When you first enter the adult world, and you start job hunting for the first time, it can be a pretty scary and intimidating process. Not least because it can be hard to figure out what employers actually want. Sure, you might have a decent education and a degree, but what if that’s not enough? After all, the job market is incredibly competitive these days, so you’ve got to be able to get the attention of employers somehow. In order to help you do that, and get a leg up on the competition, here are a few things that every employer is going to be looking for, no matter what.
Literacy skills
You might not have been that interested in studying Shakespeare or poetry or anything else that came up in English class, but one thing that you need to survive in the job market is decent literacy skills. This means that you need to have high-quality spelling and grammar as well as the ability to read and comprehend to a high standard. Some employers will look out for people who can speak more than one language, but the main thing that you should focus on is ensuring that you have the best possible grip on English. A resume filled with spelling errors is going to go in the trash before an employer even finishes reading it.
Independence
One skill that a lot of people lack, coming straight out of education, is the ability to take the initiative and work independently. A lot of young people are so used to being directly guided through any task by teachers that they freeze up the moment that they are given a task to do independently. If you can show a prospective employer that you’re able to work independently without constant hand holding, then you’re going to set yourself apart from a lot of the competition.
Computer skills
There are very few jobs in the modern age that don’t involve the use of computers. Of course, many young people are more computer literate than any other generation, so you’ve got to be able to show that you have more of an understanding than basic use of Microsoft Word and web browsers. Teaching yourself programs like Photoshop and Final Cut are incredibly useful skills and taking a Microsoft excel course can often give you the edge that you need. The less training that an employer will need to provide, the more likely they are to hire you.
The ability to work within a team
As important as working independently is, you will probably spend most of your time working with other people. If you’re not able to fit into a team, then that’s going to cause serious problems for both your employer and your colleagues. This isn’t just a matter of confidence either. If you’re the type of person who usually takes charge, it’s important that you learn how to take a step back and give other people a chance to communicate ideas to the group.
These things might seem simple, but the important thing is that you can express them to employers in your applications. Think of real examples from your life that demonstrate these skills and your application is guaranteed to stand out from the crowd.
What other skills do employers look for? Let us know what you think below
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