Life is about asking the right questions and getting the correct answers and job search efforts are no different. Depending on your attitude and experience in job search, the above title could be an intelligent question from one who desires to equip self with the right information necessary for success at job search.
The question could also be a job seeker’s outburst at the frustrating experience of unsuccessful job search ventures, arising from a lack or insufficiency of requisite information or knowledge.
Whatever the case, the fact remains that to be successful at job search and ultimately be part of a work environment, certain skills are necessarily required. These skills are generally divided into Job specific/ Technical skills and Employability skills.
Job specific / technical skills are the very technical skills needed for operations in any field, while employability skills (also known as soft skills) are the skills that are nearly universally sought by employers, irrespective of a job seeker’s field of qualification.
They are skills which are part of the human endowment and often deployed in our day-to-day relational experiences. So, what are these critical employability skills employers demand from job seekers?
1. Communication skills
This is by far the skill often sought after by employers. A job seeker must prove to have the ability to:
a. read and understand information presented in a variety of forms
b. write and speak enough to capture the understanding and attention of others
c. listen and understand the points of view of others
2. Problem-solving skills
The work place pays employees for value put in and not for time spent. And problem solving skills are one of the set of skills that will distinguish a job seeker and make that one highly sought after.
But, to prove the possession of these skills, a job seeker will have to show that s/he can:
(a) assess situations,
(b) seek multiple perspectives to a problem,
(c) think logically and see relationship between cause and effect,
(d) be creative and innovative in exploring solutions,
(e) Evaluate systematically in order to make recommendations and decisions.
3. Team work
The work place is not for lone-rangers, but for team players who can work well with others to realize the corporate goals of an organization. Therefore, a job seeker will have to prove his ability to:
a. understand and work well within the dynamics of a group
b. be open to, respect and support the thoughts, opinions and contributions of others in the work environment
c. contribute to a team by sharing information and expertise
d. lead and support when appropriate
e. understand the positive side of conflict in a group to reach solutions
f. manage and resolve conflicts when they arise
4. Self confidence
If in spite of your education and abilities you are still not confident in yourself, then why should a prospective employer consider you for a job? Be confident in yourself and in what you can offer the employer. Show that:
a. you can interact confidently with others
b. you can take calculated risks to reach challenging goals
5. Ability to work with little or no supervision
At the root of this skill is the need to:
a. engage tasks with personal confidence
b. engage tasks before being asked or forced by events
c. anticipate situations and make contingency plans for handling them
d. seek clarifications in order achieve desired results
If you will learn these skills and more and communicate them well enough, I bet you will be much more ready and positioned to impress your prospective employer and secure their positive consideration for your application. I expect your comments.
To your success!
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