Scooping a job takes more than just academic qualifications and experience, a lot more entails. Although every job has certain requirements that employers are looking for, there are extra skills that can earn one a job. These skills can make you more marketable to recruiters and can be highlighted in resumes, cover letters and interviews. Some of these include; Communication skills According to Edwin Kwizera, an entrepreneur and business manager, communication is a very rich skill that every employee should possess; this is because succeeding in your career requires good communication skills. Communication is a transfer of information to produce greater understanding. It can either be vocally through verbal exchanges, through written media either books, websites, and magazines, or visually by using graphs, charts, and maps or nonverbally through body language, and gestures. He says being a great communicator, goes hand in hand with listening. “With communication, you keep eye contact; for instance, look the person in the eye to indicate that you are focused on the conversation, no one wants to talk to someone who is absent-minded. It is also a good virtue to respect what others have to say as well,” Kwizera carries on. He adds that most conflicts are a result of miscommunication, poor articulation or misinterpretation of a message, therefore, the potential to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues and managers is crucial no matter what sector you work in. Interpersonal skills Kwizera notes that Interpersonal skills are skills that allow you to interact with and work well with others. For him, Interpersonal skills are important for communicating and working with groups and individuals in your personal and professional life. People with strong interpersonal skills in most cases craft good relationships. People with interpersonal skills form and maintain social bonds, relate to the situations of others, collaborate with others, apologise and reconcile differences and most importantly, influence others successfully, he adds. Organisational skills Indeed career guide, an incredible website for business and career stories, states that organisational skills are essential to an employee’s productivity, time-management and goal achievement. They are beneficial in any professional position and are highly sought after by employers. Organisational skills that are really important include, planning, critical thinking, attention to detail and conflict management. Computer skills Nearly every occupation requires the use of a computer in some capacity. Many jobs require more in-depth knowledge of computers, so including this skillset on your resume is necessary to show employers you are familiar with computer basics at a minimum. If the job you are applying for requires more advanced computer skills, be sure to highlight these on your resume as well if you possess them. Computer skills to highlight include being able to use word processing, spreadsheets, social media, data visualisation and email communication. Strong work ethics Irene Kirabo, an employee in a marketing and advertising company, says that a strong work ethic means employees are devoted to completing assigned tasks. Employers are interested in employees they can trust to perform their duties in time and meet deadlines without having to manage them all the time. She also points out that strong work ethics encompasses loyalty, trustworthiness, integrity, respect, care, responsibility, accountability and much more.
