Employability skills
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What are employability skills?
• The skills, knowledge and personal attributes you have
developed inside and outside of school, college or university
that can help you get a job and be successful at work.
• The skills and knowledge that are related to doing a particular
job, and doing it well.
• The ability to present yourself (written and spoken) effectively
in job applications and interviews.
• You’ll probably have many of the employability skills that
employers look for – but you just don’t realise it!
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Employability skills and personal attributes
• Employability skills are also known as:
– Soft skills
– Transferable skills
– Key behaviours
– Competencies
– Personal skills
• Personal attributes are your:
– Positive qualities
– Behaviours
– Personality
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Employability skills and personal attributes
• Competencies and attributes that employers look for in
candidates will vary according to the job role, sector etc.
• Do your research for each job you apply for – what skills and
qualities does that employer or role require?
• Then tailor your application or CV to demonstrate how you
have these. Use real examples.
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Examples of transferable skills
• Time management
• Honesty and integrity
• Drive, ambition, initiative
• Flexibility
• Teamwork
• Motivation
• Commercial awareness
• Analytical
• Self-aware
• Organisation
• Goal orientated
• Numerate
• Resilient
• Literate
• Reliable
• Confidence
• Good communicator
• Building relationships
• Problem-solving
• Networking
• Leadership
• Planning
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Relevant skills in business and finance sectors
• Verbal communication
• Self aware
• Written communication
• Drive and ambition
• Planning and organisation
• Numeracy
• Problem-solving
• Professionalism, integrity
• Commercial awareness
• Self-motivation
• Flexibility
• Resilience
• Investigating / analysing
• Computer skills
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Examples of personal attributes
• Resourceful
• Ambitious
• Confident
• Responsible
• Honest, trustworthy
• Warm, friendly
• Adaptable, flexible
• Resilient
• Intelligent
• Persuasive
• Logical
• Determined
• Organised
• Optimistic
• Sociable
• Hard-working
• Practical
• Thorough
• Quick-thinking
• Efficient
• Inquisitive
• Etc….
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Identifying your transferable skills/attributes
• A SWOT analysis can help you identify your which skills or
attributes you have and which you may need to develop:
– S = Strength
– W = Weakness
– O = Opportunity
– T = Threat
• Focus on your strengths, reduce your weaknesses and take
advantage of opportunities available to you.
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What can you gain from a SWOT analysis
Strengths
Weaknesses
Understand your skills/attributes: you
may have more than you think!
Skills/attributes you need to develop or
improve upon to boost your skills
Which skills/behaviours do you have
that match what employers want and
how to evidence this on your CV
Any skills or behaviours you might
need to tone down or keep control of to
help your career
Opportunities
Threats
What opportunities are there to help
you develop, which goals should you
pursue and how will these
opportunities help you reach your
goals?
Are there any threats you need to
manage? How can you use your skills
or attributes to overcome these
threats?
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SWOT analysis: an example
Strengths
Weaknesses
I enjoy being part of a team
I’m scared of presenting
I communicate well
I don’t cope well with pressure
I have great computer/IT skills
I lack confidence in a group
Opportunities
Threats
There is an opportunity to do a
presentation as part of my assignment
at school/university. I should volunteer
for this to practise my skills and gain
confidence speaking in public
I may not have the right skills for the
role
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They may be stronger candidates
applying for the same role
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Employability skills in….sports / societies
• Being part of a sports club, doing sports, club competitions,
team events, student societies etc – can help you develop key
skills such as:
– Teamwork
– Communication
– Organisation
– Time-management
– Leadership (eg, for team captain, coach, tour organiser etc)
– Responsibility
– Motivation / Dedication
• .
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Employability skills in….work experience
• Part-time or full-time work at a restaurant, bar, supermarket,
call centre, petrol station, hairdressers, shop assistant will all
have been a valuable way to help you develop key skills that
most employers will look for:
– Communication
– Customer service
– Time-management
– Responsibility
– Self-motivation
– Problem-solving
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Employability skills in….other experiences
• You may have developed good transferable skills/attributes
through some of the other activities you do or have done:
• Volunteer work
– Communication, dedication, teamwork, responsibility, reliability,
patience, building relationships etc
• Baby-sitting
– Communication, responsibility, reliability, time management, trust
and integrity etc
• Paper round
– Responsibility, reliability, time management, motivation etc
• Anything else?
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Ask yourself …
• What do I know about the profession/sector I’m interested in?
• What are the skills/behaviours that are particularly important for
that sector or profession?
• Where/how can I find out more?
• Do I have the right skills? Is this sector/profession right for me?
• What skills do I need for the role/position I want to apply for?
• Do I have them?
• What examples do I have to show employers I have them?
• What can I do to develop my existing skills?
• How can I develop more of the skills that employers look for?
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What employers look for?
• There are three main things that employers will look for –
whether this is in your application, at interview or in an
assessment centre.
• Can you do the job – do you have the skills, knowledge,
experience etc to do the job.
• Will you do the job – do you have the motivation, attitude etc
to be able to do the job.
• Will you fit in here – do you have the personality, confidence,
outlook to fit in with the company culture, team dynamics etc.
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Next steps
• Get involved in school/university life, sports clubs etc
• Develop your soft skills
• Gain work experience
• What type of jobs / careers are there?
• Research jobs / careers that interest you
– why interesting, what skills would you need, ask someone you
know who has that same career
• Prepare a good CV and describe your achievements and
competencies clearly in your CV
• Always keep your CV up to date
• Look at typical job application forms and practice how you
would fill one out
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