Based on a number of surveys on the skills required by graduates undertaken by Microsoft, Target Jobs, the BBC, Prospects, NACE and AGR and other organisations, here is our summary of the skills which were most often deemed important.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION: Able to express your ideas clearly and confidently in speech.
TEAMWORK Work confidently within a group.
COMMERCIAL AWARENESS: Understand the commercial realities affecting the organisation.
ANALYSING & INVESTIGATING: Gather information systematically to establish facts & principles. Problem-solving.
INITIATIVE/SELF MOTIVATION: Able to act on initiative, identify opportunities & proactive in putting forward ideas & solutions.
DRIVE: Determination to get things done. Make things happen & constantly looking for better ways of doing things.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: Able to express yourself clearly in writing.
PLANNING & ORGANISING: Able to plan activities & carry them through effectively.
FLEXIBILITY: Adapt successfully to changing situations & environments.
TIME MANAGEMENT: Manage time effectively, prioritising tasks and able to work to deadlines.
Other skills that were also seen as important:
GLOBAL SKILLS: Able to speak and understand other languages. Appreciation of other cultures. See Study and work placements outside the UK Working AbroadNEGOTIATING & PERSUADING:: Able to influence and convince others, to discuss and reach agreement.
LEADERSHIP:: Able to motivate and direct others
NUMERACY:: Multiply & divide accurately, calculate percentages, use statistics & a calculator, interpret graphs & tables.
COMPUTING SKILLS:: Wordprocessing, using databases, spreadsheets, the Internet & email, designing web pages etc.
SELF AWARENESS:: Awareness of achievements, abilities, values & weaknesses & what you want out of life.
PERSONAL IMPACT/CONFIDENCE:: Presents a strong, professional, positive image to others which inspires confidence & commands respect.
LIFELONG LEARNING:: Continues to learn throughout life. Develops the competencies needed for current & future roles.
STRESS TOLERANCE: Maintains effective performance under pressure
INTEGRITY: Adheres to standards & procedures, maintains confidentiality and questions inappropriate behaviour.
INDEPENDENCE: Accepts responsibility for views & actions and able to work under their own direction & initiative.
DEVELOPING PROFESSIONALISM: Pays care & attention to quality in all their work. Supports & empowers others.
ACTION PLANNING: Able to decide what steps are needed to achieve particular goals and then implement these.
DECISIONMAKING: Determines the best course of action. Evaluates options based on logic & fact & presents solutions.
INTERPERSONAL SENSITIVITY: Recognises & respects different perspectives. Open to the ideas & views of others.
CREATIVITY: Generates & applying new ideas & solutions.
The most important skills to develop in employees to drive company growth over the next five years were (according to the Flux Report by Right Management):
- Leadership skills 62%
- Management skills 62%
- Interpersonal skills 53%
- Innovation and creativity 45%
- Resilience 43%
- Technical/specialist skills 40%
- IT skills 40%
- Sales/marketing skills 32%
- Client management skills 24%
- Other/none of the above 4%
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