9 Key Employability Skills 

Employability skills and can be broken down into these nine categories:

1)  Communication skills is you ability to be clear about what you mean and what you want to achieve when you talk or write. It involves listening and being able to understand what the other person is saying.  Communication skills also include non-verbal communication or the body language you use.

2)  Interpersonal skills are essential since most jobs involve getting along with the people.  You may be collaborating with a team, interacting with the public, communicating with suppliers, or managing other employees.  In which case you must be able to:

• Provide and accept constructive criticism
• Motivate others
• Gain the confidence of clients, customers or suppliers to build strong relationships.
• Mentor or train less experienced colleagues

3)  Problem solving and decision making are essential since in any job, you will experience difficult situations or setbacks that require you to think logically and make sensible judgments.

4)  Initiative and enterprise means that you will look for things that need to be done and do them without being asked.  Employers want employees who can take initiative because it shows you are motivated.  This can also involve anticipating and preventing problems from occurring or reoccurring, and thinking innovatively to make improvements to the way things are done.

5)  Planning and organizing is your ability to figure out what you need to do and how you'll do it, and to effectively arrange your day or prioritize your tasks to meet deadlines.

6)  Self-management is your ability to do your job without someone having to check up on you all the time

7) Willingness to learn is a skill.  It is about wanting to understand new things and picking them up quickly. It also involves taking on new tasks and being able to adapt to change.

8)  Technology or basic experience with computers is essential.  When you demonstrate that you have mastery in one program it shows you have the potential to master other technology. On a basic level this means you are familiar with word processing, using spreadsheets, sending email, or knowing how to use general office equipment like a printer and photocopier.   It might also involve using social media, working with design or video editing software or knowing how to use technology for collaboration.

9) The Art of Speaking (public speaking) is increasingly more important since ability to make a presentation to inform or persuade is an integral part of many careers paths.  If you are a manager or aspire to be in a leadership role the ability to enthusiastically engage  people  is a skill you will want to cultivate. 

Attributes that Make you Employable

Even if you don’t think you have any job skills, you have the basic employability skills if you find it easy to get along with people and are willing to learn new things.   Three more attributes make you employable:

1)  Positive attitude – being calm, cheerful and resilient.  You know how to remain composed and bounce back after a problem or difficult circumstance.

2)  Dependable – you are punctual and can be relied upon to do the work assigned to you.

3)  Integrity -  companies want employees who understand and follow company rules, are honest and trustworthy, and act professionally and responsibly. 

Common Transferable skills 

• Listening skills
• Understanding and carrying out written instructions
• Observing and assessing your own and others' performances
• Written communication skills
• Basic math skills
• Punctuality
• Identifying and presenting problems to upper management
• Supervisory skills
• Developing and overseeing a budget
• Computer and technical skills
• Scheduling
• Cashier skills
• Conducting research using the internet and library resources
• Clerical skills like greeting visitors, screening and transferring telephone calls, maintaining correspondence and reports, bookkeeping tasks, using office equipment

Highlight all these skills in your application and mention them in a job interview because they will make you stand out from your competitors.   

H ow to Make your Skills Stand Out

Highlight all these skills in your application and mention them in a job interview because they will make you stand out from your competitors.   

Add Skills to Your Resume:

The right employability keywords can let employers know that you have the employability skills they seek, and they can increase the likelihood of your application being noticed, even electronically.

Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter:

Apply the same care to include these keywords in your cover letter.

Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview:

In your interview, employers expect you to be able to share real-life examples of when you used one or more of the skills you listed.