The labor market is constantly changing. Although the demand for and supply of a workforce differs each year, there are still certain skills that are always sought by employers. In a recent survey of 2,800 employers, the Employee Insurance Agency Netherlands (UWV) concluded that there are currently five important skills that employers look for in candidates.
According to Freek Kalkhoven, UWV labor market expert, fewer employers continue to consider certificates and diplomas alone.
“Simply meeting basic skills is no longer sufficient. In fact, 7 out of 10 employers pay more attention to the combination of skills and knowledge than to diplomas alone”, said the expert.
Here are the TOP 5 skills that employers look for.
Service Orientation
A friendly, patient, and service-oriented attitude towards customers is extremely important. Communication skills also fall under service orientation, says Kalkhoven.
“Consumers expect employees in the retail sector, for example, to have good product knowledge and to be able to advise on this in a fun and enthusiastic way. You may have been trained in sales or marketing, but that doesn’t mean you know the best way to sell a kitchen. It is about service orientation: what does the company sell and what do the customers want? You have to be open to learning this.”
Problem-solver
The ability to recognize, analyze and solve problems in a timely manner is increasingly important. Overseeing, monitoring, and improving business processes only benefits the company especially since many business processes rely more and more on non-human links.
Kalkhoven explains, “Work has become increasingly complex, especially in industry, construction, and ICT, but also in other sectors. That requires more than just technical knowledge, but also problem-solving skills.”
Friendly attitude
A good relationship with direct colleagues is crucial for a positive environment and high productivity within an organization. But employers today also want employees to be able to collaborate with other organizations or departments outside their own field. For example, many organizations already have monthly or weekly meetings between different departments.
Digital Knowledge
Understanding digital tools and programs such as Slack, Zoom, and Google Analytics is indispensable in today’s job market. In particular, an understanding of data, data flows, and data processing programs is a much sought-after skill in job openings these days. It is important to be able to apply digital skills not just for office jobs but also in healthcare, agriculture, education, and retail.
Rapidly adapting to changes
Many employers feel it is important that their employees can deal with new developments. They like to see a proactive attitude that shows that the employee has up-to-date knowledge and is aware of changes within the field or profession. In this way, as an employee, you should ensure that you are widely deployable for your employer so that you both benefit more from each other.
If you want to know which particular skills are required to land a position in international development, check the article “Top 10 skills required in international development and for overseas jobs”.
Also, check out more than 8,500 job openings in the international development sector on the DevelopmentAid job board.
