Looking for a job can be both challenging and very rewarding. When looking for your first job, a new position, or a new career, you should market yourself by listing essential skills for which employers are looking.
LiveCareer's 2018 Skills Gap Report found that the average job ad contains over 21 skills, while the average resume only lists 13 skills. This is a huge opportunity for jobseekers to better showcase their skills, particularly soft skills such as customer service or communication. Did you know that 15 percent of job ads ask for customer service skills, while 12 percent ask for communication skills?
You can highlight your skills in your resume or your cover letter (or both), but you want to be sure that the recruiters or hiring managers don't pass over you because you lack certain essential skills. Highlighting the skills needed to be successful in a job today alongside specialized training can improve your chances of landing a position in a competitive job market.
1. Skills for Today's Job Market: Computer Skills
In almost every job, you need at least basic knowledge of how to use a computer, which makes this one of the most important skills needed to be successful in a job today. Experience with word processing and spreadsheet programs, such as Microsoft Word and Excel, can give you an even better chance of landing a job. Employers in certain environments, such as offices, expect you to have these types of essential skills because they help you better complete important tasks such as creating reports, putting together spreadsheets, or drafting letters.
Most employers want you to perform basic tasks such as searching for information and writing emails. In some contexts, such as marketing jobs, being able to use social media is among the essential skills that you need to succeed at your job and to eventually earn a higher position.
If you go through an external recruiter, you may be asked to take a test to show your proficiency with certain computer programs. If you feel like you lack skills in this area, there are many websites with online courses. Or, check your local area for continuing education courses at your local community college.
2. Skills for Today's Job Market: Communication Skills
On your resume and during the interview process, you need to show employers that you know how to communicate effectively. In any job, you will use nonverbal and verbal forms of communication to interact with your superiors and coworkers.
You may work with people who have a different communication style than you do. Finding ways to convey messages to them is essential to completing important tasks on time. Knowing how to effectively communicate with others can ensure that you get your work completed faster and develop stronger relationships with your coworkers and superiors.
Believe it or not, customer service is fast becoming one of the most critical skills needed to be successful in a job today, even in roles not typically associated with customer service. That's because these skills go far beyond customer-facing roles. In today's competitive workplace, your boss is your customer. Your employees are your customers. And your peers are your customers. Treating those around you as customers will help you go far.
3. Skills for Today's Job Market: Problem-solving Skills
To be a valuable employee, you need to know how to solve problems as they come along. Among other essential skills, you want to list problem-solving on your resume. And, to be versatile in the workplace and to handle issues as they come up, you need to have critical thinking skills.
Problem-solving skills allow you to understand how to look at tasks and find more efficient ways to complete the work at hand. You can also bring new ideas and positive changes to your workplace, or contribute an idea, product, or service to the company.
4. Skills for Today's Job Market: Project Management
We often think of project management as a skill reserved for someone in technology who keeps IT projects moving forward. In reality, most jobs require some level of project management. Event planners use project management to ensure that events happen on schedule and within budget. Marketers use project management to be sure that plans are completed on time.
If you're using project management at your job, or if you've used it in the past, consider listing it on the skills section of your resume. It's a highly valued, highly transferrable skill to share with a future employer.
5. Skills for Today's Job Market: Customer Service
Believe it or not, customer service is fast becoming one of the most critical skills needed to be successful in a job today, even in roles not typically associated with customer service. That's because these skills go far beyond customer-facing roles. In today's competitive workplace, your boss is your customer. Your employees are your customers. And your peers are your customers. Treating those around you as customers will help you go far.
And job ads agree. Fifteen percent of all job ads cite customer service skills as a requirement. Yet, only 19 percent of resumes contain the skill of customer service. This is a great time to update your resume with this extra skill!
6. Skills for Today's Job Market: Organizational Skills
Another important skill that shouldn't be overlooked is your ability to organize. In fact, 7 percent of all job postings list this skill as an important one. And managers agree. Your ability to organize your work, from your schedule to complex projects, can make or break you when time is of the essence.
If you go through an external recruiter, you may be asked to take a test to show your proficiency with certain computer programs. If you feel like you lack skills in this area, there are many websites with online courses. Or, check your local area for continuing education courses at your local community college."
Putting It All Together
The most valuable skill of all is crafting effective resumes and cover letters that truly highlight your skills. You can be the most skilled employee, but if you don't communicate it through your resume and cover letter, you won't land the job.
LiveCareer is a great resource for creating both an eye-catching resume and cover letter. Check out the site for cover letter tips and resume tips. Then, check out the LiveCareer Cover Letter Builder and the LiveCareer Resume Builder to put your ideas (and skills) into motion.
