Ever dreamed of quitting the job you hate, but refrained from it because you think you will not get another one easily enough? While it is true that given the current market scenario, it might be tough securing a job that you love AND that pays you well, it is also true that there are a few hacks which will help you always be job ready. Every job description requires a specific skill and competency set, however almost 75% of these skills are common across all jobs. Brushing up on them gives you an edge over your competitors, and also boosts your self-confidence!

Over the next two posts, we decode 8 such skills you must treat as indispensable learning or fine-tuning necessities for any job you apply to, or be job ready – always! Happy Reading! 🙂

Communication Skills –

To be able to speak, listen and write effectively sum up communication skills. Just this can take you a long, long way. Communication skills are one of the first things on the skill set requirements for every job you can possibly think of. Once again, this skill is often not taken very seriously. A recent survey shows that when a group of employers were asked what is the foremost skill they assess a candidate on, 95% of them answered it to be communication skills. To be able to articulate yourself clearly, correctly and effectively both verbally and on paper, is the first skill you must perfect to help yourself always be job ready!

Social Quotient –

How socially aware are you? Being socially aware essentially means knowing what’s going on around you. Often we underestimate the importance of keeping in touch with news and current affairs. Imagine walking into an interview and being casually asked about your opinion on the recent local municipal elections and you being stumped! While news and social media are crucial contributors to your social quotient, the real thing is to have socially relevant conversations within your networks and amongst your friends. Be it a casual Friday night out with friends or a formal business dinner, you will learn how to develop your own understanding and opinions regarding issues and not simply spout what you happened to listen to or read.

Tech Quotient–

Many of us come from a generation who have a bone to pick with technocracy. Unfortunately (or fortunately), it is here to stay. Which implies you need to have a decent technological IQ if you wish to secure the job you have your eyes on. Set up a LinkedIn profile, get a GitHub profile if you are a developer, master the tricks of working on MS Excel, frequent Quora. These are great ways to hone your Tech-Quotient and enhance your employability.  P.S. : You’re in a bit of trouble if you just heard these names – Quora, LinkedIn, et al.

Interpersonal Skills–

While you are entitled to your opinions and perspectives, so are others. Respecting and accommodating the views and perspectives of your colleagues even though you may not agree to it a hundred percent make you a likeable and amiable person. Being nice and agreeable with people you may not exactly call ‘friends’ sure is difficult, but that is the challenging bit about mastering interpersonal skills. If you are to work in a team, which all of us eventually do have to, no matter what the job is, interpersonal skills are vital. Ask yourself this guiding question to know where you stand when it comes to interpersonal skills, ‘do people enjoy being around me and working with me?’ If they don’t, you know what to do  🙂

Read part II of this series for the next 4 skills to be job ready. Evaluate yourself honestly against this checklist. Where do you need to improve? Do you need to learn a new tech skill or update your LinkedIn profile or step away more from your laptop and meet and interact with new people ? What are the to-dos you can add to your daily or weekly routine to help you keep yourself updated against this checklist ?