5 Employability Skills You Didn’t Know You Needed
Lia Hulit is a life and career coach who helps stuck and frustrated individuals build meaningful careers and align with their purpose. I was so excited to connect with Lia and even more so to share her wisdom and knowledge on what you need to make you stand out to employers.
I’ve been on all sides of the hiring equation, as a prospective employee and employer. After vetting, onboarding, and coaching new hires and seeing them take ownership of their roles and go above and beyond, I’m sharing a few tips about what makes candidates stand out. You may think it’s necessary to meet all the qualifications on a job description (it’s not!), or have the technical skills to woo your potential employer (that’s not the most important thing). What I’m talking about has nothing to do with fancy credentials and everything to do with what your employer can’t teach you- skills that you’ll have to hone and own yourself.
These employability skills (truly “HECK YESSES!” for employers), boil down to character traits, soft-skills that show who you are as a person and how you show up professionally:
1. Adapt Easily
Things change, and as many policies and procedures there can be in the handbook, at times a manager will need you to rise up and put in the all-hands-on-deck effort. Some people are too ridged, narrow-minded and set in their ways, or confine themselves to only the duties listed on a job description. When priorities shift, organizations need employees that can be pinch hitters. I once had a staffing emergency that required a team member to pack their bags and relocate to another area of the country. This person was ready, willing and transitioned without complaint, so you can bet they received high recommendations from me afterwards. When you can be flexible, you help your employer and you open yourself up to new opportunities. Instead of limiting yourself, take initiative and be willing to ask what’s needed and how you can be of service or add value.
2. Be an Independent Learner
As a leader, it sucks to be answering obvious questions all day, time is better spent on other things like strategy. No, I’m not going to figure out the wifi password for you... If you don’t know the answer to something, don’t automatically ask. Do your own research first. If you can’t figure it out, find a peer who might be able to help you, but don’t ‘ask up’. Doing so will only show that you weren’t proactive enough to go about finding the answer for yourself. Employers need people who can work independently and problem solve. Google your way to an answer for starters, use colleagues as a resource, and be willing to continually put in the time and effort to learn, self-teach, and continue expanding your toolkit. You don’t have control over whether an employer will invest in you, but you can make the decision to continue investing in yourself (take a Coursera course) and expand your knowledge.
3. Show Solid Decision-Making
Employers can give you flow charts and matrices, but in the end, they’ll need to trust that you have what it takes and can use your wits and principles to make sound decisions in real time. Unfortunately, I’ve had the experience of having to fire someone, and ultimately, it came down to not being able to trust their judgement. I’m not saying you must have the right answer for every situation, but you do need to understand when to ask for help, and what to communicate. While organizational values and processes can explain the how, employers need to be confident that their employees have a solid head on their shoulders and their actions align with organizational values. Consider tough decisions you’ve had to make, and reflect on how you can explain your process and logic to a potential employer.
4. Be a Team Player
Lately, most interviews I’ve engaged with have had some teamwork component, and with good reason! Although some days you may be working independently or even remotely, it doesn’t mean you aren’t part of a team. Everyone needs to possess the ability to listen, collaborate effectively and empathize to work productively with others. Recently, I was part of a five-person consulting team. We couldn’t have been more different, but we took time to understand each other’s strengths, and made a conscious effort to function as a unit. Think back to one of your latest group projects (ahh, I know, sometimes they make you cringe!). Were people competitive and cutting each other off, or intentionally engaging one another to ensure all perspectives are heard? Group dynamics are good indicators of how personalities emerge in the workplace. One place I interviewed called this the ‘asshole test’. Essentially, are you able to get along with others? Yes, you can be smart and hard-working, but are you also kind and drama free?
5. Self-advocate
Starting a new role there’s a lot of pressure. You want to do well and impress your boss. You’re eager to make valuable contributions. At the same time, you may need more support than you’re getting. Being someone who asks for help when they need it is invaluable. Build relationships. Reach out to trusted colleagues for advice. Speak with your manager (preferably before) you’ve worked yourself into a hole and can’t seem to find the way out. Early in my career, I had a safety incident with a student that escalated and they were almost expelled from the program. I didn’t have a close relationship with my boss and never felt comfortable asking them for advice because the rapport wasn’t there. I also wanted to appear as having everything ‘under control’, and so when I came seeking guidance, it was almost too late. Knowing when to ask for help (and not being too proud to admit it), is another workplace essential that’ll have you avoiding crisis and welcoming new opportunities.
Where are you with relation to these five traits? Take some time to reflect: when have you had to adapt or encountered a challenging group dynamic? What was the situation? How did you work through it? What were you really thinking and feeling inside? Considering each of these traits, you’ll be able to identify your strengths and growth areas, and articulating that to an employer is a sure-sign that you’re a valuable addition to the team.
If you are looking for more practical tidbits on building meaningful careers and making social impact, connect with Lia on Instagram: @puravidaperspective, check out her articles, or peruse her current offerings at www.LiaHulit.com.
So much value and great advice in the one post.