WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR IN THEIR JOB CANDIDATES

Sometimes, the difference between receiving a job offer or a rejection is not down to your technical knowledge or qualifications, but your soft skills and work values.

Currently, business leaders have to decide whether their employees should return to office on a full-time basis, adopt a hybrid arrangement, or allow for a fully-remote work model. Regardless of the working arrangement, what is clear is employees will continue to be expected to adapt to a dynamic business landscape. While it is important to enter the job market with the right paper qualifications, having top transferable qualities, such as certain soft skills and work values, are equally critical.

Ultimately,itismorethanjustknowinghowtoworkintheofficeorathome.Itisaboutknowinghowtomeetthechallengesahead and handle uncertainties. Knowing how to work with others, either through face-to-face interactions or online communication, is also a requirement. Here are just some featured soft skills and work values that every employer is looking for in their job candidates:

Soft Skills

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• Ability to identify, analyse and solve problems systematically

• Ability to question ideas and assumptions

• Being an active learner

• Creative thinking that leads to innovative solutions

• Having sound reasoning

Digital Literacy

• Ability to quickly understand different types of software and systems

• Basic knowledge of coding and programming skills

• Basic knowledge of in-demand technologies (e.g. fintech)

• Being social media-savvy

• Comfortable with online communication platforms

Interpersonal Skills

• Ability to communicate well to share ideas

• Ability to cooperate and collaborate with people from different walks of life

• Being an active listener

• Having empathy to connect with others

• Knowing how to communicate, adapt and network in different scenarios

Self-Management

• Ability to act professionally by regulating emotions, behaviours and thoughts effectively

• Ability to manage time and organise work efficiently

• Being an independent worker (especially with hybrid-working being the norm)

• Being self-motivated to achieve deliverables

Work Values

Growth Mindset

• Always striving to improve and develop abilities and skills throughout one’s career

• Having the curiosity to learn and understand new things

• Not being afraid to take up new opportunities

• Open to changing one’s mind and not having a fixed mindset

Integrity

• Being accountable for your mistakes and responsible for your actions

• Being respectful of others’ opinions and the company’s policies

• Having open and honest communications with others

• Having good personal values (e.g. being trustworthy and dependable)

Positive Attitude

• Ability to bounce back from failures

• Accepting of new challenges and changes

• Avoid complaining, but instead give feedback respectfully

• Having a can-do mindset when presented with new and unknown situations

Work Ethics

• Being punctual to work, meetings and events, and meeting deadlines

• Dedicated to produce quality work reliably and consistently

• Having the initiative to seek solutions and work more efficiently

• Willing to work hard to the best of one’s capabilities