Top 7 Skills that Employers Look for in Fresh Graduates

“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.” — Robert Greene

In today’s competitive world, upskilling yourself with soft & hard skills is imperative if you want to stay on edge with others. Therefore, it becomes highly important for fresh graduates to know the list of in-demand skills to land the right job at the beginning of their career. A wise beginning of your career can yield exponential growth over time. So let us explore and understand these list of skills one by one:

List of Skills for Job & Career Development for Fresh Graduates:

1. IT & Digital Skills

In the digital age, almost all businesses rely on computers, technology, and employees who possess the right technical skills. Owing to the digitalisation of businesses, the demand for IT skills has skyrocketed. Therefore, it is no surprise that IT is among the most salient job skills for career development.

2. Time Management Skills

Punctuality is a character trait. Managing your time effectively at work, and accomplishing all tasks within time is the most important skill. In today’s fast-paced workplace, managers look for employees who can perform multiple tasks and manage their time accordingly, thus yielding better productivity.

3. Flexibility and Adaptability to Change

Employers find employees more productive who are flexible and adaptable to any changes that may occur in the organisation. You may be asked to travel, relocate to another branch, or apprehend new company policies. As such, you’re expected to adapt to any such situations quickly and effectively. If you are adaptable to such changes you will be a favoured employee.

4. Ability to Work Under Pressure

Jobs come with demands, pressure, responsibilities, accountability & deadlines. You will definitely encounter many such instances wherein you will be expected to meet targets & expectations within a short time. In order to function well in any organisation you need to build the ability to work under pressure. Meditation & deep breathing could help you with this.

5. Written and Verbal Communication Skills

Effective written and verbal communication skills can take you to places! This is one of those beneficial job skills for career development that can make you a prospective employee for management. Expressing yourself effectively in meetings & in emails can help you advance in your career. Especially during job interviews, it is crucial to have presentable communication skills.

6. Teamwork and Collaboration Skills

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” – J.K. Rowling. Unity is not only fundamental in our society, but also in workplaces. No business owner would like to have a team with disputes and conflicts. You must be a team player and work collaboratively in order to meet the company’s goals and vision. Working in a team also helps to better understand each other’s perspectives, initiate new ideas and in maintaining healthy relationships.

7. Analytical or Problem-Solving Skills

Entrepreneurs and managers aim to hire people with analytical skills. An analytical person can access any problem and bring forth the ideal resolution. This job skill made it to our list since if you’re able to show off your analytical skills at the right time, you will become an asset that the organisation cannot think of replacing. This skill is a blend of research, communication, creativity, critical thinking and data analysis qualities.

What Else Should I Keep in Mind While Preparing for a Job?

Apart from the essential list of skills for jobs that we just discussed, you should also prepare yourself well for an interview. Let’s discuss what else matters to the recruiters while hand-picking a candidate:

1. Cover Letter

A cover letter is like a personalised application letter that you send along with your resume. The particulars of the cover letter describe how you are a good fit for the particular job that you have applied for. 

• Give your short introduction
• Explain your skills or certifications that apply to this job role
• Describe any relative internships or experience
• Explain why you are qualified for this job
• Leave your contact details

2. Resume

Bear in mind that before appearing for the interview, your resume has to compete with other resumes for you to get shortlisted for the interview. A well-crafted resume is a way to flaunt your qualifications, certifications, skills, achievements, internships & personality. These things let the recruiter decide if you could be a fit for the job role. So, it is absolutely important to write a resume with a good strategy which includes the choice of template, and the content. 

3. Letter of Recommendation

A letter of recommendation is written by someone on behalf of an applicant in order to assert the person’s educational or professional performance and skills. LOR plays a vital role in getting a job as it shows and tells the recruiter about you by a credible third person (internship manager, college professor, HOD or any senior professional).

4. The Interview Preparation

Interview preparation is an important aspect of the entire process, especially for fresh graduates who are looking to start their career. In order to outshine others, you need to have the right preparation for cracking your interview. You should be well aware of the frequently asked questions in an interview as per the industry you want to step in. You should also keep in mind these things while preparing for an interview:

• Practise how to speak clearly and confidently in front of a person or mirror 
• Wear smart formals and look neat and clean
• Research well about the company where you are going to give an interview

We highly recommend this 2-minute read if you’re preparing for an interview: Job Interview Etiquettes: 10 Tips to Impress Employers

Conclusion

We hope you learnt something of value from our list of skills for job & career development discussed above. Being a fresher you need to show that you are a passionate potential candidate and possess the right skills for the job. It is also crucial for you to stay updated with the job market and trends in order to stay relevant & competitive.