Many of us spend countless hours and money earning degrees that we hope will make us more valuable commodities in the job market. But according to a recent survey by The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the top attributes that employers look for in potential job candidates aren’t necessarily learned in a college classroom.
As a matter of fact it’s your “soft skills”—or interpersonal skills—that seem to have the most influence over your chances of getting hired. So with all things being equal, it’s not your I.Q. but your E.Q. (Emotional Quotient) that will give you the edge.
So rather than trying to augment your resume with extra classes or other solitary pursuits, seek out activities that enable you to hone your leadership skills and provide experience working with a team.
Here are the top five attributes that employers are looking for in a candidate.
Leadership Skills (tie)
Employers want candidates who can lead in the workplace and motivate co-workers. If you want to be taken seriously, you should be able to provide numerous examples of your leadership skills. This can include instances when you’ve taken the initiative in teams or spearheaded a project. If you don’t have a lot professional experience, you can draw on volunteering, athletic or academic experiences.
Ability to Work in a Team (tie)
Hiring managers want to know that you’re a team player – someone who’s able to collaborate and work effectively with others to accomplish a goal without letting your ego get in the way. Even some of the most talented candidates are not always team players, so if you can show that you work well with others, you’re at an advantage. As with leadership skills, you should be able to draw on examples in various settings to demonstrate how you’ll perform in a team setting.
Written Communication Skills
Verbal communication skills are also highly prized by employers, but being able to put those communication skills to use in a written form is even more desirable. Writing poorly, with spelling errors, improper grammar, or awkward sentence constructions, can make or break your chances with an employer. You have numerous opportunities to demonstrate your writing skills during the screening process including in your resume and cover letter, through email communications, and in work samples. Avoid careless mistakes and grammatical errors and have somebody proofread your documents before you send them.
Problem-Solving Skills
The ability to use creativity, reasoning, past experience and available resources to resolve issues is attractive because it saves everyone valuable time. The key is to demonstrate your analytical thinking and problem-solving skills through examples of past projects, work or previous instances where you used your creativity or ingenuity to figure out a solution to a problem.
Strong Work Ethic
Nothing is more attractive to an employer than a worker who takes initiative, is responsible and will do the job right the first time. Managers have plenty to think about without having to worry if the task they assigned you is getting done or not. Work references who can enthusiastically attest to your conscientiousness and reliability serve as the best testament to your work ethic.
Of course, getting hired is not all about “soft skills.” The top “hard” or technical skills in demand for 2015 are (no surprise!) IT-heavy. They include:
- Data security
- Data analysis
- Development (web, program, app, mobile/device)
- Project management
- Database management
Wherever you apply, just remember to be honest and avoid over-exaggeration of your skills. Your supervisor will soon find out what you’re capable of anyway. Make the best of what you know, and never stop trying to improve your skills and gain new insights.
