Searching for a new job can be a long and trying process. One way to put your best foot forward and stand out from the crowd is to highlight all of the skills you possess. In fact, there are certain skills employers are looking for across most industries.
Before adding skills to your resume, you should understand the difference between hard skills and soft skills. This is because most employers are generally looking for soft skills primarily, although certain jobs require specific hard skills. In fact, issues with soft skills are a leading reason why hires don’t work out at a company. In this article, we’ll highlight the top soft skills employers look for.
What Skills Are Employers Looking For?
Communication Skills
No matter what job you are applying for, chances are that communication skills will be important. Most jobs involve communicating with team members and clients in order to fulfill what your company offers. Some of the most important communication skills include:
- Written communication
- Verbal communication
- Nonverbal communication
- Active listening
- Conciseness
- Respect
- Clarity
Teamwork
Employers are also always looking for individuals with skills that demonstrate they are a team player. Working together with others is a crucial part of many businesses, and not having certain skills can make completing your duties more difficult. Here are some of the teamwork skills that employers look for:
- Responsibility
- Honesty
- Communication
- Negotiating
- Coordination
- Empathy
- Mediation
- Conflict management
- Awareness
- Collaboration
- Accountability
Work Ethic
Skills illustrating your work ethic are also vital to most employers out there. Even if you don’t have all of the hard skills or technical knowledge for a job, showing your work ethic and working hard to learn those skills and improve yourself will make employers want to hire you. Here are the top skills demonstrating work ethic:
- Discipline
- Integrity
- Professionalism
- Initiative
- Accountability
- Dependability
- Commitment
- Self-motivation
- Time management
Time Management
While time management is a part of work ethic, it also involves many of its own unique skills. These skills display how well you are able to stay on task, complete your duties on time, work efficiently, and more. Time management skills include:
- Planning
- Organization
- Goal setting
- Prioritizing
- Delegation
- Stress management
- Self-starting
Interpersonal Skills
Similar to communication and teamwork skills, interpersonal skills are important for many different types of jobs. These skills determine how well you work and get along with others—both at your company and with individuals outside of it, too. Some of the top interpersonal skills employers look for include:
- Tolerance
- Flexibility
- Team building
- Asking for feedback
- Providing feedback to others
- Patience
- Sensitivity
- Humor
- Mentoring
- Diplomacy
- Public speaking
- Risk-taking
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