As you start thinking about jobs and your future career, it’s crucial to know about professional skills, work skills, or job readiness skills. These skills are key to not just landing the jobs you want, but also thriving and growing in any career path.
With countless skill lists out there, figuring out where to begin can feel overwhelming. Based on insights from Chief HR Officers surveyed by the World Economic Forum, we’ve highlighted the top work skills< that have consistently been in demand. These are the professional skills that can truly set you apart in the workplace.
Why Good Work Skills Matter in Every Industry
Professional work skills are your toolkit for success in any job. From adapting to job demands to excelling in your role, the right work skills will set you apart in the competitive job market. According to our employers, good workplace skills can make the difference between a good candidate and a great one.
Discover Adaptable Work Skills Today
If you’re wanting to expand your skillset, the best place to start is with work skills that apply to all roles and industries. To get you feeling inspired, here are some of our top picks:
Cognitive Flexibility: The Ability to Adapt and Innovate.
Cognitive flexibility is all about adapting your thinking to fit fast-changing work environments. This work skill is crucial for tackling unexpected challenges and coming up with innovative, solution-focussed ideas. It’s about adapting to challenges and maintaining a positive, can-do attitude.
Negotiation: Mastering the Art of Agreement.
Whether you’re in a meeting or part of a team project, being able to negotiate effectively is key. Active listening and effective communication ensure that all voices are heard, and the best ideas win. Don’t be afraid to negotiate and compromise.
Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and Managing Emotions.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) involves recognising, understanding, and managing your own emotions as well as influencing others. In the workplace, high EI contributes to better team dynamics, leadership abilities, and conflict resolution. Work skills like EI enable professionals to handle criticism constructively, empathise with coworkers, and maintain positive work relationships.
Service Orientation: Exceeding Expectations.
Service orientation is more than fulfilling the basic requirements of your job. This work skill is about understanding your role in the larger framework of your team and organisation. It starts with role clarity – knowing what is expected of you – and how your responsibilities contribute to the broader goals of your team.
This work skill requires a proactive approach to not just meet but to exceed the expectations set for you. It’ll help you position yourself as dependable, forward-thinking and a team player.
Decision Making: Valued Leadership Skill.
Employers highly value decision-making skills as they demonstrate a strong understanding of your role, initiative and the value you can bring to your workplace. This work skill ties closely with working autonomously, giving your employer confidence in your ability to handle important tasks.
Digital Acumen: Essential in a Digital World.
With more roles moving to remote or hybrid work, strong digital work skills are more crucial than ever. Lots of time and productivity can be lost when staff don’t have the know-how to use the technology they need for their roles, so staying up to date is a must!
Data Literacy: The Power of Data-Driven Decisions.
Data literacy is about reading, understanding, and using data to make decisions. In a world that relies more on data every day, being able to analyse and interpret data is critical. This work skill ensures that you can make evidence-backed decisions and stay informed.
Teamwork: Collaboration Drives Success.
Teamwork involves more than just working well with others. Understanding each person’s strengths, including your own, and using them to achieve common goals is essential. Good teamwork is supported by strong communication and delegation skills.
Self-Leadership: Leading from Any Position.
Leadership isn’t just for those in management positions. Self-leadership work skills involve guiding yourself with confidence and clarity, being passionate about your work, and clear communication.
Creativity: Innovation at Its Best.
Creativity extends beyond the arts; it serves as a vital problem-solving skill in any field. A creative mind allows room for asking questions, thinking outside the box and coming up with solutions – all good things in the workplace. Employers value employees with creative work skills as they are often able to find unique solutions to complex challenges.
Critical Thinking: Analysing for Better Outcomes.
Critical thinking is about going beyond the obvious, questioning norms, and making well-informed decisions. It means not taking the first piece of information you find as the ‘status quo’ and questioning different issues.
In practical terms, critical thinkers identify issues, evaluate solutions, and implement strategies for successful outcomes. It’s a work skill that helps improve processes and ensures high-quality outcomes in any job.
Diverse Communication Skills: Effective Across Different Platforms and Channels.
Effective communication now means knowing how to convey your messages clearly across various platforms and to diverse audiences. Communication work skills ensure that your ideas are understood and appreciated in a multicultural world.
Adaptability and Resilience: Thriving in Change.
The ability to adapt and bounce back from challenges is essential in today’s ever-changing work environment.
Adaptability involves being flexible and willing to modify one’s approach in response to new information or changing circumstances. Resilience refers to the ability to bounce back from setbacks with a positive attitude. These work skills will help you handle changes and pressures smoothly, keeping you productive and proactive.
Sustainability and Ethical Judgement: Making Responsible Choices.
Sustainability and ethical judgement involve making decisions that are not only beneficial to the company but also socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. Professionals with these work skills consider the wider impact of their actions on the community and the world. Employers value those who can make ethical decisions and contribute to sustainability initiatives.
Start Preparing Your Work Skills Today
This list is a starting point, and it will continue to change and develop as the landscape of the working world continues to evolve. As you prepare for your career, consider these work skills essential building blocks. Keep an eye on industry trends and seek to develop additional work skills for your chosen career field.
The world of work is always changing, and so are the skills needed to succeed. By starting with these essential work skills, you’re well on the way to not just meeting, but exceeding employer expectations. Help propel your career prospects forward by further developing these skills and stay ahead of the game.
Are you ready to start your career with these essential work skills? Visit our Career Resources for more tips and insights and subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you’re on top of the latest expert advice and career opportunities. Or, if you’re ready to apply, check out our jobs, perfect for entry-level roles or early career positions.
