Soft Skills Training & Employability

Asia Pacific Region executives say it is difficult to find people with soft skills.

          Soft Skills Training & Employability

80% of the CEOs surveyed in the report are worried about the availability of key skills. Even as tech skills remain the most in demand, soft skills are growing in prominence.

As per LinkedIn report, based on data points from social media platform as well as a survey of employees in Australia, India, Japan and Singapore, highlights the need to develop soft skills in an automated world. 

• Mínt analyses the report that says that communication and innovation will be just as important as number skills in the future. 
• According to the report by Korn Ferry Asia Pacific Region will face a talent crunch of 12.3 million workers at an annual opportunity cost of $4.2 trillion. 
• As many as 80% of the CEOs surveyed in the report were worried about the availability of key skills. 
• Even as tech skills remain the most in demand, soft skills are growing in prominence. 
• In India, 60% of employees feel that soft skills are important for career progression. 
• 89% of Asia Pacific Region executives say it is difficult to find people with soft skills.

Arzoo Bathla started her success journey as an ambitious and an enthusiastic learner.

Meet Arzoo Bathla!

Today she is a well experienced corporate professional! I still remember when I first met her, she came across as an ambitious and an enthusiastic learner.

In due course of time, I realized she had the zeal to learn and improve herself further. That's what she focused on during all the training tasks assigned to her.

As a trainer, it was such a delight to witness her exponential growth as a person and also as an aspiring professional.

Through T and D activities, Susmita Ghosh developed her leadership skills, team building ability,
public speaking, grooming, and so on.

Meet Susmita Ghosh!

As she promised to always give her best and make me feel proud of her one day. I am glad and proud that she kept her words.

Since the beginning, Susmita entered her college life she was pretty much clear about what she really wanted to achieve, but didn’t have the know-how to reach her destination.

Training and development sessions offered her an opportunity to develop her self-confidence, her communication skills and made her job ready plus industry fit.

Credit goes to her active participation and positive attitude during T and D activities, that she developed her leadership skills, team building ability, public speaking, grooming, and so on.

These activities did help her to enhance her career skills and overtime, I could sense her being much more confident and ready to tackle any challenge in life.

Both these inspiring success stories prove two things, one that soft skills training is key to employability, and second that success is the result of hard work, practice and perseverance.

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*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Why Your Company Needs to Invest in Soft Skills Training?!

Findings by the Stanford Research Institute found that 75% of long-term job success depends upon soft skills mastery.

Why Your Company Needs to Invest in Soft Skills Training?!

When your workforce is lacking in soft skills, you may notice that some elements of your business face challenges. 

“Unfortunately, some people believe that soft skills aren’t that important. However, almost every employer I’ve ever talked to about this disagrees.” 

– Chris Jones, Chief Executive at City & Guilds 

Findings by the Stanford Research Institute found that 75% of long-term job success depends upon soft skills mastery and only 25% on technical skills. 

When your workforce is lacking in soft skills, you may notice that some elements of your business face challenges. 

According to Glassdoor, Top Five soft skills are, 

(i) Communication Skills 

(ii) Leadership 

(iii) Team Work 

(iv) Strong Work Ethic  

(v) Positive Attitude 

Thankfully, soft skills are highly trainable. Employees with soft skills training are better-liked, happier in their jobs, and more likely to stick with their company. 

Employees with soft skills training are better-liked, happier in their jobs, and more likely to stick with their company.

Soft Skills training comes with following unparalleled benefits to an organization,

(i) Enhanced Productivity 

(ii) Increased Team Morale 

(iii) Improved Human Relations 

(iv) Reduced Supervisory Needs 

(v) Improved Organizational Performance 

Long story short, the importance of soft skills training of your employees – both new and experienced – really cannot be underrated. It's important to focus as much on soft skills training and development as we do on traditional hard skills.

*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Building Truly Employable Graduates

I always encourage students to take training and development sincerely, because it helps them transform themselves positively.

Building Truly Employable Graduates

The soft skills that most employers want in a candidate are strong communication skills, team work, problem solving abilities and a positive attitude because most work requires interacting, collaborating & convincing co-workers & clients. 

According to government estimates, 12 million Indian youth between the ages of 16 and 29 enter the workforce each year, only 8% are considered to be employable. 

With the Indian economy growing at more than 7% every year, it is estimated that it will need around 109 million skilled workers to support the 24 key sectors of the economy. 

There is a huge need for vocational education programs to be set up in all parts of the country to help bridge this skills gap as the majority of jobs will be available in India’s fast-growing services sector. 

The soft skills that most employers want in a candidate are strong communication skills, team work, problem solving abilities and a positive attitude because most work requires interacting, collaborating & convincing co-workers & clients. 

I always encourage students to take training and development sincerely, because it helps them transform themselves positively. Many congratulations to dear Neelesh Srivastava (DIT University) for his sincere preparation that led him to clear 6 tough interview rounds. 

His example clearly confirms the very fact that success doesn't just come and find you, you have to prepare for it and do the work required to reach it.

Success doesn't just come and find you, you have to prepare for it and do the work required to reach it.

Meet Balram Jha (Doon Business School)! One of the most dedicated students who rarely missed any of training and development sessions and made sure to always give his best.

Today, he is successfully employed and the credit goes to his hard work and dedication.

As he was preparing for getting better at his interview skills, we had extensive mock interviews and he rigorously followed up on the feedback. Today, he is successfully employed and the credit goes to his hard work and dedication. 

Long story short, by developing their students’ hard skills & soft skills, vocational training programs can ensure to build truly employable graduates who can quickly help bridge the ever increasing skills gap in the Indian economy. 

By developing students’ hard skills & soft skills, vocational training programs
can ensure to build truly employable graduates

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*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Projection Makes Perception!

As being a Fulbright Fellow, I had the opportunity to participate in speaker's panel for the Diversity Week,
at Hellgate High School, USA.

Projection Makes Perception!

Luckily, Brand Perception, like any relationship, is fluid and can evolve over time. The more interactions (online or in person) are held, the greater the potential for the brand perception to change for the better.

Nothing is seemingly more important than what the world thinks of your brand, but it’s even more than that. In fact, 'Brand Perception' can heavily influence an onlooker's intent one way or another. 

Luckily, brand perception, like any relationship, is fluid and can evolve over time. The more interactions (online or in person) are held, the greater the potential for the brand perception to change for the better. 

Hellgate High School is widely recognized for diversity among the student body in the United States. As being one of the Fulbright Fellows, I had the opportunity to participate in speaker's panel for the Diversity Week, a couple of years ago. 

The best part of the event was the theme of the discussion where we discussed Different Perspectives about India. 

I was amazed to come across various "media-made" perceptions, American students had about India, that I addressed during my session with them. 

This whole experience reminded me of these two important Marketing Lessons,

1. "Projection Makes Perception!" 

2. "Your Brand Perception is too Important to be ignored."

The best part of the event was the theme of the discussion where we discussed Different Perspectives about India. 

*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

10 Easy Actions to Boost Your Self-Confidence

10 Easy Actions to Boost Your Self-Confidence

"Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings." 

~ Samuel Johnson 

No doubt, self-confidence is the key to many accomplishments in life. And it doesn't come to us all by itself. We have to earn it through a well thought of set of actions. 

We all have aspirations, although we might call them dreams or plans. These dreams or plans start as ideas in our minds. We develop them, perhaps even go so far as to come up with an action-plan for how to make them happen. 

Let's look at a couple of examples where these successful students started their journey from scratch, and overtime gained confidence with their dedicated efforts.    

Meet Pranay Vishwakarma who left no stone unturned and worked extremely hard on his professional development and personal growth. 

Pranay's success story proves that success is connected with action and successful people never quit.

With his hard work and dedication, today he is associated with Airtel as Client Relationship Officer and contributing to his organization successfully. 

Pranay's success story proves that success is connected with action and successful people never quit. 

Similarly, Vanshika Wadhwa too achieved success with her zeal and confidence! 

Vanshika Wadhwa too achieved success with her zeal and confidence! 

Here is a list of 10 Easy Actions to Boost Your Self-Confidence,

1. Visualize yourself as you want to be. 

2. Affirm yourself positively by practicing self-appreciation.

3. List your strengths and embrace your imperfections.

4. Stay optimistic and stay away from negativity. 

5. Develop a winner’s body language and present yourself with confidence. 

6. Smile and look people in the eye. Give genuine compliments to others.

7. Be nice to people, and do nice things for them. 

8. Learn to receive praise and get rid of the negative voices in your head.

9. Set small and measurable goals that you can realistically complete.

10. Do some of the things that you have been putting off. Always do you best.

Action is the key to all success!

Remember, action is the key to all success!

*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks! 

Visit to Rashtrapati Bhawan

Rashtrapati Bhavan is certainly one of the Stunning Architectural Marvels in India.

Visit to Rashtrapati Bhawan

The best attraction of the U.S.India Alumni meet, 2017 was to be the guest at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the second largest residence in the world.

Exactly 2 years ago, it was an honor to be the part of U.S.India Alumni meet and attend two days conference "Building Bridges through Exchanges: Strengthening the US India Partnership". 

The conference witnessed the participation of alumni from about 50 cities of 25 states in India and Bhutan. It was wonderful to meet some of the brilliant minds from various sectors, industries and areas of specialization.

The conference witnessed the participation of alumni from about 50 cities of 25 states in India and Bhutan.

As International US Alumnus, it was also an honor to receive invitation from Embassy of The United States of America, to meet Mary Kay Carlson, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy.

As International US Alumnus, it was also an honor to receive invitation from Embassy of The United States of America

The best attraction of the U.S.India Alumni meet, 2017 was to be the guest at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the second largest residence in the world. It was quite overwhelming to come across some amazing facts about Rashtrapati Bhavan like, 

1. It's the second largest in the world after the Quirinal Palace, Rome, Italy. 

2. Its construction involved 17 years and 29,000 workers. 

3. The Palace is built on Raisina Hills. 

4. The Budhdha statue at Durbar Hall dates back to 4th century. 

5. It has been built using 700 million bricks and 3 million cubic feet of stones. 

6. It has strength of 750 staff, of which 245 are in the President’s Secretariat. 

I must say that Rashtrapati Bhavan is certainly one of the Stunning Architectural Marvels in India.

*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!

Master the Art of Public Speaking!

Public speaking is a skill and it comes with practice and perseverance.

Master the Art of Public Speaking!

Do you know that people like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Tiger Woods, Thomas Jefferson, Oprah Winfrey were all bad speakers when they started their respective careers? 

"All the great speakers were bad speakers at first." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 

As a college student, Warren Buffett was "terrified of getting up and saying his name," He spent much of his college years avoiding courses that would require him to speak in front of the class. 

At the age of 21, he realized that he had two choices: either force himself to face his fears or avoid them and never reach his full potential. 

Buffett finally decided to take the first path. He got over his fears by teaching investing principles to people twice his age. He forced himself to talk to people. 

He practiced these skills over and over again. Currently, Buffett is the third richest person on the planet, with a net worth of $65.7 billion. 

Remember, Public speaking is a skill and it comes with practice and perseverance. Great Public Speakers Are Made, Not Born.

Today, he is working as a successful Relationship Manager with a well reputed organization

Meet Laksh Sharma! He started his journey as a reserved and introvert speaker. Today, he is working as a successful Relationship Manager with a well reputed organization and his job profile includes innumerable customer interactions throughout his working day. 

Today, Akansha finds it quite easy to speak with other professionals. 

Similar example is of Akansha Gupta, who couldn't perform well in her first presentation task. Today, as a working professional with a Multinational Corporation, she finds it quite easy to speak with other professionals. 

Follow these 7 Super-Tips to master the Art of Public Speaking, 

(1) Know Your Topic. The better you understand what you're talking about, the less likely you'll make a mistake or get off track. Take some time to consider what questions the audience may ask and have your responses ready. 

(2) Get Organized. Ahead of time, carefully plan out the information you want to present, including any props, audio or visual aids. The more organized you are, the less nervous you'll be. 

(3) Prepare Thoroughly. Practice your complete presentation several times. Consider making a video of your presentation so you can watch it and see opportunities for improvement. 

(4) Visualize Your Success. Imagine that your presentation will go well. Positive thoughts can help decrease some of your negativity about your social performance and relieve some anxiety. 

(5) Engage Your Audience. Make your talk a two-way interaction with questions and participation to reduce boredom and speak with ease. 

(6) Record Yourself. Record your speech on your phone or video camera. Record yourself giving the talk from beginning to end. Then listen to it or watch it, and make notes on how you could make it better. 

(7) Lightly Exercise Before Speaking. Exercising lightly before a presentation can get your blood circulating and send oxygen to your brain. Take a walk before a speech or do a few knee bends. 

Thanks for such lovely feedback dear Akansha!

“There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.” – Alexander Gregg

*If you like this blog post and wish to share your experiences/ remarks/ views with me, you are most welcome to write to me at pdpbygauravmisra@gmail.com. Thanks!