It will always depend on the company and the role itself but most companies want the same basic skills from their employees, the level of these will just alter depending on the specific details. Below is an idea of some of the top skills employers look for in their staff.
1- Decision making skills
Having good decision making skills can be very important. Being indecisive and not being able to make a decision for yourself makes life very awkward as making decisions is a simple part of every day.
2- Problem solving skills
Being able to look at a problem and work out how you are going to solve it can be important in many roles but it takes a certain type of person to be able to take a problem and have the patience and logical mind needed to solve it.
3- Computer skills
It is essential to be good with computers as this is what we use day in day out so employers will always be looking for people with good IT knowledge especially related to the packages that you will be expected to use each day at work.
4- Team working
Being able to work as part of a Team is very important in most people’s daily work. Rarely do people work solely on their own and even if you work in a small office you are liable to be required to work with others over the telephone which is still classed as working with others.
5- Assertiveness
Being assertive is always a benefit, if you can look at something and assertively organise it and go through from beginning to end then you will be valuable to your employer as it shows that you can handle responsibility and take on tasks that maybe others on your level cannot.
6- Numeracy
Even in this day and age it is good to have good numeracy skills. Most jobs need some form of numeracy and being able to work things out and have a clear understanding is important for most businesses. It’s also essential for your own piece of mind even if it means that you can work out your payslip.
7- Language skills
Having good language skills will depend on the employer but if your employer is an international company or one that deals with international companies then being able to speak different languages will be very beneficial to your role and to the company.
8- Management skills
Having good management skills will again depend on the role and level that you are at. It is an advantage if you are going for a management position if you have had some previous knowledge of management and you are able to manage people and a situation.
9- Time management
Essential and very valuable to employers. No company wants to take on staff that cannot manage their own time and take far too long to do simple tasks. It is important to manage your time in whatever way works for you but simply it is about being organised and thinking through your role.
10- Influencing skills
If you have an influencing personality then this will be valuable to any sales type role where you will need to be able to persuade, influence and even sell things to companies.
