There are many skills that employers typically look for in their employees. These can vary depending on the job and business, but there are a few fundamental skills that you should have no matter which direction your career takes you.
Learning to cultivate these skills will better equip you to achieve your goals in your professional development and can provide you with a strong foundation in the workplace.
- Communication
Communication skills are essential in every industry. In fact, you’ll find that communication is the common cause of most work-related problems. We forget to communicate, we don’t fully understand what the other person is saying, or we misinterpret what they are saying assuming it means something else entirely. Think back to when you’ve had a challenging time at work and consider how improved communication could have changed that scenario.
Having the ability to convey information to others through face-to-face meetings, video conferencing or email can assist you in building strong relationships and performing better in your role. When used effectively it can be used to improve your efficiency and, in jobs that require it, boost your sales.
Regardless of what type of work you’re in now, or your future choice of career, communication is a skill that is worth understanding and mastering.
- Collaboration
Working well with others is a fundamental ability of any job. Of course, you might assume that you could accomplish everything by yourself but there’s value in working with others. Working productively with your colleagues brings together different perspectives, creative ideas, and energies that can improve the end goal.
Being able to listen and entertain the ideas of others, as well as having the ability and willingness to adapt your ideas, shows that you’re a team player. Leaving your pride at the door and working towards helping the business is an attitude that many employers covet.
And as they say, teamwork makes the dream work. Ok, that’s pretty cheesy but the sentiment works.
- Criticism
We don’t like hearing about weaknesses or failures. However, being open and receptive to constructive criticism can help you to better yourself. Being able to take criticism is vital, as there will be a natural learning curve that comes with any role and listening to feedback gives you an excellent chance to learn.
Of course, nobody should be criticised unfairly or scathingly, but constructive criticism is a different thing altogether. It says a lot about a person when they can admit genuine mistakes and have the willingness to learn what to do differently next time.
Being able to give criticism in the correct way is also important, as it can cement decent working relationships with your colleagues and mean that they’re not afraid to ask you for help.
- Can-do Attitude
If there’s one thing that separates a good employee from a bad employee, it’s got to be attitude. Having a can-do attitude is an excellent and key quality to have for getting ahead in your career. A positive, self-motivating, and friendly demeanour will motivate your colleagues to work harder and increase productivity.
Success takes effort, so you have to be ready and willing to put in the work.
- Confidence
Confidence is without doubt one of the most powerful attributes to draw upon. It can be exhibited in several ways, whether it’s through a person’s posture, eye contact, how they speak or the way they dress. It has a huge impact on how successful we think ourselves to be, as well as others’ opinions of us.
Showing that you have the charisma to ask questions, speak up, and be clear with your intentions and concerns will demonstrate that you have what it takes to meet the demands of your role. You need to act like someone who knows what they are doing and who is sure of their skills or else nobody else will take you seriously.
Not everyone is blessed with natural confidence. Many people struggle to feel confident in themselves and their abilities but, with practice, you can appear confident even if you don’t feel it! By far the number one thing you can do to improve your confidence is to keep developing your skills. This doesn’t have to be limited to new software or methods, because you can develop your skills physically and as an individual as well. No matter how much experience you already have, you can always learn something new…and you should always try!
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So, whether you’re just starting your climb up the career ladder, or you’ve been working for years, keep these five tips in mind and you’re sure to be a success in any job!
If you want more guidance in finding your next role contact us.