Question for all the job-seekers out there:
What is your endgame?
Are you looking for a job, or are you ready to begin a career?
(Note: If you are “just” looking for a job, there’s nothing wrong with that at all.)
The way you approach your job search depends greatly on the type of position you’re looking for.
If you’re looking for a job – perhaps an hourly or per-diem gig – your focus should be on employment skills.
If, on the other hand, you’re looking to begin a new career, you’ll need to balance your focus between employment skills and employability skills.
In the following article, we’ll discuss exactly what these terms entail – and why it’s important to shift your focus accordingly depending on what you’re looking for.
Related: Is Your Job Search Going as Planned?
Are You Developing These 3 Types of Skills Regularly?
1. Employment Skills (Hard Skills)
Employment skills are the skills required to complete a specific job.
These are the actionable abilities and bases of knowledge a job candidate comes to the table with that prove they’ll be able to do the job in question.
For example, a person applying for a receptionist job will likely be required to use Microsoft Office at an advanced level, be able to type a certain amount of words per minute, and have better-than-average writing skills.
Without these skills, there’s no way the candidate would be considered a top prospect for an advertised clerical position.
Whether you’re simply looking for a job or are looking for an entry-level position to jump start your career, you’ll absolutely need to show you have employment skills.
But, while employment skills are necessary to get your foot in the door, they aren’t enough to help you climb the ladder in your chosen career.
That’s where employability comes in.
Related: What Skills Are You Developing for Your Career?
2. Employability Skills (Soft Skills)
While employment skills are, quite simply, the bare minimum necessary to get hired, employability skills can allow you to gain some upward mobility in your career.
Also known as soft skills, employability skills are the “intangible” abilities that often separate excellent employees from run-of-the-mill workers.
Some of the most sought-after employability skills are:
- Communication/teamwork skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Responsibility
Exhibiting such skills (in addition to basic employment skills) proves that you’d be a valuable asset to an organization not just in position you’re being considered for, but in many other spots as well. In other words, because you have these soft skills, it’s probable that you’re able to fill more than one role within a company.
Perhaps the most important employability skill or characteristic is being a lifelong learner. While the run-of-the-mill worker may be stuck in the same job for years on end because they’re unwilling (or unable) to learn higher-level skills, lifelong learners are not just able to quickly learn new skills and information – they actively work to do so.
Even if you are just looking for a job at the current moment, keep in mind that honing your employability skills is what will truly make you marketable – and will help launch you to levels of success you might never have thought possible.
Related: What Skills Sets Should I Spotlight in My Job Search?
3. Transferable Skills
These skills can also overlap with both hard and soft skills. Are you developing sets of skills that will help you land jobs that you don’t completely fit the description for? Many employers are open to the idea of identifying skills that are close enough to the skills they need or skills that can be modified with on-the-job training. This is why it is so important to map out what you think your career may look like so you can identify possible skills that you need to develop in order to be ready for each career step.
4. Other Skills Employers Are Often Looking For:
Leadership Ability
Non-Verbal Communication
Written Communication
Listening Skills
Analytical Skills
Negotiation Skills
Presentation Skills
Confidence on Phone Calls
Empathy
Networking
Analytics
Management Skills
Divergent Thinking
Innovation
Lateral Thinking
Observation
Questioning Skills
Persistence
People Management
Remote Team Management
Agility
Conflict Resolution Skills
Delegation Skills
Decision Making Skills
Mentoring
Strategic Planning
…and many many more.
Are you looking for a job that is a great fit for your career goal?
Our hands-on approach and single point of contact ensure that each employer and job seeker is treated as our most important customer. This approach, combined with our specific industry knowledge, creates the right fit the first time. Check out these new job opportunities! Contact us to learn more.
It costs you nothing to find a job through The Panther Group! We elevate careers in the following industries and professions: Professional, Accounting & Finance, Engineering, Life Sciences, Information Technology, and Federal
To connect and build your career – call 855-899-JOBS (5627)
