What do employers want?

By Sarah-Jean Murray

Many times when searching for jobs, we may get discouraged by the job postings we see. Sometimes job postings have requirements such as a certain number of years experience in a specific field or a need for a special set of skills. Reading through these job postings may be intimidating and a lot of us don't apply for certain jobs because they seem to be out of reach for our skill level. However, this is untrue. Many of the jobs posted by companies list the skills they are looking for but don't necessarily believe are the most important thing. A lot of technical skills such as working with certain software and programs can be taught later but aren't required for starting the job. So you may be wondering, what is the most important thing companies are looking for? Well, I'm here today to share some of the top things employers are interested in a potential employee.

Internships - Having had an internship and having that experience under your belt is a huge benefit when applying to jobs. Employers can look at that on your resume and see that you've worked in real life situations before and you're eager to keep working. This is one of the top things to set you apart from other applicants and one of the most important things employers want.

"Soft" skills - When an employee has those soft skills such as communication, creative thinking and ability to work on a team, it makes them more valuable to an employer. You may not have those technical skills, however you can learn. You can use those skills you've gained through college and apply them to every aspect of your job. Creative thinking is especially important to employers because they want to see how you arrive at decisions and how you turn those ideas into reality. Working on a team is also essential as you will have to work with co-workers and may even have to lead team projects. Knowing how to delegate and communicate effectively within a team will help you tremendously in the real world.

Being prepared - Interviews have seen multiple potential candidates for positions and they know when you're not prepared. So avoid the pitfall that many college grads fall into and do your research before your interview. Know what you want to say to the interview questions and have some questions of your own prepared. You want the interviewer to see that you're sharp and on top of things, ready to go.

Well rounded - Employers are not looking for monotone people, they want well rounded individuals who can adapt to and work through any situation. So the most important thing you can do is be yourself. Show that you have personality and you have determination to succeed. You're interesting, you have ideas and you're excited to have the opportunity to show these things to your employer. Taking electives through Liberal Arts opens you up to a world of possibility and gives you those experiences that mold you as an individual.

So next time you see a job posting that you're interested in, don't be intimidated! Take that chance and apply. You just might land that dream job because you were determined and passionate about what you wanted to do.

The April edition of 'Professional Pathways' will be exploring the topic of what employers want and how internships can benefit you so keep an eye out for that!

Source: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/wealth-poverty/education/what-do-employers-really-want-college-grads