by Troy Behrens
"What skills are necessary for success in the workplace?" Ask job-seeking students, new employees, and employers—you’ll get a different answer from each group.
The reasons the answers differ is the skills needed at one phase of the "career-success formula" are quite a bit different from those at another stage: all are situational skills. For example, the skills a student must possess to get a job offer differ greatly from the skills needed to perform on the job.
Job-Searching Students
| Students say employers are looking for: |
- Good writing and communication skills—a top priority regardless of your career choice
- Leadership skills
- Time management skills
- Confidence, but not over-confidence
- Willingness to start at the bottom
- Studying the company ahead of time to save time in training
- Treating your classes like you are at work
- Openness to a wide variety of opportunities
- In an interview, show that the company is #1 on your list and know in advance what you will likely be doing
- Willingness to work in teams
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| Employers are looking for new hires who are: |
- Personable
- Upbeat
- Not intimidated to ask questions
- Have analytical thinking
- Don’t need continuous supervision
- Firm but not overbearing
- Have prior work experience
- Goal-driven
- Willing to take on the unknown
- Punctual
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| New hires say these are the skills that will get you noticed: |
- Communicate effectively
- Manage your time well
- Focus on customer service
- Ask lots of questions
- Accept change
- Manage stressful situations
- "Job shadow" a veteran staff member
- Network
- Have patience in the hiring process
- Take your time learning the ropes
|
What skills spell success on a new job? It depends on who you ask.
Students agree, being personable and having exceptional communication skills are most significant qualities a job hunter needs to get an offer.
One student stated, “Even though you have a degree, it doesn’t mean you’re in the door. A lot of students rejoice after finally obtaining a degree and assume jobs will come looking for them.”
Another said that college does not prepare you for all job conditions. “Graduating as an engineer provides you with a lot of technical foundations to adapt to the tasks of assigned work, but what the academic curriculum does not do is prepare you for a working environment in which verbal and written skills are probably more important than the technical savvy you gain in the classroom.”
What Hiring Managers Want: It’s Not What You Think
Many managers stress: they don’t consider students who have no previous work experience (internships and co-operative programs can give you important experience).
Almost all managers—many with backgrounds in engineering, manufacturing, research, and finance—said they are more concerned with a student’s people skills than with their technical skills.
Get Excited About the Opportunity
Employers listed an additional quality that can set an applicant apart from other job seekers: You must have excitement for the job.
Show your excitement about the job opportunity—but don’t be cocky or demanding—said hiring managers. Don’t ask what the company can do for you. Body language and appearance also are important at the interview: hide your nervousness; make eye contact; don’t chew gum; dress professionally.
Talking about what you want to do; talk knowledgeably about the company; and give the hiring manager open and honest responses.
Recent Hires: “Detail oriented people do very well in the real world”
Most new hires agreed that their college degree helped them in attaining the technical knowledge and training needed for a career. One said: “I use 2 percent of the technical knowledge gained (in high school and college). The rest is reading, writing, arithmetic, and people skills.”
Some new hires said it is important to be willing to learn on your own time and do whatever it takes to get the job done. And many warn that learning the basics of the company and the position can be rough. To ease that transition, they advise:
- Get involved in day-to-day operations up front;
- Work with a senior employee to develop the right techniques to succeed;
- Demonstrate your understanding of how the organization and your department works—this will give you credibility; and
- Keep your manager informed on your progress.
The overall path to success? New hires say: “Detail oriented people do very well in the real world.”