4 Working Skills Employers Are Looking For in First Jobbers
Getting your first job can be stressful. When you don’t have the experience to appear competitive to the job market, you can feel like you’re never going to get hired. But employers are looking for more than just a background of employment when they’re deciding who they should hire.
When attempting to land your first job, you need to showcase the skills you have that would make you an excellent employee. Rather than focusing on your past experience in the workforce make the following skills the shining stars of your resume:
1. Problem Solving Techniques
When employers hire someone at any level, they want to see that they are capable of solving issues that may arise during their time at work. Problem solving skills show that you are capable of assessing the situation, recognising what is needed, and able to make an informed decision on what the next steps should be. If you are able to solve problems without the guiding hand of your supervisor or employer, it saves time and shows you could someday hold a higher position.
Problem solving techniques can also be found in puzzle solving skills. Being able to solve difficult puzzle such as the serpent cube puzzle, can allow your potential employer to see that you are capable of reading a situation and making the correct decisions and movements to achieve the end goal. Great puzzle solving skills can translate to strong problem solving skills in the workforce.
2. Creative Thinking Skills
While some jobs will call for stronger creative thinking abilities than others, showing you are capable of thinking out of the box can be beneficial for just about any job or industry. Just like problem solving skills, showing you can think creatively proves that you have an open and working mind.
When you can show your potential employer that you are able to come up with new or alternative ways to do business or complete your job, you’re helping them to streamline their process and get more done in a more efficient manner. For creatively focused jobs, having great creative thinking skills will be even more important.
3. Teamwork and Leadership Skills
Oftentimes, teamwork and leadership skills are paired together but it is possible to have one without the other. For starters, teamwork says that you are capable of working with other individuals to complete a task but leadership skills say you have what it takes to step up and take control if necessary. Some individuals are great at teamwork, but too fearful to take a leadership position. Others are unwilling to step out of the leadership spotlight if necessary.
Proving you have both teamwork and leadership skills are important for any job and industry. No matter what you do or what field you choose to go into, you will be working with other individuals. You need to be able to prove that you can take and follow directions. On the other hand, employers looking for employees would rather hire individuals that can move up into leadership positions in the future, so leadership skills are important as well.
4. Ability to Organise and Plan
When you’re entering into a new job, one of the biggest concerns an employer may have for you is organizing and planning skills. Because your manager can not be around to monitor what you’re doing and ensure your tasks are completed on time, you need to prove that you are able to handle your workload on your own.
Having great planning and organisation systems in place can show that you are capable of following a schedule, meeting due dates, and staying on top of your work and assignments. This can prove to your potential employers that you are serious about your work and willing to take on more responsibilities. When you can easily handle the stress of an entry level job, you will be more appealing for raises and promotions in the future.
When it comes to getting your first job, you aren’t necessarily at a disadvantage because you don’t have job experience. Instead, focus on showcasing the job competencies you do have, such as organisation skills, problem solving skills, creative thinking skills, and teamwork and leadership skills.
If you’re lacking in any of these areas, focus on building up that particular skill through career development pathways. Take a class, get some practice, or take advantage of the many resources available to you that can help you grasp these skills before your first work day comes around.
