After the basic educational, experiential and licensing qualifications to obtain

any position or to start a business, there are additional qualities an employer

finds desirable in an employee or business owner must find in him/herself.
Business success depends more on several essential, learnable skills than upon any
particular education or experience.

Of the many abilities contributing to excellent performance in business or career,

the ten that seem most valued are:

1. Leadership
2. Organization (and time management)
3. Selling Skills
4. Information Acquisition and Management
5. Current Technologies
6. Persuasion and Negotiation
7. Judgment (making good decisions and choices)
8. Financial
9. Writing
10. Speaking

Here's a brief look at what each of the above includes and resources for learning
more are available in the resources box below the article.

1. Leadership is the ability to get people to do what you want them to do. If you
are a good leader, people will do what you've asked them to do, whether or not you
are there to supervise. If you are a great leader, they will do what you've asked,
strive to do it well, enjoy working for you and try to do more than you've asked,
just to please you. If you are inspired leader, they will do what you ask, try to
contribute as much more as you will allow, make sure that whatever they do is the
highest quality they can give you, and consider their work not merely enjoyable,
but rather a shared vision partnership with you. Leadership includes the skills of
motivation, change facilitation, behavior modification and conflict management.

2. Organization is the ability to manage time, people and processes in such a way
that everything is done in the best order, by the best qualified worker, in the
most efficient time frame. A good organizer also insures that all materials
involved in the process are available in the right place, at the right time and in
sufficient quantity, without excessive reserves.

3. Selling skill is the ability to get people to buy your ideas, services or
products. This skill is the only way you get money for whatever you do. No matter
how poor a sales person you think yourself, if you have a job, you've managed to
make at least one sale -- that of your services to an employer. I'm constantly
amazed at the distorted views I hear of this very basic economic necessity. You'd
almost think that sales was the province of the Devil. Yet, if you take the time
to study the techniques of selling, you'll find them very similar to advice on how
to get a date, how to get a promotion on the job, how to get a bank to give you a
loan and how to get elected to office in your social club. Commerce does not
happen without sales. I probably would have put this first if I'd been listing
skills in order of importance. Selling skill is part of the skill category of
Influence, which also encompasses Persuasion and Negotiation, which I've also
listed among the ten top skills. It's so important that I recommend that you read
one or more of the best books on sales before you do anything about any of the
other skills I mention here. Start with Selling for Dummies by Tom Hopkins.

4. Information Acquisition and Management includes finding the best news,

articles, books, tapes, videos, training and other written and multiple media
sources that keep you current and "in the know" in your field of expertise, as
well as closely related fields that impact yours. But moreover, having good
"information skills" means having access to experts who can help you and having an
extensive address book with a great contact network. That's because you need to
know how to find out about stuff that you don't know. You also need to store all
the information you acquire and be able to access and add to it easily. This is so
important that most corporations have an entire department just for this task and
have a Chief Information Officer (VP) to run it. For most people it is sufficient
to be able to make and use databases, to keep a Filofax, Daytimer, DayRunner or
whatever brand you prefer, to learn basic research skills and to be able to do
quick, effective internet searches.

5. Current Technologies. I'm constantly amazed by the number of professionals,

executives and managers who are still being dragged kicking and screaming all the
way into the 21st century where technology is concerned. Here's the reality: you
must know and use all the current technology relevant to business in general and
to your field in particular. You will not get ahead without it. (If you are
already CEO, never mind what I'm saying.) At a minimum, you must acquire basic
computer user skills. Yes, that means that you need to know how to type (or
keyboard, as many call it today). No, it is not merely a clerical or secretarial
skill. [Although I am posting this article on my web site, I have found that any
number of people who've read such articles have only found them by sitting beside
someone else who was negotiating the Web for them or by having them printed out to
read off-line. Therefore, I'm not assuming that all my readers already know and
appreciate the need for technological literacy.] But, to continue my harangue, you
cannot easily accomplish the other 9 skills on this list without being able to
competently use both the technology of business in general and the technology of
your business in particular. (For example, if you are a trainer, a speaker, or
make any sorts of presentations, you need to know about and use projectors,
transparencies, projected video, audio amplification systems, computer-assisted
training programs and computer projected multimedia.)

6. Persuasion and Negotiation are the basic abilities to get others to do what you
want or give you what you want. They are closely related to selling skills and to
motivation. They are essential to leadership. Although you learned these skills as
a child, there is a grown-up science of using them. There are systems and sets of
techniques you can learn to apply to most any situation that will help you get
other people to cooperate with you in achieving your goals. Those who use them
successfully on behalf of their employers or clients almost always get ahead --
way ahead.

7. Good Judgment. Whether you call it good judgment, common sense, horse sense or
common wisdom, it's one of the most valued abilities in any endeavor in virtually
all societies. It is the ability to make accurate evaluations and prudent choices,
especially in regard to other people. It is the abilility to develop informed
opinions But more than that, it encompases a well-honed intuition and well-
examined experience. It starts with the development of what is often called
"critical thinking skills."

8. Financial. While you don't need to be a math whiz, you need to know about
budgeting and planning, if you are in corporate management, because, well
gollygee, you'll probably have a budget for whatever department you run. However,
if you want to be a major player in the corporation you should know how highly
valued is the knowledge of corporate financial matters, including raising capital,
cash flow, asset management, tax planning, capital budgeting, valuation, mergers
and acquisitions, credit management and the impact of government regulation. If
you've taken an MBA, you've probably studied most that along the way. However,
there's plenty of reasonably easy to understand information for the rest of us in
books and seminars as well as relevant trade journals.

9. Writing. This is the information age. People want to know what you know. They
want to have access to what you know even when they can't get access to you. So,
they want you to write it down for them. They want you to write it concisely,
accurately and in a way that is easy to understand. You want people to know and
believe good things about you so that they will hire you, contract with you or buy
your product. You need to provide them informative, credible, motivational and
pursuasive literature that lets them know what you have done, what you know and
what you can do. You absolutely, positively, without a doubt must be able to write
in order to get to the top of your career, business or profession. In case I
haven't stated that emphatically enough, let me repeat: ya gotta write. And if yer
grammar or spellin' ain't no good, ya gotta fix 'em.

10. Speaking. At a minimum, you should be able to effectively run and participate
in meetings. Even at the middle management level you must be able to speak up for
yourself and your department in meetings; unless you can do so, you not only won't
get promoted, you also won't be an effective manager. You should be able to argue
for yourself when you want to get a raise in salary, get a budget approved or get
a project approved. You should know how to be a good interviewee and a good
interviewer. You simply have to learn to speak effectively to get a job, get the $
you want, get the assignments you want, get the information you want, disseminate
the information you want to get out, get people to do things and hire good
employees. You certainly must speak well at least one-to-one in order to sell
anything. All of the foregoing require the same skills as public speaking. You can
learn the skills from a book or class and practice with a few friends if you
absolutely refuse to practice any other way. If you can tolerate it, learn public
speaking. It is easy to learn the skills; the only real difficulty is the abject
terror the average person feels in getting up before even a small audience to
practice those skills. The easiest way I know to get the skills, practice them and
become comfortable speaking to an audience of one or one thousand is to join a
Toastmasters club. I did an experiment with this after I'd been in Toastmasters
for a while. I started taking my mother to meetings. This sweet lady in her mid-
70's swore to me that she'd be glad to plump up the club membership numbers by
becoming a good audience for the others, but she would never, ever speak. Within a
matter of weeks the only way we could keep her from speaking would have been to
bind and gag her. She doesn't need the skills for business or employment. She's
just having fun.

Top Skills/Qualities Sought by Employers

Michigan State University recently completed a national college employment survey

and found the following to be skills and personal qualities that employers seek in
new hires. Most of these qualities are direct or indirect byproducts of a good
liberal arts education. Which ones do you possess? Be prepared to talk about them
in interviews and cover letters and on your resume.
Communication skills, both oral and written
Strong work ethic
Flexibility
Initiative
Motivation
Teamwork
A willingness to continue learning and acquiring new skills

What Do Employers Really Want? Top Skills and Values Employers Seek from Job-
Seekers
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. and Katharine Hansen

Most job-seekers wish they could unlock the secret formula to winning the hearts
and minds of employers. What, they wonder, is that unique combination of skills
and values that make employers salivate with excitement?

Every employer is looking for a specific set of skills from job-seekers that match
the skills necessary to perform a particular job. But beyond these job-specific
technical skills, certain skills are nearly universally sought by employers. The
good news is that most job-seekers possess these skills to some extent. The better
news is that job-seekers with weaknesses in these areas can improve their skills
through training, professional development, or obtaining coaching/mentoring from
someone who understands these skills.

The best news is that once you understand the skills and characteristics that most
employer seek, you can tailor your job-search communication -- your resume, cover
letter, and interview language -- to showcase how well your background aligns with
common employer requirements.

Numerous studies have identified these critical employability skills, sometimes

referred to as �soft skills.� We�ve distilled the skills from these many studies
into this list of skills most frequently mentioned. We�ve also included sample
verbiage describing each skill; job-seekers can adapt this verbiage to their own
resumes, cover letters, and interview talking points.

Skills Most Sought After by Employers

So, what are these critical employability skills that employers demand of job-
seekers?

Communications Skills (listening, verbal, written). By far, the one skill

mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write, and speak
effectively. Successful communication is critical in business.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Exceptional listener and communicator who effectively conveys information

verbally and in writing.

Analytical/Research Skills. Deals with your ability to assess a situation, seek

multiple perspectives, gather more information if necessary, and identify key
issues that need to be addressed.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Highly analytical thinking with demonstrated talent for identifying,

scrutinizing, improving, and streamlining complex work processes.

Computer/Technical Literacy. Almost all jobs now require some basic understanding
of computer hardware and software, especially word processing, spreadsheets, and
email.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Computer-literate performer with extensive software proficiency covering

wide variety of applications.
Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple Priorities. Deals with your ability to
manage multiple assignments and tasks, set priorities, and adapt to changing
conditions and work assignments.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Flexible team player who thrives in environments requiring ability to

effectively prioritize and juggle multiple concurrent projects.

Interpersonal Abilities. The ability to relate to your co-workers, inspire others

to participate, and mitigate conflict with co-workers is essential given the
amount of time spent at work each day.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Proven relationship-builder with unsurpassed interpersonal skills.

Leadership/Management Skills. While there is some debate about whether leadership

is something people are born with, these skills deal with your ability to take
charge and manage your co-workers.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Goal-driven leader who maintains a productive climate and confidently

motivates, mobilizes, and coaches employees to meet high performance standards.

Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness. There is possibly no bigger issue in the

workplace than diversity, and job-seekers must demonstrate a sensitivity and
awareness to other people and cultures.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Personable professional whose strengths include cultural sensitivity and an

ability to build rapport with a diverse workforce in multicultural settings.

Planning/Organizing. Deals with your ability to design, plan, organize, and

implement projects and tasks within an allotted timeframe. Also involves goal-
setting.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Results-driven achiever with exemplary planning and organizational skills,

along with a high degree of detail orientation.

Problem-Solving/Reasoning/Creativity. Involves the ability to find solutions to

problems using your creativity, reasoning, and past experiences along with the
available information and resources.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Innovative problem-solver who can generate workable solutions and resolve

complaints.

Teamwork. Because so many jobs involve working in one or more work-groups, you
must have the ability to work with others in a professional manner while
attempting to achieve a common goal.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

 * Resourceful team player who excels at building trusting relationships with
customers and colleagues.

Personal Values Employers Seek in Employees

Of equal importance to skills are the values, personality traits, and personal
characteristics that employers seek. Look for ways to weave examples of these
characteristics into your resume, cover letters, and answers to interview
questions.

Here is our list of the 10 most important categories of values.

Honesty/Integrity/Morality. Employers probably respect personal integrity more

than any other value, especially in light of the many recent corporate scandals.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Seasoned professional whose honesty and integrity provide for effective

leadership and optimal business relationships.

Adaptability/Flexibility. Deals with openness to new ideas and concepts, to

working independently or as part of a team, and to carrying out multiple tasks or
projects.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Highly adaptable, mobile, positive, resilient, patient risk-taker who is

open to new ideas.

Dedication/Hard-Working/Work Ethic/Tenacity. Employers seek job-seekers who love

what they do and will keep at it until they solve the problem and get the job
done.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Productive worker with solid work ethic who exerts optimal effort in
successfully completing tasks.

Dependability/Reliability/Responsibility. There�s no question that all employers

desire employees who will arrive to work every day - on time - and ready to work,
and who will take responsibility for their actions.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Dependable, responsible contributor with committed to excellence and

success.

Loyalty. Employers want employees who will have a strong devotion to the company
-- even at times when the company is not necessarily loyal to its employees.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Loyal and dedicated manager with an excellent work record.

Positive Attitude/Motivation/Energy/Passion. The job-seekers who get hired and the

employees who get promoted are the ones with drive and passion -- and who
demonstrate this enthusiasm through their words and actions.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Energetic performer consistently cited for unbridled passion for work, sunny
disposition, and upbeat, positive attitude.

Professionalism. Deals with acting in a responsible and fair manner in all your
personal and work activities, which is seen as a sign of maturity and self-
confidence; avoid being petty.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Conscientious go-getter who is highly organized, dedicated, and committed to

professionalism.

Self-Confidence. Look at it this way: if you don�t believe in yourself, in your

unique mix of skills, education, and abilities, why should a prospective employer?
Be confident in yourself and what you can offer employers.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Confident, hard-working employee who is committed to achieving excellence.

Self-Motivated/Ability to Work With Little or No Supervision. While teamwork is

always mentioned as an important skill, so is the ability to work independently,
with minimal supervision.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Highly motivated self-starter who takes initiative with minimal supervision.

Willingness to Learn. No matter what your age, no matter how much experience you
have, you should always be willing to learn a new skill or technique. Jobs are
constantly changing and evolving, and you must show an openness to grow and learn
with that change.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

* Enthusiastic, knowledge-hungry learner, eager to meet challenges and quickly

assimilate new concepts.

Final Thoughts

Employability skills and personal values are the critical tools and traits you
need to succeed in the workplace -- and they are all elements that you can learn,
cultivate, develop, and maintain over your lifetime. Once you have identified the
sought-after skills and values and assessed the degree to which you possess, them
remember to document them and market them (in your resume, cover letter, and
interview answers) for job-search success.

Sources of More Information about Employability Skills

* Some Major Employer Hiring Concerns, from IT Headhunter.

* The Skills Most Sought By Recruiters in Small- and Medium-Sized
Organizations, from Human Resources Development Canada.
* Skills and Tasks for Jobs -- A SCANS report for America 2000, U.S.
Department of Labor (excerpts).
 * Skills and Tasks for Jobs -- A SCANS report for America 2000, U.S.
Department of Labor (full report).
* Employers Describe Perfect Job Candidate, from National Association of
Colleges and Employers (NACE).
* What Skills and Attributes Employers Seek When Hiring Students, from the
University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
* Skills Employers Seek, from Loughborough University.
* Skills Employers Seek, from Psych Web.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information
(definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to
our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Dr. Randall Hansen is currently Webmaster of Quintessential Careers, as well as

publisher of its electronic newsletter, QuintZine. He writes a biweekly career
advice column under the name, The Career Doctor. He is also a tenured, associate
professor of marketing in the School of Business Administration at Stetson
University in DeLand, Florida.

Katharine Hansen, Credentialed Career Master (CCM), is a former speechwriter and

college instructor who provides content for Quintessential Careers, edits
QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and prepares job-search
correspondence as chief writer for Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters.

The Hansens are authors of numerous books, including: Dynamic Cover Letters;
Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates; A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way
into the Hidden Job Market; and Write Your Way to a Higher GPA, all published by
Ten Speed Press.

Top Skills Employers Seek

The Killer Resume.com

http://www.killerres.com

Following is a brief list of some the major skills employers look for in their job
candidates. Each of these skills is something you should try to get across in both
your resume and interviews.

Communication Skills

Are both your verbal and written skills strong?

Teamwork

Can you work well with others but still carry your own weight?

Accountability

Are you willing to take on responsibility to deliver and meet goals? Are you
willing to be held accountable for your own actions?

Adaptability
Do you quickly adapt to new environments, processes, and people? Do you learn new
skills quickly? Can you rapidly pick up new software applications or tools?

Motivation

Are you driven, goal-oriented, and dedicated to succeed every day?

Eagerness

Do you want *this* particular job for the right reasons -- i.e. because you find
the position challenging & interesting?

Skills Employers Seek

As you take your undergraduate courses, you may wonder how they are going to help
you eventually "on the job." A good approach is to take a skills orientation.
Think of your courses not only as ways of learning about particular subjects but
also as learning experiences which refine a variety of specific skills. A bit of
reflection will show that your courses, earlier work experiences, and hobbies are
providing you with skills that later employers may value. If asked in a job
interview how your education has prepared you for a specific job, you can be ready
with some good answers, if you think about it beforehand.

This handout gives you some ideas about skills which are useful to employers and
which might be part of what you can offer an employer. A companion page,
"Suggested Courses to Develop Skills that Prospective Employers Want," lists
courses that can help you develop occupationally-relevant skills.
1. Adaptability

Develop a habit of curiosity.

Think creatively.

Solve problems effectively and quickly.

Work well with those who are different from you.

2. Competence in Reading and Writing; Computational Skills

Reading skills:

Be able to extract the important ideas from written words as well as

graphs and tables.

Be able to apply information to solve problems and answer questions.

Writing skills
Be able to communicate (orally) ideas clearly, concisely, accurately,
and logically.

Be able to write introductory summaries and wrap-up statements.

Be able to document and illustrate ideas, including creating tables

and graphs.
Computational skills
Be able to identify problems in data.

Be able to reason numerically.

Be able to apply/use data to solve problems (knowledge of statistics

very useful here).

3. Communication Skills

Be able to communicate, orally, ideas clearly, concisely, and

persuasively.

Use "active" (versus passive) listening skills.

Be able to ascertain that you and another have a common understanding

of the message.

Be curious enough to probe for critical information

Be sensitive enough to hear and relate to the emotions behind

another's words.

4. Computer Skills

Be able to use a major word-processing program.

Be able to use a spread-sheet program.

Be able to use a data base management program.

Be able to use the internet and world wide web.

Be able to use e-mail.

5. Group Interactional Skills

Be able to solve problems in a group.

Be able to think creatively in a group.

Be able to judge and engage in appropriate behavior.

Be able to cope with undesirable behavior in others.

Be able to absorb/deal with stress.

Be able to deal with ambiguity.

Be able to inspire confidence in others.

Be able to share responsibility with others.

Be able to interact effectively with others.

Be able to negotiate from a "win-win" perspective.

6. Interpersonal Influence skills

Be able to achieve personal goals, as well as influence others and the

larger organization.

Know how organization is structured, how it works, and why it works

the way it does.
 Know how, why, when, and by whom decisions are really made.

7. Knowing how to learn

Understand how you absorb and retain information.

Learn when you are most alert and use this time to learn.

Keep aware of external events and reflect on how those events affect
you.

8. Self-management skills

Believe in your self-worth.

Take sole responsibility for setting your goals.

Generate internally the motivation to accomplish your goals.

Take actions that will best ensure your personal and career
development.

____

Adapted from: Hall, V. and Wessel, J. (1989, December 3). As today's work world
changes, so do the skills employers seek. The Atlanta Journal/The Atlanta
Constitution, p. 53S. (Part I)

Hall, V. and Wessel, J. (1989, December 10). Today's employees need skills once
reserved only for "top brass." The Atlanta Journal/The Atlanta Constitution, p.
39R. (Part II)

What are Some Top Skills to Get Ahead?

Email this ArticleEmail this Article Print this ArticlePrint this Article

In addition to continuing to excel in technical areas, such as by pursuing

certifications on the latest topics, IT professionals should also work hard at
continuously developing their soft skills. Paula Moreira, in a recent CertMag
article, lists the following top five skills to get ahead:

* Being a team player

* Project management
* Presentation
* People-management
* Critical thinking

Paula provides several tips on how to develop these skills. Here are just a few of
them:

* In terms of being a team player: "Volunteer to take on tasks during time

crunches, even when they are not your own projects."
* With respect to project management: "Communicate frequently on the status of
your project, deliverables and dependencies to ensure the team is informed."
* In relation to people-management skills: "Provide team members with
immediate constructive feedback, keeping emotions and personality out of it.
Almost everyone appreciates feedback that will help them improve."
* In terms of presentation skills: "Don't just report results. Provide your
audience with the reason these results are important and describe how they impact
your audience."
* For critical thinking ask these questions: "Before rushing to your next
decision, take a moment to consider: Is there a less expensive alternative? Who
else can shed more light on the situation? Is there an angle that you haven't
considered?"

The point Paula makes about what people may say about you at the water cooler is a
very good one: more often than not, you will get praised sooner for being an
exemplary team player, presenter or project manager than you will for being a
coding or database wizard. With that in mind, along with continuing your
certification efforts, work hard at your soft skills so that the water cooler talk
about you will be positive.

Read the full article "Top Five Skills to Get Ahead" for more details:
http://www.certmag.com/articles/templates/cmag_career_tc.asp?articleid=430&zoneid=
25
Top Qualities & Skills Employers Seek
Career Services Center Marquette University
414.288.7423 career.services@marquette.edu www.marquette.edu/csc
Holthusen Hall, 1st floor
What employers would like students to know:
Do your research: Don�t interview if you haven�t done your homework�researching
the organization be-
fore you interview is critical. Employers are interested in candidates who ask
intelligent questions and are
able to make intelligent conversation based on what they know about the
organization. They are equally
unimpressed by candidates who know nothing about the company or the position being
offered.
Be prepared: To score additional points, be sure you�re prepared for the interview
when you arrive. Using
the career services office, learning how to articulate your skills, and practicing
interview techniques be-
forehand are excellent ways to ready yourself. You can also get high ratings by
brushing up on verbal
communication skills, arriving on time, dressing appropriately, and conducting
yourself in a professional
manner.
Have a focus: Employers recommend that you base your job search on criteria you
develop for jobs and
companies. Think about what type of position you�re seeking and what type of
organization you�re inter-
ested in, and consider your geographic preference and other related issues.
Bring experience to the table: Rated very highly by employers, relevant work
experience can give you the
edge over other candidates. Internships and co-ops are excellent experience
builders and can help you
�sample� different organizations and opportunities which will help you focus on
the type of job and work
environment you want.
Employers say they are impressed by job candidates who have excellent
communication skills, good
grooming habits, and relevant work experience. Employers say they want trustworthy
new hires who can
move right in, get along with their co-workers, and get the job done without
having to be babied at each
step.
Top Qualities & Skills Employers Seek
1. Communication skills (verbal, written, and presentation)
2. Honesty/integrity
3. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
4. Motivation/initiative
5. Strong work ethic
6. Teamwork skills (works well with others)
7. Analytical skills
8. Flexibility/adaptability
9. Technical: technical aptitude required in
position, computer literacy with major
software and maintenance
10.Detail orientated
11.Leadership skills
12.Organization skills
13.Self-confidence
14.Friendly/outgoing personality
15.Tactfulness
16.Well mannered/polite
17.Creativity
18.GPA (3.0 or better)
19.Entrepreneurial skills/risk-taker
20.Sense of humor
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers
Job Outlook 2004 and the Trends in Recruiting Report
2003-2004