While experience goes a long way to landing the job you desire, it’s not all about years in an industry and the finer points of your education. In fact often it’s the common skills like communication and confidence that stand out to prospective employers when a young candidate is in the starting phase of their career.
Often entitled soft skills, every employer knows the value of these traits that indicate emotional intelligence and an aptitude for working with others while mastering new skills. And, while a business can show you how to use their till, teach you what’s on the menu, and skill you in their computer system, soft skills are something no employer can impart.
Here are six soft skills that translate across sectors and why they make employers sit up and take note.
Commitment
Show an employer that you can commit, and you’re part way through the door. This can include indicating a commitment to learning by undertaking work experience or training, or even a past commitment to sport.
It’s about showing an employer that if they invest in you, their time and effort will pay off, that you won’t be chasing a new job, travel or time off after they’ve forked out for your training and recruitment.
Communication
Regardless of whether it’s hospitality, retail, the building trades, or an office environment, good communication is a key skill in any candidate. It shows you can follow instructions, work in a team and are probably going to be good at dealing with other people, including customers. Good communicators often make good leaders, making you a great investment for their long-term recruitment.
Confidence
We’re talking confident not cocky here, but a confident candidate is one who takes pride in themselves and their self-worth. They show a willingness to learn new skills in the knowledge they will master them, which is a big plus for employers hiring for entry-level positions. Those filling these positions will be faced with tasks outside their comfort zone and tackling them head on with the confidence that you’ll achieve the desired outcome to a high level is the real win, whether you succeed or not, and is something employers will see.
Critical thinking
The ability to think on one’s feet and problem solve are not only skills for life but imperative in the workplace where deadlines and busy periods place pressure on employees all the time. If you can illustrate a situation where you have problem solved and achieved a positive outcome, it goes a long way.
Courage
Entering a new work environment or changing careers takes courage, as does admitting you’ve made a mistake on the job. By outlining a situation where you summoned courage to meet a goal you show an employer humility, self awareness and the ability to learn from adverse situations.
Co-operation
Every work environment requires a team effort to achieve the ultimate outcome, and every employer requires a solid group of staff members who will operate as part of that team. No matter how skilled you are, most employment requires team players to achieve the greater good. It’s about demonstrating you can slot into an existing work environment and leave the baggage at home.
What we do
Whether you seek a change of careers, the confidence to make a move, or the workplace experience to back up your “soft skills”, the Father James Grant Foundation provides training and workplace experience to get you a foot in the door for your ultimate career. Talk to us about taking the next step here…
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