Employability Skills: Tips to Prepare You for the Changing Workplace

In the changing workplace, corporate companies don’t hire people based on their qualifications only, but also on the skills they possess, and how they can communicate and convey their interpersonal value.

Here are 7 employability skills mostly required by employers and can prepare you for the changing landscape of the workplace.

1. Digital Skills

30 years ago, this wouldn’t have made the list. Today however, we are faced with new ways of doing things; the world is becoming more digitally advanced and organizations are going online in droves, thus it is very important to acquire digital skills to get and keep you employed.

The basic digital skills essential in the workplace today and you need to have decent practical knowledge of include; Digital marketing, MS Office tools: PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.

2. Communication. 

Communication skills are highly valued by employers. No matter what you do, you will need to be able to communicate with your supervisors, co-workers, and customers (if any). Communication is two-way – you’ll need to be able to express yourself and listen. These are the basics of communication and may just be the most important skill you could learn. 

Listening will require you to observe and understand the non-verbal communication signals which people send-off like body language & facial expressions, as well as how to respond to those signals. If you say the wrong things, in the wrong way at the wrong times or neglect to listen to what the other person/people are saying, then you will miss very important details and your message may be misinterpreted. Neglecting to learn this skill is also the reason why people fail to connect.

3. Teamwork skills

The ability to work in a team structure is important. The ability to work in a team can be very crucial especially when a deadline is at stake. Not only does teamwork help to meet deadlines, but it also helps to blend the complementary strengths of different team players. Employers value an individual who can take the role of team player and leader.

4. Persuasion Skills.

This is the ability to convince people. Getting people to buy things requires persuasion & communication techniques, so learning the art of selling can teach you this. Persuasion skills can help you to market yourself in the changing workplace

5. Emotional Intelligence

This is the ability to recognize your emotions and those of others, and using the ability to guide your thinking and behavior.

 Feeling such as anger, hatred, sadness or envy tend to get in the way of productivity. They distort your thinking and make you impulsive, which may mess up the flow of your strategy. A simple act of keeping quiet and taking deep breaths when something is making you mad will help you significantly. Find methods of calming yourself down in a tense situation.

6. Analytical and problem-solving skills 

Employers want people who can use creativity, reasoning, and past experiences to identify and solve problems effectively. No matter where you work or the profession, you’re in, you’ll have to invest effort in solving problems when you are the person closest to the work at hand. Learn to test your assumptions and always keep an open mind.

7.  Learning skills 

Jobs are constantly changing and evolving, and employers want people who can grow and learn as changes come.

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