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Whether you’ve never had a job before or you’re simply looking for a new role, landing a job can be difficult. But when you understand the key employability skills employers are looking for, it can be easier to tailor your application, get selected for an interview and perform well. Employers are looking for people with a combination of soft and hard skills. Soft skills include communication, time management, problem solving, collaboration and flexibility. Along with these soft skills, employers are also looking for candidates to have hard skills such as numeracy and literacy, strategic planning and IT skills, which are important to perform well in a role.  

 

These soft and hard skills are in demand in roles in the job market. According to the Talent Shortage Survey, the top five in demand skill clusters are: 
 

 

Many employers are also struggling to onboard new hires with transferable skills like: 
 

 

Employability skills are transferable skills and qualities that are valued by employers as they’re needed for an individual to succeed in their role. 

 

Here’s a list of employability skills employers are looking for: 

 

Having the ability to effectively communicate with your colleagues and customers is crucial to all roles. Many employers will want to understand how you build relationships, communicate and listen to others.  

 

Your CV and cover letter are great ways to show off your written communication skills. You can also highlight any public speaking, presenting or relationship building experience to showcase how effective your  communication is. Don’t forget to thoroughly proof your documents too, or ask someone to.  

 

Resilience is becoming a more prominent skill that employers are looking for. Things won’t always go to plan and it’s important to demonstrate how you’ll deal with this and cope with unexpected changes and challenges. Those who are adaptable to changes are seen to be more effective at problem solving under pressure and showing a positive attitude. 

 

 

Many businesses are looking to employ people with knowledge and experience in their industry. Even if you don’t have experience working in the sector the company operates in, you can still research key information about the sector. Having industry awareness is a transferable skill that enhances your adaptability and allows you to apply industry insights across different sectors. For example, understanding customer behaviours, industry regulations, and market trends can be broadly applied in various roles.  

 

Having leadership skills is crucial, whether you’re applying for a management position or not. It showcases that you’re able to work with and motivate your colleagues to achieve desired goals whether as a line manager or as part of a team.  

 

It’s important that you can proficiently demonstrate organisational skills in the workplace. For example, you may share a time where you managed a project by sharing how you set clear goals and milestones at each stage, how this was communicated across to your team and how you managed tasks.   

 

Having the ability to adapt to challenges and new situations will help businesses grow and stay competitive within the industry. To showcase this, you should discuss new skills you have learnt and any challenges you have overcome. 

 

Showing that you can work well as a part of a team is  an important asset to have. Your day-to-day role in the business will require you to work with other staff members. Highlighting that you can communicate effectively, build relationships and work successfully as a team will show how versatile you are.  

 

Employability skills are important as employers use them to assess whether you would be an asset to the company. Possessing the skills listed will help you better connect with colleagues and the wider business.   

 

Showcase employability skills to potential employers to help demonstrate you’re the right fit for the role!