Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.
Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
The job market is constantly changing and evolving, with new positions, new industries and new trends to keep up with. As a job-seeker, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out what skills it is that you need to succeed. It’s important to hone your skills and consider how employable you are and what you might be able to do to improve your employability. These are five skills you can develop to improve your chances of getting the job you want.
In This Post:
1. Networking Skills
Networking is a key life skill but it also ranks high for employability and is relevant no matter where you’re at in your career. The ability to forge connections with other people in a way that relates to your industry or profession is important even at the most junior, and senior, of positions. Networking is more than just chatting with someone and exchanging information, it’s about forming a relationship that’s mutually beneficial to both of you. It gives you the opportunity to learn from others, gain career advice from those who are more experienced, maintain important relationships, formulate ideas and organize collaborative projects. It can have an impact on both your personal and professional life as it doesn’t just help you further yourself in your career but also is a great way of building up self-confidence.
Those who are good at networking are usually better presenters, public speakers, negotiators and leaders due to their confidence and ability in navigating face-to-face interactions. You can practice networking skills by attending industry events and making sure to engage in conversations with different people. You never know where a certain conversation might lead. Honing your networking skills is also likely to help you in the interview process as you’ll be more comfortable responding to conversations and having a conversation that flows rather than one that is static.
2. Negotiation Skills
Negotiation is about more than asking for a raise or figuring out money, its a method of settling differences without conflict and reaching a common ground. It is an important skill to have in the workplace, particularly in workplaces that involve collaboration and teamwork. For example, negotiation skills are often needed in meetings, on group projects or for dealing with clients. For this reason, strong negotiation skills are something that employers recognize and respect. Whether you know or it now, you probably spend a lot of your working life negotiating so having effective negotiating abilities is important! As with other skills, improving your negotiation prowess just comes with practice but using effective communication skills, body language and trying to be clear about your expectations at all times can help.
3. Social Media Skills
We live in a digital world where we use social media on a daily basis, for work and for personal reasons. For this reason, it’s important for most jobs that you show that you understand the language of social media and how to navigate most social media platforms. Regardless of the job you’re applying for or looking to get into, an understanding of social media gives you a better understanding of marketing campaigns, reaching clients or customers and driving traffic. This isn’t necessarily about showing potential employers how many followers you have on Instagram but rather showing that you recognize social media trends and how they might be harnessed in your field. Finding ways to boost your social media skills can be difficult, as it’s still a new media, but online education providers like Upskilled provide a range of courses that cover social media, which can be completed in your own time.
4. Code And Analytics
As well as social media skills it can be useful to have a basic understanding of coding and analytics. Even though this may not be specifically related to your role, it gives you the basic skills to understand websites, how to develop them, how to read data and the structure of the online world. Analytical skills in general are important for employability and relevant in almost every industry but in this day and age knowledge of analytics and data-interpretation skills are particularly sought after and beginning to be needed in a whole range of positions. This can serve you well in the job market and give you an added edge over other potential employees. Learning code is fairly complex – almost like learning another language but by doing an online course you can speed up your coding journey and efficiently learn the basics.
5. Organizational Skills
Strong organizational skills ensure that you handle your priorities efficiently and complete tasks in the timeframe that they are expected to be completed in. For employers, organizational skills are important because they signal an employee who will manage their time, workload and resources without having to constantly check in with their seniors. Practicing organization and time management in your personal life can be a good way of improving your organizational skills in other areas of your life. Maintaining a schedule and keeping ahead of your tasks is good practice for what your attitude might be like in the workplace.
