Importance of Employability Skills in a Job

The employment market is more competitive nowadays. Employers are now looking for employability skills in their potential workers in addition to subject matter competence. Technology is constantly changing, and if you are unable to upskill to stay relevant in your field, you will inevitably fall behind your colleagues. Another reason why many people are having trouble starting their careers is that businesses emphasize the importance of “employability skills,” which go beyond qualifications and experience.

Employability skills are personal qualities that make you “employable”. They’re sometimes referred to as “soft skills” or “transferable skills” because they’re distinct from your technical knowledge and work experience and may be applied to virtually any position in any industry. For example, Employers want to recruit someone who is dependable, hardworking, and gets along well with their co-workers, these are all employability abilities.

Your education qualification and experience may be sufficient to qualify for a job today, but you will need soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving to be successful in most emerging technology professions. Employability skills are soft skills that will help you perform at your best in your job. 

How you interact with others is influenced by your personal characteristics, habits, and attitudes. Employers value employability skills because they indicate how well you interact with co-workers and clients, as well as how well you will manage your job performance and career achievement.

Some employability skills that employers are looking for in the current job market, and different ways to improve employability skills.

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Being able to communicate clearly is an important skill for everyone. It is critical to our capacity to collaborate, and your job may need you to communicate effectively with both co-workers and customers. This includes listening and understanding and acting upon what others are saying or instructing. 

• Team Work

In almost any workplace, teamwork is essential. When working on a number of group projects, an individual must be able to work well with others and bear their fair portion of the workload. Even if a person does not work on many team projects, they must be able to collaborate well with co-workers and managers.

• Leadership 

Although you are unlikely to start your career in a leadership role, having the attributes of a leader is advantageous, especially if you want to grow your career swiftly. Taking charge of a collaborative project or simply taking the initiative with a piece of work are examples of leadership. 

• Critical Thinking 

Critical thinking is the ability to think critically about an issue, a piece of information, or an argument before making a decision. It necessitates both creative and rational thinking. Employer’s value critical thinking as a soft skill because they will often require their employees to come up with creative solutions to difficult problems. A university degree is one of the most effective ways to build critical thinking skills. 

• Problem Solving 

Problem solving is the act of determining the issue, identifying the cause of the problem, selecting the best possible outcomes and implementing it. A good problem solver helps to overcome obstacles by resolving complex issues. They are an asset to any organisation as they help the team to optimise their efficiency.

• Computer Literacy 

Computer skills are hard abilities that are necessary in all jobs, but most employability skills are soft skills. While some careers in the technology area (such as software developers or IT specialists) require substantial programming knowledge, the majority of jobs just require basic computer skills. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to use computers for coursework and research at university. You’ll be much better prepared for the business world if you can obtain expertise with Outlook, Excel, and other Microsoft Office programmes.

Employability is a skill that individuals should have to continue their career in life. It’s crucial to stand out in today’s competitive job market. Employability skills can help you in this endeavour. Given the intense competition in the workplace, possessing employability skills continues to remain vital for success.