Desirable Skills Needed to Enter the Workforce
If you are new to the labor force, you may wonder whether your education or training is actually useful for your job search. While each position or employer has specific requirements, several types of skills are useful for a wide range of jobs. Job seekers who possess some or all of these skills will have an advantage in entering the workforce.
Other People Are Reading
-
Computer and Related Skills
-
In the 21st Century, nearly all jobs require some level of competence with using a computer or other technologically advanced equipment. In the service sector, many workers must use sophisticated cash registers and other electronic equipment; telemarketers often use data entry skills to record responses. Jobs that command higher pay require skills using word processing, graphic and image editing or data management software, not to mention the Internet. Many of the skilled trades are now partially automated or computer linked.
Writing and Communication Skills
-
You don't need literary skills worthy of a Pulitzer prize, but the ability to communicate clearly in writing is useful in nearly every entry level job. Many professional positions require extensive writing of reports and memos. However, everyday communication such as letters and email messages is also an essential element in many entry-level jobs. The ability to communicate face to face with your coworkers and your supervisor is also valuable for job seekers. Job seekers who have public speaking skills enjoy a definite advantage.
-
Foreign Language and Intercultural Relationship Skills
-
Globalization and an increasingly multicultural workforce have made foreign language skills especially valuable for job seekers in nearly all industries. If you are bilingual or at least proficient speaking more than one language, you have a definite advantage in careers such as law and law enforcement, international commerce, public service, and teaching. The ability to relate to and get along with people from cultures other than your own is valuable for medical professionals and workers in the service and hospitality industries.
Research and Analytical Skills
-
Professional researchers and statisticians are often highly trained, have extensive experience and are and well paid for their work. However, entry-level jobs in areas such as marketing and inventory management often require skills in math or data analysis. Research and analysis skills are also helpful in positions involving strategic planning.
Management and Leadership Skills
-
So-called soft or people skills often cannot be taught in school or in vocational training programs; if you possess such skills you often enjoy a significant advantage over others competing for a given position. The ability to assume ownership of an issue or a staff and produce measurable results is an asset in many areas of business as well as in nonprofit positions. The ability to mentor or inspire other workers is essential for managers and directors.
-
References
- Quintessential Careers; New Grads Must Dig Deeper to Beef Up Skimpy Resumes; Teena Rose
- Quintessential Careers; What Do Employers Really Want? Top Skills and Values Employers Seek from Job-Seekers; Randall Hansen and Katharine Hansen
- Quintessential Careers: Transferable Skills Sets for Job-Seekers
- College Surfing; Top Resume Skills for Today's Workforce; Robyn Tellefsen; 2011
