As quoted in Tribunnews.com, the Head of the Financial Audit Board (BPK), Agung Firman Sampurna, said that the Covid-19 pandemic had brought people into the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) era. This era is where situations are rapidly changing, uncertain, and problems are becoming increasingly complex.
In the working world, VUCA can make many companies forced to cut the number of workers, even to go out of business. It makes the competition in the world of work increasingly fierce. Then what about fresh graduates and prospective new graduates who want to get a job during a pandemic like this? Meanwhile, they also have to compete with many job seekers who already have work experience.
Why Do Companies Recruit New Graduates?
First, we need to explore the reasons why a company would want to recruit new graduates. According to Maria Immaculata Pareira, S.Psi., Managing Partner at President Psychological Consulting (PPC), President University Education Foundation (YPUP), there are five answers to these questions. The first is because the company is in the process of regeneration. "Usually, the company is also doing expansion, so it needs new people," she said. Therefore, the company is looking for productive ages who have a more significant opportunity to nurture their talents and potential. Then the company also considers that fresh graduates usually have a high curiosity. Then because they are still young, they are more up-to-date and innovative because they are in their era.
Maria conveyed that in an online talk show entitled “How to Improve the Job Experience During a Pandemic”, which was held by Adam Kurniawan Library, President University (PresUniv), Monday (12/7). Although many companies are willing to recruit new graduates because they are easier to form, it should also be noted that many companies prefer fresh graduates who are more experienced. Maria said this is because the company hopes that the new graduates will understand the ins and outs of the industry they are engaged in and have the soft skills they are looking for. In addition, those rich in experience are also evidence of self-competence, and they will find it easier to find solutions when there are problems.
Master these Soft Skills!
Speaking of soft skills, according to Maria, here are some soft skills that fresh graduates need to master. First, fresh graduates need to have the ability to listen actively. It means they need to listen with focus and be able to act on the information they have heard. That is because they will undoubtedly get a lot of information from seniors. The second is caring. New graduates need to have a sense of concern, especially for small things. The third is Leadership. Companies are looking for fresh graduates who can lead, starting with themselves. For example, being able to make their own decisions, being able to position themselves well, to be able to manage work and time planning well.
The fourth is motivation. The new graduates must certainly look enthusiastic and motivated towards their work. It is because motivated people will "ngulik" or always want to know about their work. Fifth is responsibility. The simplest example is completing work according to deadlines. Then the not less important is cooperation. It means that fresh graduates must be able to communicate well and know who they will be working with. It is because no work can be done alone and often requires collaboration with members of one team or with other divisions within a company.
Compete with the Experienced
Indeed a piece of good news for fresh graduates who have mastered the above abilities. Nevertheless, keep in mind that many of their competitors during this pandemic have had work experience. Then what about new graduates who have never worked before?
When she became a resource person on PresUniv's online talk show, Maria also did not forget to share tips on developing work experience before graduating from college. According to him, the first and most effective way is to join an internship or part-time program. Students will get more variety through this program, especially if they participate in an internship or part-time programs in many companies. For new graduates, it does not matter if you still want to do an internship before applying to become a full-time employee at a company.
However, considering the pandemic period, which made it difficult to find work, even internships, Maria offered other alternatives such as taking courses that matched the educational background or doing personal projects. Courses or training will be very selling if put on the CV, likewise with personal projects. From there, the recruiter will measure the applicant's problem-solving and creativity.
The point is not to just sit around and do nothing before and after graduating from college. Because according to Benedict Ajie Kawentar, Director of Human Resources and Law (YPUP), when guiding an online talk show with Maria, students need to look for plus points to put on their CV later. If you looked at Ajie's experience when he was a recruiter, he confirmed that his CV and cover letter were the first things he saw. But then we also look at the activities during the lecture, whether the applicant is only studying or other activities are followed.
Good GPA or Active Organization?
Based on Ajie's experience sharing, indeed, many companies are looking for fresh graduates who are active in organizations. But in reality, students who are active in organizations are usually not oriented towards GPA, especially for cum laude, although some can get both.
Based on Maria's statement, who works at PPC, a company owned by YPUP that provides psychological services such as recruitment, people assessment, training, coaching & counseling, and human capital consulting, students need to look at the field of work they are aiming for first. If the job being applied for ultimately requires knowledge, it is okay to pursue a GPA up to cum laude. However, if the job requires much interaction with other people, organizational experience is needed. It is because students who are active in organizations usually have broad connections.
However, it is best to try both first. Both Maria and Ajie also agreed that students who are able to have a good GPA while still having organizational experience will be excellent in the recruiters' eyes. According to them, the student will be considered as having good time management and planning. Therefore, both while still a student and after becoming a fresh graduate, it is important to try to do many things with all the available facilities. Especially in today's online era, access to everywhere has become easier and faster. (Silvia Desi Betrice, PR team. Photo: Neilany)
