What do you need to think about before applying for a role?
What makes you stand out? What makes you different from all the other applicants for that post? Being able to demonstrate a range of transferrable skills will make you far more marketable...
Make sure you have read and understood the job description and the skills, experience and qualifications required to undertake the job. There is no point in applying for a role that you don’t have the skills for.
Be honest about your skills, experience and qualifications. Employers will find out if you have not been honest. If you have a thorough understanding of the role and the competencies that are required this will show the employer that you have initiative, a good eye for detail and want a position that matches your expertise and experience.
What makes you stand out?
Being able to demonstrate a range of transferable skills will make you far more marketable. Think about your transferable skills and how you have utilised them through work experience, part-time jobs, previous roles and outside activities. Be able to demonstrate how your use of these skills has added value to roles and tasks you have undertaken. There are some generic attributes that all employers want from the staff they hire. Being able to demonstrate these effectively will make you much more marketable.
What transferable skills are most important to an Employer?
Ability to adapt to technological changes – our dependency on technology is increasing all the time. Think of ways that you can demonstrate that you have embraced new technology and used it to be more productive and efficient. Be a lifelong learner – It is important to continually update your knowledge and learn new skills. Ensure you continue to update your work related skills through structured courses, on-line learning, reading relevant articles and keeping abreast of legislative changes in your field.
Show a high degree of integrity – Employers need to know that you are honest and reliable. Show that you are committed to fulfilling your role to the best of your ability, that you can commit to deadlines and that you can produce results. Be a self - starter – Think about how you can demonstrate that you thrive in a challenging environment, see problems as an opportunity and that you are optimistic and use your initiative. Employees who demonstrate these skills are more valuable in an organisation as they create a positive working environment.
Demonstrate personal discipline – Employers want people who are disciplined in their work habits and thinking. A disciplined employee requires less management and therefore is far more attractive. Think about both area’s in work and in your social activities where you have demonstrated commitment and focus to a task. Prioritisation and Organisation – Two of the biggest time wasters in an organisation, are not knowing where to start with your work and then working on items that are of low importance. Show that you are able to identify and prioritise work effectively and organise your day accordingly.
Be Adaptable – To survive in the modern business world, organisations have to constantly develop and adapt their business focus and working methods. Show that you thrive in a changing environment and see change and new initiative’s as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Think creatively – Employers are looking for people who are able to think of creative solutions to problems and suggest better and more efficient working practices. Think of ways your ideas have been used previously to improve working practices in your previous employment.
Have a can-do attitude – Show that you can maintain a can-do attitude, even in a negative environment. If you can demonstrate a positive can-do attitude in all aspects of your life this will make you far more employable.
The ability to highlight these skills, both on an application form or your CV and at interview stage will help you stand out. It will show that you have thought about what an employer looks for when recruiting and that you can demonstrate how you have utilised these skills to add value when undertaking tasks.