The Top 10 Valuable Skills And Traits Employers Look For

The Top 10 Valuable Skills and Traits Employers Look For:
The Must-Haves


If you were in the place of the employers looking for individuals to fill in their vacant job positions, you would also want the best around so that your organization will be filled with efficient people.

This is perhaps why one usually succumbs to another applicant who is more qualified than he is to take the position. At times, one may feel that he or she is very much capable of doing the job more than satisfactorily but yet fails to get the job offer from prospective employers - precisely because others may be able to do the job even better and more effectively.

Those who are more qualified than the rest gets the apple's eye of those screening the job applications. Qualifications are based on educational degrees attained, work experience, special skills & traits possessed, and that rare know-how on certain industries. It is thus critical that one figures out what can give him the edge over all others, and thus increasing the chances of getting hired.

Below are some of the most sought after skills and traits by employers.


1. Smart and Hard Working

Employers would appreciate individual who work hard and smart. Employees who give their all, and would not waste valuable company time is truly an asset to the organization. More so, if these employees work smartly to go along with their devotion to their work, they will go a long way and will be able to achieve a lot for the organization.

2. Problem Solving Skills

In the course of one's work, there will surely be problems along the way. Whether it be one that involves, products, services, inter-department coordination, external customers and with peers - issues and problems will arise.

And if you are one who is capable to meet with the necessary personnel and able to come up with agreed upon solutions effectively, then you become one valuable individual in the organization. Being a part of the solution, rather than adding to the problem will benefit the whole organization.

3. Computer Literate

Computer skills are a necessity nowadays. These include basic knowledge on operating system use - and having some networking basics would be a plus.

Business solutions are pretty much dependent on software application to make the job of monitoring important business data more efficient and easier. Knowledge on these will help out applicants in getting the job they want.

In a manufacturing setting for example, if one is familiar with JDE or Oracle software for monitoring inventories and is able to effectively navigate his way through the various menus and transactions involve in the software - he will most likely land the position that requires such software use.

Knowledge on Microsoft Office applications as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Frontpage, etc. will be an added advantage to you. Especially if you have expertise, say in Microsoft Excel - which is powerful enough for some database use and data calculation needs - will be another plus factor for you.

4. Systems-oriented

One who is systems-oriented carefully studies the business processes involved in his particular area. He learns it religiously and refers to it to guide his decision-making and his coordination efforts with other departments.

As one is well learned on his area, he also starts to study those higher business processes outside his department that affects him indirectly. In no time, he will be able to make appropriate decisions not only for his department but those involved in a higher scale.

Being systems-oriented would also mean that one will find ways to do things better. Continuous improvement becomes his drive - as improvements on the existing systems or business processes would mean convenience and ease of carrying out tasks in one's department. This would also lead to being able to increase the chances of meeting the departmental and organizational goals.

5. Management Skills

If one has the potential to ably manage a group of people, then he can be eventually considered and promoted to handle higher positions. Management skills can be studied and learned.

It can even be practiced until one becomes comfortable with it - as can be seen on situations where a good worker is promoted to a management level position. While the good worker may not be prepared for the job, the challenge can be faced head on. And if you are a job applicant and has the guts to take on such responsibility, the right opportunity may just pop up for you to answer. One needs to understand that if given the chance, don't be afraid to grab it and put your management skills to the test.

One can find good books to read on management and leadership. One may also find free useful resources over the Internet for this purpose.

You may also consider finding a mentor who can guide you through. Find one who is experienced enough to know the ropes of the profession, and get under his wing to learn from him. You can refer to him on management issues that trouble you. In this way, you will find someone to guide you and re-assure you of your decision-making. But one must not become to overly dependent on this other person, and sooner or later - you must know how to stand on your own and have your own independent decisions.

6. Results-oriented

It is a good thing to be able to put into writing specific action plans that would lead to the achievement of company goals - but implementing these and being able to deliver without excuses is another story.

One may be capable of coming up with the best plan, may it be in whatever terms, but if one fails to get the final results needed to say that the project was a success - overall the whole effort is still a failure.

While the efforts may be worthy of praise, the fact remains that the objective and the end goal has not been met. In extreme cases, this may be costly to the organization and perhaps could mean a loss of business.

It is thus crucial that employers are able to find employees who can deliver - no matter what. Reasonable excuses are acceptable - but positive results are best.

As between hiring someone who works hard - even religiously at that, as compared to someone who puts little effort but gets the results, would mean a hire for the latter. After all, it is not the efforts that are measured, but the results. Because in the end, what makes money for the organization is the final product, and not the activities or efforts behind it.

7. Analytical

Employees that display good analytical skills are able to function effectively in the organization. They will be able to find answers to problems encountered in the course of his work. They are also able to quickly grasp what is happening and what can be done to remedy the issues.

Being analytical would also mean that one has good chances of being a good planner. It is of no doubt that they will be able to understand the consequences of a particular decision, and they are usually able to put contingency plans in place. Analytical employees can design projects that may become fail proof and have more chances of succeeding.

8. Mature

A workforce may have a lot of senior staff or workers and yet finding a mature individual among them is like searching for water in the desert. Mature employees are level-minded, and they are rational people. They don't keep on rumbling about the issues and problems the organization faces, rather they do what they can to improve the situation.

Mature employees are an asset to the organization. Not only do they provide for stability of the mindsets and emotions among their peers, they respond will with good reasoning on the side of management. They are able to agree on legitimate compromises for the good of both labor and management side.

9. Consistent

Being efficient is one thing, but being consistent is another thing altogether. Consistency perhaps is difficult to achieve - especially as human nature tends towards inconsistency for various reasons.

One would be being complacent after a good showing of performance - feeling already having proved himself, he tends to not provide for much effort in being more efficient than before. Another would be fatigue, which results after too much work and not having time to relax and take a break from work. Another reason is laziness, which may be a problem by many who have lost the drive to perform as per standard.

An ideal employee should be able to motivate himself well - without the need to rely on external motivators to push him towards an excellent work. Though company initiated programs for motivational purposes are a welcomed thought, employees should not wait for such to render a noteworthy performance.

10. Trustworthy and Loyal

Employers would probably die for employees who can be trusted upon whether in their line of work or in confidential matters. Their loyalties are definitely valued upon. These values are so basic and yet so rare nowadays.

If you are then able to prove and show that you are such. You will have less competition in this area, and this would be a definite plus for you.


Examining and Working Towards a Reformed You

Check if you have any of these valuable skills and traits that employers are looking for to hire. Most of the skills can be learned - either by books, short-term courses or through hands-on job experience. However you may be able to learn this is immaterial, what counts is you are working towards improving your skills.

Employers will also appreciate individuals who work hard to learn - whether it be directly related to his field to gain the necessary expertise, or those that can give one a broader perspective and understanding of a wide-range of knowledge. Either way, the fact that you are continuously learning spells out your commitment to self-improvement and excellence - which the employers could also relate to your attitude at work if hired by them.

Some traits here require a personal conviction and commitment. It may be read in books, but will be difficult to apply in actual scenarios without the necessary personal discipline - but completely doable.

Traits as being mature and consistent, all relies on your personal commitment to do so. We all know what we have to do in certain situations, as we all know how mature people act - but when it comes down to actually acting as one when the situation requires for it, would become a challenge that many usually fails.

Being consistent also requires discipline on one's part to continue with excellent performance - but as time goes by, performance levels drop down. Still, many know what one has to do to maintain such level, but eventually fail to be consistent.

Yes, it is somewhat difficult to live on higher standards and possessing such traits, but if one is really decided to live by such standards, it is possible. Trustworthiness for example is difficult if you are not clear of your personal principles and the ideals that you live by. But if you really and finally commit to principles that really matter in work and more importantly in life, the game is half won - and you'll possess these traits naturally from then on.

All these valuable skills and traits that employers look for can be found in you. With some effort and personal conviction, you are on your way to becoming an ideal individual that employers are looking for to be part of their organization. And when you finally get the chance to prove yourself in their organization, you will surely not be a disappointment.