Top 5 Skills Prospective Employers Look for in an Employee

Looking for a job is not an easy task, especially if you’ve recently graduated from university. There are literally thousands of others just like you who are prowling the job market; some, if not, most of them with job experience already.

On the bright side, experience isn’t the only thing employers are looking for in potential employees. A recent employer survey showed that employers look for a number of skills in prospective employees:
1.Interpersonal and Communication Skills: The ability to effectively communicate with others is a skill that topped the survey. Through good communication skills, both written and verbal, strong relationships can be built.
2. Motivation: Employers appreciate an employee who is self-motivated and knows how to work independently. This way the employer can easily relay instructions and expect his team to produce high-quality output without too much supervision.

3. Commitment: This refers to the employee’s capability to follow through with a project. Can you start a task and finish on time? Or do you start a task and end up losing interest half-way and continuing with another task? Be sure you can manage your priorities and use your time wisely.

4. Teamwork: Do you prefer working alone? Or can you handle working in a group? It is an asset to be able to work independently, but it says a lot when you can work effectively with different kinds of people without getting into any conflicts. Remember, sometimes two heads are better one. Your communication skills will come in extra handy when working with others.

5. Multitasking skills: As mentioned in the section about commitment, it would be best if you are able to follow through on all your tasks. This is where your multitasking skills are needed. While specialized skills are important, it is equally important that you learn new skills related to your job. Doing so will lessen micromanagement from employers. However, it is of utmost importance that you finish all your assignments on time before deciding to take on more roles. It’s ok to say no and handing over tasks to the team when you know you can’t handle any more tasks is better than taking on projects you can’t deliver.

As you can see, employers aren’t expecting too much. Just be sure that you project the right kind of attitude and show them you’re a dependable candidate for the job. Lastly, computer skills are highly-important in this day and age. So better work on those too if you think you’re rusty in that department!

Culled from: http://humancapitalize.com