Skills and the Job Market: ESSENTIAL SKILLS NEEDED IN TODAYS JOB MARKET
The Conference Board of Canada has produced a pamphlet that defines three major Employability Skills that are needed
for todays dynamic world of work. These are: Fundamental Skills, Teamwork Skills and Personal Management Skills.
FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS are skills that are needed as a base for further development.
You will be better prepared to progress in the world of work when you can:
communicate
manage information
use numbers
think and solve problems
PERSONAL MANAGEMENT SKILLS are personal skills, attitudes and behaviors that drive ones potential for growth. You will be
able to offer yourself greater possibilities for achievement when you can:
demonstrate positive attitudes & behaviors
be responsible
be adaptable
learn continuously
work safely
TEAMWORK SKILLS are skills and attributes needed to contribute productively.
You will be better prepared to add value to the outcomes of a task, project or team
when you can:
work with others
participate in projects and tasks
(For further details check out this site: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/education). These pamphlets are also available in our office.
10 EMPLOYERS MOST WANTED SKILLS
1. TAKE INITIATIVE
2. CONNECT WITH OTHERS
3. COMMUNICATE
4. SOLVE PROBLEMS
5. GIVE 110 PERCENT
6. THRIVE ON A TEAM
7. RADIATE POSITIVE ENERGY
8. ENJOY LEARNING
9. MANAGE INFORMATION
10. UNDERSTAND NUMBERS
A closer look at these ten most wanted skills by employers reveals that these fit within
the Fundamental, Personal Management and Teamwork skills listed by the Conference
Board of Canada as listed above.
Transferable Skills
What are transferable skills? We hear of this so often but what does it mean?
Transferable skills are a set of skills that people can transfer from one job to another.
Examples of transferable skills follows:
a willingness and eagerness to learn
good verbal and written communication skills
team work
commitment
dedication and enthusiasm
problem solving and analytical ability
organizational skills
adaptability and flexibility
information technology skills
reliability and honesty
These skills travel with people everywhere they go. Sometimes certain skills are stronger in some people and not so strong
in others. It is your job to know what skills you have, what ones are stronger than others and know how these fit with future job
prospects.
Hard and Soft Skills
We often hear of hard and soft skills. Lately, employers are equally interested in
hiring those that have strong soft skills as well as hard skills.
HARD SKILLS are those skills that are have been gained by education, learned
through work experience and training. For example the following would fall into the
hard skills category:
- proficient in MS Office Suite
- ability to program in XML, Java, HTML, Linux
- keyboarding at 90 wpm
- ability to assemble and weld various pieces of metal accordingly
SOFT SKILLS are those skills relating to people. These might include:
- leadership
- ability to get along with others
- organizational skills
- communication skills
- innovative
- self-starter
- enthusiastic
Soft skills are skills that penetrate the workplace. They create the environment
that everyone works in. Working in an environment where soft skills are utilized
positively, in conjunction with hard skills, will promote a positive work experience, thus
resulting in high quality work with a high productivity level; just what an employer
needs!
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