Employability skills are what you need to get a job but they also help you to stay in a job and work your way to the top. While there will always be some job-specific skills that an employer is looking for, most employers will also want you to have employability skills. Chances are you’ll be asked questions about both job-specific skills and employability skills in a job interview.
The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) worked with research and consulting groups to develop a list of employability skills that are recognised by education and training providers and in the workforce.
There are eight skills that employers want you to have whatever industry you’re working in.
1. Communication
You have to be a good talker and maybe also a good writer (depending on the job). You have to be confident in speaking to people face-to-face or over the phone and you might also need to write well enough to be understood in emails and memos.
2. Teamwork
You have to be good at working with people; this means both your workmates and other people that come into contact with your organisation.
3. Problem-solving
You have to find solutions when faced with difficulties or set-backs; you need to have a logical process for figuring things out even if you can’t think of a solution straight away.
4. Initiative and enterprise
You need to think about the bigger picture and the future of the organisation you’re working for. Employers will value your ability to think creatively and make improvements to the way things are.
5. Planning and organising
You need to be able to organise yourself, plan project timelines and meet deadlines.
6. Self-management
You need to be able to get on with your work without someone having to check up on you every five minutes. You should also be able to stay on top of your own deadlines and be able to delegate tasks to make sure things get done on time.
7. Learning
You should want to learn new things and be able to pick them up quickly. There are likely to be some changes to your job role and to the workplace structure during most of your periods of employment.
8. Technology
You’ll need to know how to use a computer and how to touch-type for most office jobs but there are other types of technology that you might need to be familiar with depending on the industry you work in. Most jobs these days require you to use some form of technology.
