed because the companies do not like to keep the vacancies
unfilled. Every company looks for plug and play recruits. Since they are not
getting they are spending huge funds to train and groom the recruited employees
to make them job competent.
Internet has become a big boon for students these days. Entire
information is available at the click of a mouse. Everything is ready made and
tailor made. Whatever they want, they get it at the click of the mouse from
search engines. They simply copy and paste. It all led to stifling the thinking
abilities. One way, internet has become a boon and on the other hand it has
become a bane. Dearth of creativity and innovation and the problem in the
present teaching and training methodologies and the maladies in the present
examination system has led to the present talent crunch.
EFFECTS:
When incompetent applicants are recruited, there is lot of spending on
the training and development activities or else it will adversely affect the
production, productivity and performance at the individual as well as the
institutional level. The companies may not be in a position to compete with their
global counterparts due to the dearth of talent. Employees may not be able to
cope up with the working pressures due to shortage of skills and abilities and
leading to higher stress levels. A sense of fear, frustration and depression may
3. creep in the minds of the incompetent people and the work life would become
hell as they cannot enjoy their professional life. And ultimately it will have fall
out on the personal and social life. Finally the incompetent employees may
develop high stress levels thereby burning out.
REMEDIES TO TACKLE TALENT CRUNCH:
Every human memorizes 20 per cent of what he listens, 30 per cent what
he sees, 50 per cent of what he listens and sees and 80 per cent of what he
listens, sees and does. The teaching and the training methodology should be
solely centered on the three simultaneous pillars of listening, seeing and doing
so as to have effective and efficient results academically. Such an approach will
make the students more courageous, confident and competent.
A revolutionary change in our present educational system is the need of
the hour. There should be more focus on creativity and innovative learning.
Every student should be encouraged in his class room to write something of his
own choice to nurture writing skills and as well as to unlock his creativity. He
should be encouraged to come to the dais and speak few words so as to make
him as an effective speaker. There should be quizzes, brainstorming, role
playing, simulation and group discussions among the students. Every student
should be encouraged to become a good reader, writer, listener and speaker as it
helps him to do at the corporate world. All these things cannot be achieved in
overnight. The practice must start from the KG (kindergarten) level itself. There
should not be any pressure to study but education ambience must be such that
there is pleasure in learning.
There is no point in loading with lot of information and knowledge.
Emphasis must be on quality not on quantity. Teach the topic and encourage the
students to participate in group activities and discuss topic as it will help unlock
4. their hidden talents spontaneously and also it helps to know what strength other
students have towards the topic. Students should be taught and trained to think.
Story telling is an art. Humans would love to listen to stories. Each class
should have a small story for a few minutes to arouse the interest in the students
and along with the story the moral message can be sent and the subject can be
taught gradually. Taking lot of case studies and giving too many examples of
our day to day life will help students to learn the subject as well as they will
have feel of the practical world.
Socratic Method of teaching is one of the best ways of teaching. It means
leaning by questioning. It helps the students to understand and grasp the
contents much easily. When the question is posed by the students, the teacher
must be in a position to articulate further questions to the students and should
get the answers. It requires lot of involvement, enthusiasm on the part of the
teacher to apply the tool and technique.
SOFT-SKILLS:
There is an adage in business, "People rise because of their hard skills and fall
because of (the lack of) soft skills". Hard skills are the domain skills and are
also called technical skills. Soft skills are like non domain skills and anything
other than the subjective knowledge that helps in effective communication,
presentation, team building and leadership are known as soft skills. These are
also known as emotional intelligence and the interpersonal skills. To put it in a
nut shell, the soft skills and hard skills are two sides of the same coin and one
without the other has no meaning.
5. CONCLUSION:
Try to become an all rounded personality. Focus on academic activities as
well as on extracurricular activities. Balancing the both will make a complete
personality. Lay stress on creative, innovative and practical method of learning
where there can be blend of mind set, tool set and skill set so as to become a
successful corporate professional.
