When employers screen candidates for open positions on their teams, they typically seek to assess whether the applicant has a few cornerstone skills that will aid them in their journey toward becoming successful contributors to the business. And since these skills are often quite general in nature, basically any job candidate in any industry should work to strengthen them to increase the chances of landing a job. In this blog, we’re highlighting four key skills employers seek in job candidates, so that you can focus on illustrating to your future employers that you’re the right fit for the role.
1. Communication
Most jobs involve writing emails, phoning clients, and concisely expressing ideas to internal and external stakeholders, which is why employers look for new hires who exemplify good communication skills. As an applicant, you are constantly being vetted by recruiters on how your communication is, from the manner in which your cover letter is written to the way you speak over the phone.
When you’re applying to jobs, it’s important to always triple check anything you send over to potential employers (such as emails, cover letters, and resumes), in order to ensure that you’re illustrating good communication skills and attention to detail. When you have a scheduled call with a recruiter or a team member, organize your thoughts on paper beforehand so you can come across confident and prepared on the phone. When you’re on the job, follow the same tips (such as writing down thoughts before expressing them to a co-worker or proofreading your emails) to show that you’re taking communication seriously.
2. Initiative
Employers want to know that the person they’re hiring can work to complete tasks unprompted, so they look for examples of candidates who take initiative during the hiring process. This means, as a candidate, you should work hard to promptly respond to any emails or meeting invites a recruiter sends you.
Also, don’t be afraid to reach out via email (or phone, if the company allows it) if you haven’t heard back after an interview. Doing so in a respectful manner will show to the employer that you take the position seriously and that you’re taking it upon yourself to get answers—a skill that will come in handy when you’re on the job.
Your initiative also ties into your work ethic, so having a resume packed with relevant experience shows that you are willing to put your all into your role.
3. Adaptability
During the course of your job, you’ll likely be pulled in many different directions, having to adapt to new situations and stressors to get the job done. Employers search for signs of adaptability in a job candidate, looking through the descriptions of your work experience on your resume to see what sort of work you’ve taken on throughout your career.
They’ll also likely ask you questions during your interview that you can use to speak to your adaptability, such as “Tell me about a time when you had to switch gears from what you were doing to complete another task,” or “describe a challenging situation in your previous employment and how you handled it.”
4. Teamwork
How well you work with others is important in a work environment, because if you struggle with this, you’ll likely won’t be able to successfully work as part of a team and complete assignments effectively and efficiently.
Recruiters begin assessing your interpersonal skills on the very first call, using that opportunity to speak with you to get a good sense of your personality and if you have the soft skills necessary to build meaningful professional relationships. Throughout the interview process, employers will likely keep this in the back of their mind, asking you questions that allow you to speak to the connections you’ve built in the past, and how you’ve worked with others to complete tasks.
Level Up Your Career at Barton Associates
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