Key skills to get you that job – Learning at Work Week
For job seekers who want to remain a step ahead of the rest, it’s important to know what the most wanted skills are in today’s workplace. It’s not all about having the right technical know-how or the right academic qualifications nowadays. That’s still important – don’t get us wrong – but those skills can be taught on the job so are not the be all and end all when it comes to hiring employees.
For us, as recruiters, we look for personality and attitude traits which we think will complement a company culture or values. We look for people who are enthusiastic, ambitious, thoughtful or motivated. These are great traits to have so show them off if you can! Take a look at these key skills below which we believe are really important to any business. These are key skills which could make you stand out from the competition and nail that job interview. Do you have any of these skills you can showcase?
- Flexibility. In today’s world, this is a really important one. Employers like to see flexibility in their employees – whether it’s the ability to manage multiple projects or being able to work under changing conditions – it a great skill to have. No job is set in stone, there will always be changes to the role or times when you need to stop what you are doing and help out a colleague – and being able to adapt to that is a good thing.
- Decision making. Having an ability to not only implement and solve problems but to identify them in the first place and to be able to review options to make the best decisions. This is where critical thinking is required, and often without guidance or support. Imagine if the boss wasn’t in and a decision needed making urgently?
- Leadership skills. The ability to manage people is really powerful when it comes to looking for a job. Being able to lead a group and to motivate them and develop them is a really sought after skill in today’s workplace.
- Self-confidence. This one is a bit tricky as not everybody has it, and it’s something that will come with time and experience. But if you believe in yourself and your abilities then everybody else will too. If you can show this in your interview, you’re halfway there to getting the job!
- Creativity. This means thinking outside of the box, being pro-active, being innovative and having a great attention to detail. It can come useful in problem solving, in developing new ideas or finding new ways to process a piece of work.