Applying for a new job is always time-consuming, yet frustrating when you get back a “thanks but no thanks” email. It’s also difficult right now because there are more people applying for jobs than ever before. So many of us are looking for more meaningful work and therefore you will potentially run into competitors that have the relevant experience. So what does it take to have a competitive advantage? It’s about ensuring you have certain skills that demonstrate your qualifications, but how you can also contribute to the company you are applying for. Here are some skills that will give you an advantage.
Technical Proficiency
This will all depend on the job or the industry but generally, technical skills are essential. You will need to have familiarity with certain software or equipment. If the job demands you have proficiency with Microsoft Office packages, hiring an Excel expert to give you some insight into how to use it more efficiently will ensure you have that all-important edge.
Creativity
The concept of being creative is a tough one to showcase when you are applying for a job, but if you have the same skills and experiences as another candidate, and you are more creative and have been able to introduce innovative approaches to problem-solving, you need to put these in your job application. Demonstrating creativity inside and outside of a professional environment can showcase you as a more dynamic individual.
Teamwork and Leadership
Leadership skills may not be necessary when you are applying for a teamwork role, but you need to highlight how you are able to demonstrate initiative in certain environments. This could be in relation to specific projects or processes that could have benefited from fine-tuning. Likewise, even if you’re not applying for a leadership role, you need to demonstrate teamwork skills. Collaboration is a highly valued skill, especially when you are applying for remote work.
Critical Thinking
Showcasing critical thinking skills, where you assess situations objectively or analyze information, can help you evaluate certain options and choose the best course of action. There will be certain issues you have encountered during your professional life, and you need to showcase critical thinking skills to employers to demonstrate how you can dissect information effectively. This also extends to problem-solving abilities. If you can demonstrate problem-solving skills, this will translate to how you can handle challenges that come your way. It’s always worth thinking about challenges that have occurred during your professional life and how you overcame them.
Emotional Intelligence
Learning how to manage your emotions or those of others is essential for collaboration and teamwork. Skills like empathy and handling interpersonal situations, like conflict, with a degree of emotional intelligence, will serve you well. There may be times in your personal life that you’ve had to handle conflict or high emotion. Even if you moved away for a new job, you may have needed to handle conflict or emotive situations with your children.
The concept of transferable skills is something that we all need to be aware of right now, and if you are applying for a new job you need to have an abundance of skills that may not necessarily be on your resume but are a big part of who you are.
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