The professional world has never been more dynamic than what it is today. To enable organisations to flourish by leveraging technological advancements, what is required is constant upskilling of the labour force. It will thus help employers to earn profits through increased employee productivity.
For an employee to land his/her dream job, he/she should have a sound understanding of the top skills and qualities.
Before we delve deeper into the top skills, let us look at the two major types of skills:
- Hard Skills
- Soft Skills
While hard skills are quantifiable, soft skills are not measurable. On the one hand, hard skills like degrees and certificates are almost imperative for success. On the other hand, soft skills such as communication and analytical thinking can help you make a lasting first impression. Put simply, strive for a balance between these two to make yourself stand out from thousands of applicants.
Here is a list of the top skills employers look for and honing these skills would help you remain competitive.
List of 15 Top Skills
1. High EQ (Emotional Quotient)
When it comes to bagging the perfect job, there is usually a greater emphasis on IQ (Intelligence Quotient). But today, if IQ is not complemented by a high EQ (Emotional Quotient), it might result in social awkwardness that can undermine a candidate’s otherwise high IQ. Companies today have behaviour-based interviewing in place to test employees for this skill.
2. Critical Thinking and Analysis
Businesses are constantly evolving. To keep pace with the changing trends, employees with faculties of critical thinking and analysis are the need of the hour. Being observant of problems and asking questions are the first steps towards honing this skill. This will help you outshine others in the workplace and navigate different roles.
3. People Management
A company consists of several people. Therefore, effective management is a crucial driver for the success of an organisation. The skills to communicate, motivate, and lead are at the core of holistic and productive growth. Apart from propelling the organisation to achieve its goals, good management skills translate into a satisfied workforce.
4. Adaptability
The ability to adapt to changes is a sought-after skill. Adaptability to changing work conditions, the nature of work or the work environment is an asset to employers. When an employee fails to adapt well, it acts as a hurdle in the path of growth both at the individual and the company levels.
5. Complex Problem-solving
Employers prefer candidates who can work their way around challenges confidently. To act beyond the job description and come up with innovative ways to approach a problem is undoubtedly a coveted skill.
6. Data Presentation and Analysis
With each passing year, the world is becoming more and more data-driven. With the massive spurt in this industry, employers prefer to hire candidates with the basic knowledge of data sets and who can make sense of them for agile decision-making.
7. Work Under Pressure
Industries are going through such monumental changes in this digital age that it has become critical to keep up with them. This in turn relies on the capability of the workforce to meet difficult deadlines and submit projects on short notice. Therefore, employers want employees who can work well under tremendous pressure, think on their feet, are steadfast and decisive, know their minds, and are consistent.
8. Time Management
Businesses are so dynamic today that backend processes must keep pace as well. It is crucial to meet deadlines, prioritise different tasks and deliver. Hence, time management is one of the top skills employers look for in 2022.
9. Entrepreneurial Abilities
A company is a multilevel organisation that cannot be effectively managed only by leaders. An employee must have entrepreneurial skills like invention and simplification, critical thinking, and problem-solving that will enhance his/her productivity and help grow the company.
10. Creativity
A degree or certificate will not set you apart from other potential candidates. To get an edge over other employees, you need to highlight what you can bring to the table. Creativity is a highly prized skill: it gives you a unique perspective and approach to problems, helps you create new products, and addresses the trends.
11. Teamwork and Collaborative Skills
An organisation is run by numerous employees who come together, do their part, and collectively execute the deliverables. Regardless of the designation or job role, employees have to collaborate with their colleagues to achieve their goals. Do you work well in collaboration? Then do not forget to mention it because teamwork skills are one of the top skills employers look for in a resume.
12. Business Ethics
Employers do not want to hover over their employees. They are paying the workforce to complete tasks efficiently and on time. As businesses grow into industries involving billions of employees, personal touch and responsibility are getting lost. If you are committed to your work, consider the growth of the company as your own and are flexible and responsible, then you will be an asset to any employer, and they will appreciate you for it.
13. Communication
Working in an organisation is a collaborative effort. And communication is the key to any teamwork. You will have to talk to the clients, understand their requirements, articulate the same to your colleagues, communicate at every step, hand over the final product to the client, explain the deliverables, and the cycle continues. Therefore, communication is of utmost importance, a lack of which can undermine your other skills.
14. Self-Awareness and Self-Management
Organisations expect their employees to give their 100% without having to micro-manage all the time. So, an employee must be able to prioritise their tasks, be productive and efficient, and work for their personal growth while contributing to the institution’s goals. Self-management also includes recognizing the skills of the future and working on how you can develop them.
15. Digital Fluency
Computers have replaced the manual workforce today. You cannot survive in any industry without having digital literacy. All the data and information you have to deal with are stored on computers or in the cloud. To analyse and work on it, you must be able to access and operate computers.
Key Takeaways
- Add skills that are relevant to the position you are targeting.
- Mention the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
- Add hard and soft skills to your resume with other qualities in the cover letter.
- Provide examples of how you have used these traits in the past (‘STAR’-‘Situation, Task, Action, and Result’) method.
Conclusion
Hard skills are recognized as the foundation for landing your dream job. However, what sets one resume apart from those of thousands of others is the set of soft skills. We hope that this article on the top 15 skills employees must have, has directed the narrative towards the soft skills and its role towards career acceleration. A successful candidate can achieve the best of both worlds. Mindler is an online career counselling platform that strives to find the perfect career for students and graduates based on their skills and interests. Find your appropriate career at Mindler; they have the ideal blend of education, technology, passion, and experience to ensure that every student progresses on the right path.
