Planning a career change in 2023? These are the skills recruiters are most impressed with and how to recognise them in yourself.
The great resignation, job hopping and quiet quitting have become post-pandemic trends, changing the recruitment landscape immeasurably. Skills which were once prioritised in a job interview, such as technical skills, are no longer the employers most sought-after traits.
Recruiters are now more keen to identify skills that leverage the development of other skills, with five fundamental behavioural skills being highly sought after, according to recent research by US recruitment firm Cappfinity. These five foundational capabilities enable individuals to acquire new skills and abilities which they can continue to use throughout their careers.
In order to understand ourselves from a skills perspective, the best thing to do is so consider the things we are good at and the things that give us energy. The magic happens when the things we are good are also the things we are motivated to do and this is when we can develop a skill into a strength.
These are the five skills recruiters are most impressed with in today’s highly competitive workplace, and how you can recognise them in yourself.
1. Curiosity
Curiosity may have killed the cat but a curious and enquiring mind is key to learning and expanding your horizons. A curious person is excited by new experiences and situations because they offer opportunities for discovery and personal growth.
A way of demonstrating this skill in a job interview could be to think about a time when curiosity has been an asset to your work. Perhaps it enabled you to gather information quickly and complete a task more efficiently, either in or outside of the workplace. Think of an example and be sure to weave it into the conversation.
2. Learning agility
Do you enjoy learning new things covering a wide range of topics and are able to quickly pivot from information discovery to application, to then moving quickly on to something new? If so, then learning agility is a skill you possess.
Recruiters will be delighted to hear about a time when you’ve learned something new and been able to quickly apply it, or where new knowledge has led you to quickly adjust your thinking.
3. Critical analysis
If you possess the ability to be able to look at things from different perspectives, as well as enjoy working with a variety of different people to make informed decisions and identify next steps, then you are more than likely a critical thinker. Complex concepts, such as numerical or graphical information, are easy for you to grasp. You might not be a mathematician, but perhaps you have an interest in data. Be sure to let your interviewer know of a time when having a different perspective on things had a positive impact on your work.
4. Collaboration
Collaborative skills are essential to achieving results, and people who enjoy not only contributing but also delivering on shared goals can consider themselves collaborators. You are able to easily adapt your communication style to suit both in-person and virtual situations, although you would opt for in-person every time because you are a people person. Find an opportunity to let your interviewer know what kind of teammate you are and can be and how, if you were to get this role, you would present on a daily basis.
5. Growth mindset
People with a growth mindset tend to be desirous of conquering new challenges, even if to do so they require persistence in order to succeed. Such individuals posses an inner confidence and self-belief that their goals can be achieved and they find it motivating to work on projects which are out of their usual remit or comfort zone.
In an interview situation, try and find the opportunity to highlight this strength by giving an example of when you were able to overcome a challenge which required resilience and persistence, and which allowed you to grow both professionally and as an individual.
Ongoing development
These skills should be thought of as accelerators and tools which will assist with both enhancing and further developing your career. Whether you are a recent graduate, getting back into work, or looking for a new role, showcasing these skills in an interview will demonstrate that not only are you qualified for the position for which you are being interviewed, but that you also possess the potential to grow within the organisation and progress to leadership roles in the future.
And it’s not just on a professional level that these skills will help you develop, but also as an individual. When combined, these skills enable a deeper understanding of yourself, how you challenge yourself, how you interact with others and how you use information. This understanding will give you the foundation to develop further skills and strengths, always learning, always growing. We are never a finished product, there’s always room for self improvement.
Images courtesy of Press Association
