There’s a lot more to getting a job than just having a degree or
qualifications. Employers want somebody who will be beneficial to the
company in more than just one way and so the more skills you have, the
better your chance at sealing the deal and getting that job. And it’s
never too late to increase your skill set and develop yourself as a
potential employee.
With this in mind, we discuss 10 skills that will help you to get a job easily.
10. Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally and includes the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking. Having a logical approach to problem solving an be crucial in saving time and reaching the optimum solution to a problem.
If you think that you lack logic and organised problem solving skills then the first step you need to take is to realise that although some lucky people are naturally better than others, critical thinking is a learnable and developable skill.
9. Active Listening
The ability to listen is another desirable skill that employers look for. And not just sitting there with a smile on your face but actively paying attention, understanding what the person is trying to explain, and the ability to retain and recall the stuff that you hear.
Listening is also crucial in forming appropriate questions and fully understanding exactly what needs to be done. People with a limitted attention span are hardly the sort you want at a meeting table.
8. Computer and electronic skills
We are living in an increasingly digital world. Gone are the days of filing cabinets and handwritten records; whatever occupation you find yourself in there’s a huge chance you’re going to be working with some electronic equipment or computer. Having a skill level in computers above the average person you’ll find yourself in better stead to get the job.
Office software is also widely used across all disciplines of work and so having a little extra knowledge in programs such as Excel and Word is definitely something you want to flaunt.
7. Judgement and Decision Making
Having a good ability to judge a situation is critical for forward thinking. It’s a skill that improves with experience and one you’re sure to learn if you ever make a mistake. However you can speed the learning curve by knowing where gaps in your knowledge are so that you can learn and improve more efficiently, which will also make you a better decision maker as you will have more knowledge to base the decision upon.
It’s good to know what you know and to recognise when you are not sure in something to check it with somebody who would know. The experience of others is crucial to your learning and allows you to develop quicker and better, which in turn offers development for the company too.
6. Time Management
Time management is something employers will definitely be looking for. A person with good time management will often get more work done and able to work better under heavy pressure than those who don’t keep track of the ticking hands.
A punctual person is one who is never late and is good at meeting deadlines and without good time management you can find yourself under even more pressure than necessary. You know what they say, time is money.
5. Team Work Skills
Chances are you’re going to be working with other people and so you need to be able to understand other people well. Good team working skills requires a lot of sub-skills such as patience, respect, listening and interpersonal skills.
Nobody wants a person on the team who is difficult to work with; just one person can disrupt the workflow of everyone in the company.
4. Communication Skills
Another vital skill. You need to be able to explain yourself clearly and quickly; this applies to both verbal and written communication. Bad communication in a company can lead to a plethora of mistakes, but the opposite will save time and result in less mishaps.
Listening also falls under this category, as well as verbal, writing and thinking.
3. Commercial Awareness
We’re sorry Marxists but we do live in a capitalist world. Business is driven by profit and in order to achieve profit you need commercial awareness. It’s also vital to be able to relate to and adopt the company’s vision and targets.
Relative work experience is great to demonstrate this however a strong interest and ability to demonstrate knowledge relating to the product or service will also go down well.
2. Monitoring
You need to be able to reflect on the past to allow you to improve as you go forward. This requires a degree of honesty to oneself to be able to recognise your own flaws and weaknesses and to work on them. No company wants to employ someone who repeats the same mistake over and over again.
1. Sales and Marketing
Actually, even if you are not specialised in business or marketing, you should the principles of marketing and selling products and services. This involves the marketing methods and tactics, product display, sales strategies along with control systems and promotions. This is a very critical skill that needs good negotiations skill.
