With unemployment rates highest as they have been since the Great Depression, many people are worried about whether there will be any jobs that they can get, once they get done with school. Many students are worried that the skills and leadership that they have learned in college just will not be enough to get them that job that they were promised four years before. Sure, they may be qualified, but with how the economy currently is, there are hundreds of people going for that same position with the same skills. If you are interested in learning how to get that next perfect job, despite the rough economy, here are some of the skills that employers are looking for, and that you can work on in order to stand out from the rest of the applicant pool.
Skills that employers are looking for in job candidates:
Communication Skills
Communication skills can mean anything from written to verbal to listening. It seems that most employers are looking for these skills, and they are getting frustrated because their current applicant pool is not able to show these skills. These skills are really critical to helping a business serve their customers and get the sales that they want. If they hire someone who does not have these skills, they are going to start to make mistakes, and the customers will notice. Make sure on your résumé to highlight your communication skills to help get that interview.
Research Skills
These skills are ones that deal with how you are able to assess the situation at hand, if you are able to seek out multiple perspectives, if you are able to find information that is needed, and how well you can identify issues that need to be addressed. This can be really important if you are working in a leadership role. You will need to be able to step up and do the research that is required, in order to find out what the customer needs to be satisfied and return to your business. They will not always tell you directly. Show your potential employer that you have a love for learning and figuring out problems, and you will be more likely to get the job.
Computer Literacy
It seems like everything is done on the computer today. If you do not have the necessary computer skills, you will find that not many businesses are interested in hiring you. You should make sure to have all the basic software and hardware information down along with knowing how to do email, spreadsheets, and word processing. If you are not sure how to do some of these things, there are usually classes available in your community that can help get you up to speed.
Flexible and Able to Adapt
Businesses want to be able to get the most out of any employee that they hire. This skill shows how well you are able to manage the multiple tasks and assignments that you are given, if you are able to set priorities, and how well you can adapt to the work assignments and conditions you are presented with. In many businesses, things are going to change from day to day. If you have a lot of issues keeping up with it, you are going to hold the business back, make the other employees have to pick up your slack, and not be able to provide as good of an experience to your customers. Any business that you are applying to will want specific examples of how you are able to handle stress, and multiple assignments at once, before they consider hiring you.
Interpersonal Abilities and Multicultural Awareness
This skill set talks about your ability to get along with your coworkers, if you are able to inspire others to get the job done, and how well you can help mitigate conflict. You will also need to be able to show an awareness of other cultures. The people that you encounter in your workplace are becoming more diverse. You are going to have to show that you are able to get along with a large variety of people or else you might have trouble getting a job. Your future boss does not want to deal with you not getting along with others, so make sure to have examples of how well you have gotten along with your coworkers, or people different from you, in the past.
Leadership Skills
Show the company that you are applying to that you have some great leadership skills, and you will really stand out from the crowd. If you have worked as a manager or in a leadership role in another position, make sure to highlight this in your résumé and in your interview. Even leadership roles in volunteering or in school can work well as experience, and you should talk about those as well.
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