What are the top skills that employers want?

Although job skills vary from role to role, there are always certain skills that every employer wants. These are transferable skills that can be used across many jobs. So if you’re looking for a new role, read on to find out how to impress any employer.

• Communication
• Enthusiasm
• Adaptability
• Organisation
• IT
• Leadership
• Initiative
• Teamwork
• Reliability
• Self-motivation
• Personal development
• Critical thinking

How to demonstrate your skills

There are a few different ways you can demonstrate these skills to employers:

• Interviews – try using the STAR method in interviews to demonstrate your skills
• CV – be sure to use keywords in your CV to make it pop
• Cover letter – write a cover letter to add more detail to your application
• References – provide a professional and character references who can vouch for you

12 transferable CV skills that never go out of fashion

Communication

Having strong communication skills comes in handy for any job. Whether communicating with customers or colleagues, interpersonal skills are key to getting hired. This means listening as well as communicating your ideas clearly.

Enthusiasm

Employers want to hire people who’re excited about their mission. They don’t want people who are there purely for the money. You need to show passion about their products/services. You can show your enthusiasm when the interviewer asks ‘why do you want this job?’. Or you can also show your enthusiasm in your cover letter.

Adaptability

Employers like staff to be flexible in their approach. This means being able to adapt to change. Companies always have moments where they need to change direction. This is only made possible if the right staff are in place! Words like ‘fast learner’ and ‘flexible’ will make your CV stand out.

Organisation

Organisation comes in handy with any type of role. It’s also key to the success of any business. So if a company’s employees are unorganised, you can guarantee this will have a knock-on effect. Good examples of organisation are filing, planning and attention to detail.

IT

Most jobs always need basic IT skills. This can include word processing, using emails, and using programs like Excel and Word. Some jobs may need you to have more advanced IT skills. Be sure to highlight these skills on your CV.

Leadership

Leadership skills are a great asset. This means leading by example and inspiring others to do the same. Companies are always on the lookout for new leaders. These are the people who are going to push the company into new phases of growth. 

Initiative

It doesn’t matter what job you’re applying for, initiative is a must. You can’t always depend on asking your manager for every query.  You need to show you can think for yourself. If you notice something inefficient, find a better solution. Problem-solving is a great example of initiative. You can also show initiative by suggesting new ideas.

Teamwork

Every hiring manager wants to know you can work as part of a team. You’ll always have to work alongside colleagues. So every employer will see teamwork as an asset. Examples of teamwork include collaboration, project work and encouraging others.

Reliability

One of the biggest skills employers look for is reliability. They want to know you’ll turn up to work on time everyday. They need to have confidence that you’ll pour everything into your job. Examples of reliability are time-keeping, honesty and sticking to deadlines.

Self-motivation

It’s important to show employers you’re a proactive type of person. You want them to see you’re a go-getter. They don’t want to hire lazy employees. This will ultimately slow the business operation down and lead to errors. Good CV skills are goal-setting, using a daily planner and task management.

Personal development

Being committed to your own personal development is always a great thing. Employers love staff that are open to feedback. You need to be passionate about developing your skills. And that sometimes means accepting negative feedback.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is an advantage for any company. Companies can only evolve if people think critically. That means thinking outside the box and looking at things differently. Use words like ‘analytical’ and ‘problem-solving’ to show you’re a critical thinker.

Tap into your potential

It doesn’t matter what job you’re looking for. If you can demonstrate these skills in your interview, the employer will be impressed! Of course, you may need to demonstrate other skills specific to the role. But showing these skills will get you off to a flying start.

Ready for a new role? With SonicJobs, you can tap once to apply for any role. Get applying today!