Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
The business world is constantly changing, which means work related skills are changing as well. I thought it might be productive to share a list of skills every employee should have. Regardless of your job title, this is a list of skills that companies expect everyone to possess.
Some people might say this list is basic – and it is. That’s exactly the point. I regularly hear frustration from recruiters that candidates don’t have these skills.
Customer Service – Whether you work in the goods or services sector, understanding the value of customers is essential. This includes the proper way to greet customers, remembering their name, and answering customer inquiries.
Communication (written and verbal) – You don’t have to speak professionally or write books. Employees do need to know basic grammar and sentence construction. And when you have doubts, know how to look rules up. There are great resources available like ”The Elements of Style” by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White.
Technology – This is related to both hardware and software. Organizations today expect employees to know how to apply for a job online, participate in a video conference, and take computer-based training. They also expect employees to have introductory word, spreadsheet, and presentation processing skills.
Data, Metrics, and Analytics – Employees need to have some math skills. We’re not talking algebra or trigonometry. Employees should know basic arithmetic and statistics so when they are presented with data they know how to use it to solve problems.
Research and Information Gathering – This ties into the previous point about data and problem solving. In today’s world, we have to figure some stuff out on our own. Whether it’s searching the internet to troubleshoot a problem we’re having or collecting accurate data to calm an unhappy customer.
Problem Solving – Employees need to be able to do critical thinking, reasoning and problem solving on their own. Other people cannot solve all our problems. Find a problem-solving model that works for you.
Organizational Skills – I’m going to lump planning and scheduling into this category as well. Everyone has multiple things going on in their lives. We all have to find a method for keeping a list, putting it on a calendar, or whatever. But forgetting stuff and missing due dates isn’t an option.
Empathy – By now, we all understand that empathy is not sympathy. But empathy can be very difficult to learn. It’s a key component to customer service, effective communications, and teamwork.
Teamwork – Speaking of teamwork, no matter who we are and what job we have, it’s impossible to do it alone. Employees must be able to work with others. This means communicating effectively, empathizing with others, and learning from them. Virtual workers are not exempt from this.
Learning – Being a lifelong learner is not just a workplace slogan. It’s a reality. Today’s workplaces require us to continuously learn new skills. Employees should be open to new learning experiences, aware of how they prefer to learn, and prepared to articulate their learning style to management.
So, there’s the list. Now let’s talk about how to use it. A quick career development exercise for anyone: For each of these skills, rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 (1=very little knowledge to 10=consider yourself to be an expert). Any area you’ve rated yourself less than a 5 might be worth some focus. You can develop skills by doing three things.
Reading – books, blogs, magazines, or online content
Listening – podcasts, webinars, or attending conferences
Doing – volunteering for a task or practicing a skill during training
Over time, this list might change. Or there will be a new aspect to a skill like I could see technology being a skill for a very long time but the types of hardware and software that employees need to know changing. The key is to regularly take inventory of your skills and set goals to keep your skills relevant.
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