CAREER SKILLS TO BOOST YOUR MARKETABILITY

By
IntelligentHQ
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If you desire to be successful in the highly-competitive, ever-evolving world of today, it is essential to know which skills are the most in-demand in the current job markets and which skills are likely to be valuable in the future. Having this knowledge can allow you to make much better choices about your career path, development, and growth.

When talking about the job market, marketability refers to how attractive a candidate is to an employer for a particular position, i.e., what his worth is as a potential hire. The job market today is very different from what it was a few years ago. Employers no longer want to hire people who can merely perform their defined job duties satisfactorily. Instead, they want academically prepared individuals, have the right set of skills, and those who can offer the company a sound return on investment in the long run.

Not only does marketability significantly increase your chances of getting a job that aligns with your career goals, but it also opens up your career options. Marketable job seekers have a substantially higher number of employment opportunities available to them as they possess skills that are in demand in the job market. Rather than having to choose from a limited number of career options, these individuals have the choice of different pathways to build a successful career.

So, how can you boost your marketability and become a desirable candidate for most employment positions today? Let’s take a look at the top five skills you need:

COMMUNICATION

The corporate world relies heavily on the effective sharing of information. No matter what career path you pursue, sound communication skills are essential to get your message across accurately and concisely. Communication skills allow you to deliver information appropriately to any audience, present your ideas effectively, write clearly, and work well with others in a group.

Amongst the most desirable skills, Communication skills rank the most demanding by employers every year, which is why professionals need to take advanced courses to update their skills in the area. There are various degree programs aimed at developing different communication skills from media communications and journalism to mass communication and media literacy. If you wish to take up a leadership position in strategic communications, you can find some great strategic communications masters programs online. Such degrees will equip you with the skills needed for senior roles such as public relations specialist or social media manager.

JUDGMENT & DECISION-MAKING

Considering the vast amount of data organizations work with, there is a growing demand for employees who can sift through the data, draw useful insights, and use it to guide business decisions. For this reason, sound judgment and strong decision-making skills are something every professional needs.

So, how do you develop these skills? The first step is to stay calm, be confident in your abilities, and trust your instincts as this will allow you to make decisions quickly and accurately. Next, you should make sure you have all the necessary data and tools needed to make an informed decision. It is also essential to take your time weighing your options and the pros and cons to avoid irrational, impulsive decisions.

COLLABORATION

Collaboration is necessary for every work environment, which is why employees who get along well with others are always an asset to the business. Organizations thrive when they have people who know how to work together as a team. A team can accomplish more than an individual, and that too at a much quicker pace.

To improve your coordination skills, you need to be willing to work with people of different personalities, develop sound interpersonal skills, and learn to value the ideas and opinions of others.

CREATIVITY

The modern world is all about new technology, new products, and new processes and systems. That is why organizations are always in search of employees who can help the organization come up with new ideas and better ways of doing things.

Creativity is a useful skill to have, even if you don’t plan to become an artist or a musician. If you can present new ideas and find out-of-the-box solutions to your employer, they would love to have you on-board! While there is no way to ‘learn’ to be creative, you should train yourself to unleash your creativity through exploration, experimentation, and expression of your ideas.

ADAPTABILITY

In today’s world, change is constant for any business. Therefore, if you wish to stand out to an employer, you must be willing to embrace change with an open mind and a positive attitude. Regardless of their industry, professionals must realize that what has worked well for them so far will not always work in the future, and they need to be willing to find new, more efficient ways of doing things.

Employees who are hesitant to adapt to new working methods will only find themselves in trouble when the time comes for significant changes in the organization.

 THE BOTTOM LINE

There are many different ways you can increase your marketability. The best way to begin is by coming up with a marketability strategy for yourself. Analyze in detail where you stand in the current job market in comparison to others in your field. If you were in an employer’s shoes, would you hire yourself? What are some qualities that you think could increase your value as an employee, but you lack? Once you have the answer to these questions, come up with a plan on how you will work on developing each of the marketable skills you need. It won’t be long before you start to see a noticeable improvement in your career growth.

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