Think you are ready for work?
Think you are ready for work?
Maybe you have had some work experience and think you have this whole work thing worked out? Or maybe you are saying to yourself “Let’s see what happens.”
But the fact that you are reading this says that at least you have the curiosity and the drive to improve yourself – which is a fundamental skill you’ll need for life.
Because the facts say that you are NOT ready for work, and I hope this book will not only show you the ropes and get you ready for work, but will inspire you to achieve your dreams, and to find that role in life that makes you happy, and gives you a sense of worth.
In a 2015 survey by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, students and employers clearly didn’t see eye to eye on how well prepared the students were for work.
Where did the employers say that students were not ready?
In oral communication (“ie. talking and listening”), 62% of students thought they were pretty good at communication. Unfortunately only 28% of employers thought they were “OK”.
So more than 6 out of 10 students thought they were doing a good job of talking / listening to bosses, customers or co-workers – and they were wrong!
Students are not dumb, so something is going on here. I suggest that the problem is the one mentioned earlier between education and business expectations. There’s a journey to be had between your formal education and being excellent at work.
Here’s some statistics to prove it:
- Working with numbers and statistics. 55% of students thought they were OK, bosses thought only 28% were OK.
- So even in areas where you would think students who have spent years doing math would be able to do work calculations, there is something missing.
- Teamwork is an important part of work. Few jobs get done in the workplace without some involvement from another person. Did the students think they worked well in a team?
- Sure 64% of students thought they were OK, and were working well with their co- workers. What did the bosses think? They said only 37% were OK.
- What about applying that knowledge and skills that the students had learnt to the real world? Again nearly 60% of students thought they were OK at applying what they had learnt at school to work.
The bosses thought about 1 in 4 or 23% were able to apply what they had learnt at school. Say what? Only 1 in 4 students (of the ones who thought they were doing OK) were actually making the grade!
So this does not include the ones who accepted that they needed some more training.
What about helping the boss analyse and solve complex problems? Maybe the students and bosses could agree on this? Nope.
About 6 in 10 or 59% of students thought they were OK , bosses thought only 1 in 4 or 24%. Again only 1 in 4 of the students who thought they were doing OK was up to the task according to the boss.
In almost every case the students thought they were better prepared than they really were: f
or the most part students thought they were OK or better, but the employer said they weren’t:
Unfortunately, the employer is always right! No “ifs or buts.”