Five Top Job Skills To Add To Your CV

Discover the essential job skills that employers are hiring for and learn how to future-proof your CV.

The UK job market has changed significantly in the past two years, and many people have changed their attitude and approach to employment as a result. As we look ahead, it is our priority that everyone who is looking for a new role has the support they need to find work they find fulfilling.

This is why we have compiled this guide to help you identify what prospective employers are looking for, and what skills you should highlight to help your CV stand out from the rest.

The Big Skill Shift

COVID-19 has brought about major shifts in the way businesses work. As more companies advertise for employees who can work from home, the skills they need to have has also changed. But this doesn’t mean you need to go back to university to succeed. In fact, transferable and soft skills that are expected to remain in high demand - which is great news for those looking to change careers, as you can take these skills with you even when starting out in a whole new industry.

As new trends and technologies emerge, job roles will continue to change, and the skillsets required by employers will keep evolving too. Having a proactive mindset and being willing to learn new skills and adapt will help you stay ahead of the game when it comes to taking the next step in your career.

In a world where the future of work is uncertain, it can be a good idea to learn what employers are looking for in their ideal candidate and develop the skills you need to succeed. Below are the five job skills that you should consider adding to your CV.

1. Adaptability and Resilience

You might be wondering what adaptability or resilience mean in the context of the workplace. Adaptability is highly sought after now as employers look to balance operational management with staffing levels and cost. It means that flexible working hours have become increasingly popular as well as making sure that employees can cope with changing work environments and duties.

While employers are currently doing all they can to get staff back into the office or workplace, it might be that this changes once more in the future. Businesses all over the country are facing tough decisions and are deciding what operating model will work best long term. This means that employers are looking for team players that can contribute in challenging circumstances and work independently when needed.

Likewise, resilience and the ability to cope with changes as they happen and maintain the same work ethic is also highly desirable. Job seekers demonstrating these two qualities will unquestionably be preferred in the current job market.

Examples of words to use on your CV or application are:

Adaptable
Resilient
Flexible
Co-operative

2. Digital Skills

It’s no secret that the workplace is rapidly becoming more tech focused, and we are now well and truly progressing to a fully realised digital age. Of course, this means that computer skills are not only the norm now, but also skills that are much more technical are required. Coding, website administration, programming and database management are now highly desirable, while basic computer skills are simply expected by employers.

If you can, you should look to brush up on your computer skills while undertaking your job search. With plenty of ‘how to’ and ‘learn to’ guides online and on YouTube, this could be the perfect opportunity to add a valuable skill to your overall skillset without spending money. All you need to do, in most instances, is invest your time and dedicate yourself to learning your chosen skill.

Performance is increasingly being monitored by computers and having digital skills on your CV will stand out in most job sectors. Learning new skills now will also help ensure that your job is a bit more future-proof, and as automation becomes more common, you will still be ahead of the technological curve. In terms of overall long-term job security, you can’t go wrong with adding a technical computer skill to your skillset.

3. Data Skills

The world is all about data now, and many businesses are continually looking for new ways to leverage the data they collect to improve their offerings and predict trends. Companies need skilled professionals who can review and analyse this data so that the company can make the right decisions.

This makes candidates with good data analysis skills highly appealing to employers, and even a fundamental understanding of how to read data can help you stand out from other candidates. There are plenty of free online courses and tutorials to help you get started and brush up on your data skills.

4. Leadership Skills

It’s not just ‘new’ skillsets though, and sometimes the traditional skills are equally as important as the modern ones. Take our last two examples for instance: leadership and emotional intelligence. One of the primary drivers that an employer has when employing someone is how passionate they are about the company vision.

Leadership, in this respect, doesn’t necessarily mean the general manager or the department head. Instead, employers are looking for individuals that will create a sense of community within the team, lead by example, and work towards the common company goal. One of the single-best things you can do when applying to a company is attach a cover letter about why you’re enthusiastic to work for them.

That little bit of additional effort can easily demonstrate that you will be an important employee, and willing to go the extra mile for the company that you want to work for. Employers will hire that individual over other applicants in most situations because ultimately, they are concerned about results.

5. Emotional Intelligence

Have you ever worked in a team where everyone clicked regardless of their differences? If you have, this is likely because the team demonstrated a high level of emotional intelligence. Like leadership, this is a mind-set skill or ‘soft skill’ that doesn’t need a qualification or even a proven track record.

You should aim to demonstrate that you are professional, courteous, polite, and conscientious when going about your work duties and throughout any interview process. One of the key considerations an employer will make during the hiring process is where you will fit into the current team and how well you will integrate.

It is your job to convince them that you are going to make the workplace happy and stress free, including that you can work well with others. While leadership is about highlighting situations where you have helped lead a team, or even worked independently to drive a company forward, emotional intelligence is about showing that you can work well in the background without the need for credit. Emotional intelligence is sometimes confused with being able to show emotions openly, instead it is more about the wisdom of knowing when to show emotions and when it isn’t appropriate.

Whether you are actively looking for a new job, or just considering your options for future moves, now is a good opportunity to update your CV, evaluate your skillset against the needs of employers and make sure you are in a good position to stand out as the candidate that they need.

If you need any help preparing your CV or if you would like to see what great job opportunities we currently have available, contact your local Adecco branch and speak with one of our specialists today!

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