Be Skilled Be Relevant Contest: 10 Best Entries

Kalaivani Radhakrishnan, Quants Trainer at Manya-The Princeton Review

“You only need to find yourself. Everything else you can google.” -A popular contemporary quote

Skill is the ability that one possesses, which when applied solves real world problems. For any profession, skill development is a critical essence to climb up the career ladder. To survive and succeed, one has to update his/her skillset periodically to ensure that the quality of his/her work reflects the latest trends in the particular domain. For example, we prefer doctors whose medical procedures are modernized. To accomplish that, the doctor has to stay relevant and stay connected to the advancements in his field.

Staying relevant also aids in acquiring new skills in a methodical way. Let’s say someone wants to learn cooking. When he/she starts to cook, good taste becomes the goal. After achieving that, the focus shifts to consistency of the good taste whenever he/she cooks. Moving further he/she has the scope of improvement in terms of scalability, efficiency and resource management. By staying relevant to the context, one has the guidance to move from novice to pro level while acquiring a skill. Be skilled, be relevant, be a pro!

Raman Labh, GST Accounts Assistant training Under PMKVY from IL&FS Okhla in New Delhi

To be skilled and to be relevant are two different things. The two things go together. They are very important in good performance of our jobs and how we live.

What is to BE RELEVANT

Be applicable

• Be useful
• Satisfy the needs of the user
• Be what is needed
• Be the solution to people’s problems

What is to BE SKILLED

• Be a master in a technique or trade
• Be trained in an occupation or craft
• Know how to perform

How to be Skilled and Relevant

• Keep learning – change is happening everyday – Learning new skills does not end
• Ask what is required of you so you are relevant
• Know the standards expected of you or your job
• Know more about your skill and new developments
• Know about your trade and new things – keep skills up to date
• Be open to feedback and comments…..good or bad
• Be curious….ask questions – know what is needed
• Know what others in your business are doing- beat the competition to be number 1
• Learn to want to be the best in whatever you do – never be satisfied
• Learn from the best people you know – they have skills and knowledge you can use
• Always ask questions – you will learn more about needs and how to be relevant
• Be prepared to change how you do things -Needs change – get new skills to stay relevant