Career Readiness Skills

2017: No revenue, no social presence. 2024: $440k+ in revenue, 875K+ social media followers. 💸 How did I achieve this transformation? 🤔 It wasn’t just about random sleepless nights and hard work. Here are the key strategies that made a difference: 1. Expanding My Skill Set 💻 What I Did: → Started as a content writer and then transitioned into marketing and copywriting. Why It Worked: → Diversifying my skills opened up new opportunities and helped me stand out in a competitive market. Tip: Continuously develop new skills and find the ones that align with your goals. 2. Building a Strong Social Presence 📸 What I Did: → Created a personal brand, studied social media algorithms, produced valuable content, and leveraged trends. Why It Worked: → A strong social presence attracted more followers and clients, ensuring steady business growth. Advice: Focus on growing one platform at a time. 3. Creating Value-Added Content What I Did: → Focused on producing content that provides real value to my audience, such as how-tos, tips, and insights relevant to their interests. Why It Worked: → Value-added content builds trust and positions you as an authority in your field. Strategy: Always aim to solve problems or provide insights that your audience can benefit from. 4. Effective Networking 👏🏼 What I Did: → Connected with like-minded professionals, attended industry events, and engaged in meaningful conversations. Why It Worked: → Networking opened doors to unexpected opportunities and provided valuable referrals. Pro Tip: Share book snippets or insightful articles to start meaningful conversations and build strong connections. 5. Mastering Sales 🛒 What I Did: → Improved my sales skills, including pitching, negotiation, and closing deals. Why It Worked: → Good sales skills are essential for converting prospects into clients, and helping people naturally leads to sales. Hope this helps 😁 Question - What are the top 3 skills you think one must have to grow their business?

Whoever coined the word “networking” needs to go to jail. Ask 10 people how to do it, you’ll get ten different answers. And that’s the problem. Because networking isn’t one skill. It’s FIVE. Unless you know which one you’re practicing, you’ll always leave events feeling like you “didn’t network enough.” Here’s the breakdown: 1. The Skill of Initiating The courage to walk up, introduce yourself, and open a conversation that isn’t empty small talk. Start with something real enough to spark interest, but light enough not to overwhelm. Most people fail here because they wait for the “perfect moment.” 2. The Skill of Listening Sounds cliché, but it isn’t. Great connectors aren’t the smoothest talkers, they’re the sharpest listeners. The right questions make people open up. A direct pitch kills networking. Listening makes it come alive. 3. The Skill of Positioning The least discussed skill. Positioning isn’t bragging. It’s telling your story so it sticks. A one-liner people can carry with them and repeat when you’re not in the room. Confuse them, and you’ve lost them. 4. The Skill of Following Up The most underrated. A conversation without follow-up is just noise. Real networking begins the next day—when you show you remembered, cared, and chose to continue. 5. The Skill of Compounding Networking isn’t built in a single night. It’s the compounding of tiny touchpoints over years. That stranger in the coffee line becomes an ally when you’ve shown up enough times with small acts of value. Now here’s the thing: You can’t master all five at once. And you shouldn’t even try. At your next event, pick one. Maybe it’s just practicing your opener. Maybe it’s testing your one-liner. Maybe it's religiously sticking to your follow-up. Get one right. Build momentum. Then move on to the next Because networking isn’t a gift. It’s not “some people have it, others don’t.” It’s a learned skill. And like every other skill, it’s mastered piece by piece—not in one grand performance. So stop treating networking like a mystical ability. Start training it like the craft it actually is. Which of the five are you good at? Which one do you struggle with? #networking #communication #collaboration #mindset #work #skills #event

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 Does the thought of networking make you feel like you're just selling yourself? It's time to flip the script. Here’s how to network effectively without feeling 'salesy': 📍Seek Depth, Not Numbers Forget about amassing contacts. Harvard Business Review suggests that meaningful, in-depth conversations are far more beneficial than a vast network. 📍Become a Master Listener Effective networking is less about talking and more about listening. Show genuine interest in others' stories and challenges. This approach not only builds stronger connections but also makes your interactions more engaging. 📍Lead with Value Always offer help before asking for anything. According to LinkedIn, 80% of professionals believe that networking is most effective when both parties gain something from the exchange. 📍Customize Your Connections Skip the generic connection requests. Reference specific details about how you met or a topic you discussed. This personal touch transforms your approach from transactional to meaningful. 📍Make Memorable Follow-ups After meeting someone, follow up with something relevant from your discussion. Whether it's an article related to a topic you spoke about or a simple congratulation on a recent achievement, personalized follow-ups make you stand out. 📍Engage Thoughtfully Online Interact with your connections' content by sharing insights or thoughtful comments. This keeps you visible and valuable, enhancing your network's strength without overt selling. 📍Embrace the Long Game Remember, effective networking builds over time. Stay consistent and patient—American Express reports that 40% of executives credit networking for their success. 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙍𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩: 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩, 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨. 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙖𝙢𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙨. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜—𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚, 𝙢𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨. ---------------------------------- Follow Surya Vajpeyi for more such content💜 #EffectiveNetworking #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalNetworking

The most important skills today and in the next years will be human capabilities: critical and analytic thinking, resilience, leadership and influence, overlaid with technological literacy and AI skills to amplify these human capacities. World Economic Forum's new Future of Jobs Report provides a deep and broad analysis of the drivers of labour market transformation, the outlook for jobs and skills, and workforce strategies across industries and nations. It's a really worthwhile deep dive if you're interested in the topic (link in comments). Here are some of the highlights from the Skills section, which to my mind is at the heart of it. 🧠 Analytical Thinking Leads Core Skills. Skills like analytical thinking (70%), resilience (66%), and creative thinking (64%) top the list of core abilities for 2025. By 2030, the emphasis shifts even more towards AI and big data proficiency (85%), technological literacy (76%), and curiosity-driven lifelong learning (79%). This shift underscores the critical role of technology and adaptability in future workplaces. 📉 Skill Stability Declines but at a Slower Rate. Employers predict that 39% of workers' core skills will change by 2030, slightly lower than 44% in 2023. This reflects a stabilization in the pace of skill disruption due to increased emphasis on upskilling and reskilling programs. Half of the workforce now engages in training as part of long-term learning strategies compared to 41% in 2023, showcasing the growing adaptation to technological changes . 🌍 Economic Disparities in Skill Disruption. Middle-income economies anticipate higher skill disruption compared to high-income ones. This disparity highlights the uneven challenges of transitioning labor forces across global regions, particularly in economies still grappling with structural changes. 🚀 Tech-Savvy Skills in High Demand. The adoption of frontier technologies, including generative AI and machine learning, is increasing the demand for skills like big data analysis, cybersecurity, and technological literacy. These trends indicate that businesses are aligning workforce strategies to integrate these advancements effectively. 📚 Upskilling Is the Norm, Not the Exception. By 2030, 73% of organizations aim to prioritize workforce upskilling as a response to ongoing disruptions. This reflects a shift in corporate investment priorities towards human capital enhancement to maintain competitiveness.

I like how the City University of New York-College of Staten Island is working to integrate academic and career advising with a degree map like the one below. "The goal was simple: remove guesswork and ensure every student leaves not just with a degree, but with tangible career readiness,” Kristi Brescia said. Many career services offices have their own student journey maps, but often they focus more on career exploration or strengths assessments. The career-infused map is a department-specific resource that identifies how one major can lead to a variety of careers, Brescia explained. To identify relevant and appropriate career steps, Brescia met with industry partners, faculty members, career advisers, students and recent graduates of the computer science program to solicit ideas and determine which steps best matched with a student’s academic journey. The impact: Now, a variety of campus partners engage with and share information from the map, creating a common language and a range of touch points for students to receive encouragement. Staff and faculty advisers use the resource during advising appointments, and some professors integrate elements from the map into their course requirements. Students also run with it, taking the initiative to complete as many of the listed tasks as possible to set themselves up for success, Brescia said. In addition to breaking departmental silos, the map helps level the playing field. Some student populations, such as first-generation learners, have found it particularly beneficial because it clarifies some elements of the hidden curriculum and creates transparent expectations for career preparation throughout their academic journeys, Brescia said. Between 2021 and 2024, career outcomes flourished, with 43 percent more computer science students participating in internships and a 144 percent increase in the number of students landing a full-time job upon graduation, according to college data. Students’ starting salaries also increased 34 percent, compared to previous baselines. Scaling up: The initiative caught the eye of system leaders, and in 2024, The City University of New York received a $700,000 grant to implement career-infused degree maps across all CUNY campuses. Brescia has worked as an advising consultant with the system office, assisting with development of a guidebook and offering best practices in creating the map. To date, 50 academic departments across 17 campuses have made the shift, impacting 25,000 students enrolled in those programs. The impact is clear, and making the change requires only time and collaboration. “I did it at my kitchen table,” Brescia said. “It was myself, faculty, students and alumni, just working together. And now CUNY has taken that to another level … It’s incredibly rewarding to know that we did it in my little office here at the College of Staten Island, and that [the system] sees the benefit of it and they see the results.”

After managing 500+ salespeople over 20 years, I can tell you exactly why this works 👇 I once hired two candidates: Candidate A: 10 years experience, perfect resume, knew every sales methodology Candidate B: Zero sales experience, bartender, but hungry to learn Guess who became my top performer? The bartender.  Within 6 months, he was outselling veterans. Why? He had what you can't teach. Here's what I've learned about hiring for attitude: People with the right attitude will run through walls. They'll make 100 calls when others make 20. They'll learn your product inside out. They'll turn rejection into fuel. Character shows up when things get tough: When the deal falls through at month-end. When the customer's angry. When quotas seem impossible. Character doesn't quit. Skills might not be enough. Passion is your secret weapon: Passionate people don't watch the clock. They obsess over getting better. They inspire customers to believe. They make everyone around them better. But here's the part most companies get wrong: They hire for skill and hope for attitude. They pick experience over hunger. They choose credentials over character. Then wonder why their culture's broken. Skills can be taught in weeks. Attitude takes a lifetime to build. Character is forged through years of choices. Passion? You either have it or you don't. I'll take someone with zero experience but the right mindset over a seasoned pro with a bad attitude. Every. Single. Time. Because skills without the right foundation? That's just wasted potential. But attitude + character + passion + training? That's how you build champions. What matters more to you when hiring - the resume or the mindset?

How to Start Posting on LinkedIn (Even if You Feel Like You Have Nothing to Say) A lot of people tell me they want to start posting but feel nervous. They worry they only have a few ideas, or that they won’t be able to keep up a regular rhythm. They wonder if posting even matters for their career (spoiler: it definitely can). The truth is, you already have plenty to say, and LinkedIn is one of the easiest places to share it. Here are some practical ways to begin: 1. Share what you’re learning Talk about a course you’re taking, a podcast that gave you an “aha” moment, or a new tool you just tried. People like hearing about things they can use themselves. 2. Reflect on your work Did your team hit a small win? Did you face a challenge and learn from it? Even the behind-the-scenes of your day can be interesting. 3. Offer practical advice Post a tip that makes your job easier, or a mistake you made that others can avoid. Quick, actionable insights resonate. 4. Highlight people and relationships Celebrate a colleague, thank a mentor, or share wisdom you picked up from a recent conversation. Recognition posts build goodwill. 5. Comment on your industry React to a news story, event, or trend in your field. Share your perspective on why it matters. 6. Share your personal story How did you get into your career? What pivot shaped you? Lessons from your first job are often more relatable than you think. 7. Ask questions Invite discussion with prompts like: “What’s the tool you can’t live without at work?” or “What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out?” 8. Reuse and remix Turn a slide deck into a few posts, pull takeaways from a talk, or repost an old note with an update. You don’t always need something brand new. 9. Just have fun Tell a story about your kids, share a game you love, post about a hobby outside of work, or even something zany that made you smile. People connect with the human side of you just as much as the professional side. A lot of people say, “Posting on LinkedIn won’t get me a job.” I understand the skepticism, but here’s what I’ve seen: posting helps you get visible. Visibility leads to connections. Connections lead to opportunities. The majority of jobs are filled through networks, not cold applications, which are deadweight in this environment. Posting is not the only step, but it is a proven way to stay top of mind, alongside commenting, calls, events, and more. You don’t need to post daily. Even starting with once a week is enough. Collect ideas in a notes app as they come to you, then pick one to share. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be real. It helps me to imagine every post is just for a single close friend or loved one rather than hundreds of thousands reading it. If you post weekly, that’s 52 chances a year for people to see your voice, your ideas, and your story. That is worth it. So here’s my question: What’s one idea from this list you could turn into a post this week?

Over the last few years, we’ve seen the rise of distinct AI roles: Some focus on building models. Some specialize in prompting them. Some orchestrate entire multi-agent ecosystems. But here’s the challenge: Most people dive into AI without a clear path. They juggle multiple tutorials, frameworks, and buzzwords — without direction. And often feel stuck… despite all the learning. That’s why I created this visual roadmap to demystify what it actually takes to build a successful career in AI—whether you’re starting out, switching domains, or upskilling. 𝟰 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀. 𝟰 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘀. 𝟭 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗜 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 Master LangChain, LangGraph, AutoGen, CrewAI Design decision-making agents with memory, context, and orchestration Build truly autonomous multi-agent systems that reason, act, and collaborate 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 Learn the foundations of GenAI: transformers, LLMs, embeddings Build applications using OpenAI, Hugging Face, Cohere, and Anthropic Fine-tune models, use vector databases (RAG), and bring GenAI apps to life 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 Go deep into math, stats, algorithms, feature engineering, and modeling Master Python, Scikit-Learn, XGBoost, and model deployment Build solid ML portfolios that showcase real-world impact 𝗔𝗜 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 (𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝗜) Cover it all: computer vision, NLP, reinforcement learning, AI ethics, model governance Use TensorFlow, PyTorch, and integrate AI into products end-to-end Prepares you for both research-driven and production-focused roles What’s unique about this roadmap? Clear step-by-step milestones Specific tooling and frameworks to focus on Career-aligned structure based on real job roles End-to-end guidance from fundamentals to job search Who is this for? College students entering AI Professionals switching to ML or GenAI roles Engineers looking for clarity in a noisy landscape AI educators mentoring the next wave of practitioners Startups guiding their technical talent in AI-first environments This is the kind of map I wish I had when I started. If this helps you or someone in your network: Repost it to reach more learners

The curriculum design of core engineering disciplines such as Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, and Chemical Engineering should strategically integrate emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Electric Vehicles (EVs), and Autonomous Vehicles as practical applications. This integration will not only enhance students' technical skill sets but also align their education with industry demands, thereby improving their employability. By embedding these technologies as interdisciplinary modules or hands-on projects, students will gain a deeper understanding of how modern innovations apply to traditional engineering fields, preparing them for the evolving job market and fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability. Additionally, these courses can be structured as major or minor degree options, allowing students to specialize in these areas while completing their core engineering studies, thereby broadening their expertise and increasing their professional competitiveness.

Last month, I was mentoring a final-year engineering student who said: “Didi, mera resume toh blank hai, internships nahi mili, aur placements mein toh sirf CGPA dekhte hain na?” I asked him to show me what he had done. He hesitated and said, “Kuch YouTube tutorials se chhoti moti cheezein banayi thi…” But when I dug deeper, I found gold. ✅ He built a weather app using APIs. ✅ Tried making a budget tracker for his family. ✅ Attempted an ML model for crop prediction. All self-initiated. No certificates. No internships. I told him: “You must add these projects in your blank resume. Aur agar sahi tarike se dikhaye jaaye, toh yeh hi tumhara biggest strength ban sakta hai.” We added those to his resume, wrote crisp one-liners: 📌 Built a weather forecast web app using OpenWeather API – used by 50+ users weekly 📌 Created a budget management tool for household tracking – reduced manual expense logging by 80% Guess what? He cracked a remote internship in USA based finance startup in just 3 weeks. And recently, he messaged me — “Didi, finally placement bhi ho gaya!” Projects that got me into my Dream Product Based Company : https://lnkd.in/gTSvg2mi Set reminder - https://lnkd.in/gqhmkfFb Your resume doesn’t need big brands, it needs real work. Projects show your ability to apply knowledge. They speak louder than college grades. They are proof that you can build, solve and think. 👉 If you’re stuck without experience, create your own. It counts. #project #career #resume #selflearning #guidance #interviewtips #jobs #engineeringstudent #careerchange