Key skills we should be developing!

I listed to a TED Talk the other week about the education system in the UK and what we could be doing wrong. At the moment, we teach our children knowledge to enable them to pass exams – from primary school, to secondary school, right through to university. But what about the possibility of developing key skills through education to enable them to do well in life? Skills that will help them succeed, skills that an employer like me would like to see in candidates…. I just wondered what your thoughts were on this?

What differentiates one candidate from the other during the job application process? If you filter down to a final 2 or 3 candidates for a role, all with the same experience or qualifications, what would make somebody stand out from the rest? For me, it would be attitude every time. I warm to personalities and work ethics rather than qualifications – after all skills can be taught. I personally look for hidden gems in candidates – people who can be nurtured and mentored to be amazing.

There are certain qualities in a candidate which can make them stand out. Key skills which I believe we should also be developing in our employees. Skills which you don’t learn at school or university, but skills that will set you up for life. I have had to cut it down to just a few as there were so many I could mention!

·        Problem solving. This is a skill which is very high in demand as it’s important to be able to trust your employees to make the right decisions if you aren’t there 24/7. I often tell my colleagues I don’t want to know the problem – I want to know what you are going to do about it!

·        Team work. I’m all over this and really encourage team work in my business. I want to see people rolling up their sleeves and mucking in – I do it myself too. There’s no “I” in “TEAM” remember.

·        Creativity. I love creative people! It’s really comforting to be able to put somebody in charge of a project and know they will deliver. Thinking outside of the box, being pro-active, that kind of stuff. This is a really difficult one to teach – it’s more of a personality trait I suppose but definitely something I look out for in recruitment.

·        Flexibility. The ability to be able to manage multiple assignments at the same time and being able to work under changing conditions. Being able to adapt is a big advantage to me – especially if your business likes change a lot!

·        Self-confidence. This one takes time, and a lot of nurturing. Don’t expect to send your most nervous and shyest member of staff to a huge networking event or ask them to present to a team of people. Small steps, lots of encouragement – and you will get there in the end.

But the best candidates of all are probably those that have a little bit of all the above in them – no pressure! At The Works, we have just recruited a graduate who is training with us to be a recruitment advisor. He’s brand new into the industry and is being mentored and developed internally. And if you can offer somebody an opportunity like that – who’s going to decline your offer? If you invest in your people you will get a good return. What better way to learn new skills and be your absolute best when you are learning from the experts who are already doing the job. It’s a no brainer for me, and I encourage it in all businesses!

Happy #LearningatWorkWeek!