Five Skills You Should Have to Get That In-Demand Job

The only constant thing is change, and this adage has indeed endured. In the world of work and in-demand jobs, new responsibilities and roles are constantly emerging to meet customer demands and evolve with industry trends. According to the COVID-19 Job Report released last August, the Malaysian job market is slowly picking up: 74 per cent of employers are expecting to hire in the next six months. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.7 per cent in July, an improvement from the record high of 5.3 per cent in May.

When seeking job opportunities, bear in mind that companies place great value on employees who can thrive amid constant change. The question is, what particular skills are they looking for?

We round up several leading recruiters to let us in on the top five skills that make you stand out to employers.

Get that in-demand job by showcasing these transferable skills on your resume and interview.

Adaptability

In a fast-paced work environment, you have to handle change positively, quickly, and competently. Whether it’s learning new technology or taking on additional responsibilities, being adaptable keeps you relevant and valuable in the workplace--and that is the kind of employee recruiters want.

According to Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia and New Zealand, employers are always looking for an employee who upskills and immediately acclimatises to the work environment. “Employers want their people to be able to pivot to a new role or area of responsibility as things change and to upskill to remain on top of new trends relevant to their job function or industry,” he shares.

How best to display it: During the interview, cite concrete examples of how you expanded your skill set because of changes in your job role or work process. Did you take courses to upskill? Research on better methods that improved workflow and the company’s bottom line? Make sure your resume also reflects these steps you took to adapt to changes at work.

Analytical thinking

You can collect and crunch data, but can you analyse how it affects certain factors in your business unit? The ability to extract deep insights from data is what sets humans apart from machines. “Analytical thinking has become a highly sought-after skill,” says Mike Dickson, Director NSW at Six Degrees Executive. “As every function seeks to operate more efficiently and to drive return on investment, the ability to analyse enables informed decision making.”

How best to display it: Use the STAR method when giving examples. Begin with the Situation (to contextualise your story), then explain the Task (what you needed to do), Activity (what you actually did), and Result (what you accomplished). “Too often candidates want to talk about the result, which is meaningless without the situation or the actions they undertook,” says Dickson.

Being proactive

While most tasks can be automated, the one thing that sets humans apart is being proactive--controlling a situation instead of merely reacting to it. This includes accomplishing tasks with minimal to no supervision or anticipating needs without being asked. You volunteer to lead, initiate change, and make suggestions.

“In order to be agile, companies need less leader-led employees and are looking for staff who are proactive enough to contribute ideas and resilient enough to accept the team’s feedback, even when it is negative,” shares Qamran Somjee, Practice Leader of Digital, Projects & Technology, Davidson Technology.

How best to display it: Clearly and concisely explain how you achieved your goals. Did you spearhead initiatives that improved business performance or resolved company issues? “During an interview, I also advise people to answer questions by first describing the environment they have come from, succinctly describing challenges and letting the interviewer understand how they strived to achieve their goals,” Somjee adds.

Empathy

Digitalisation may be the way of the future, but one thing still rings true: the customer is always right. The customer must be at the centre of processes, offers, and amenities supplied by the company. The business landscape is fiercely competitive; a company must not only have excellent products. Their customer service must be a seamless, personalised, and pleasant experience.

How best to display it: “Empathy is becoming more valued in the workplace. Candidates should stress that they always consider the customer’s perspective. They should also list ‘empathy’ as a skill in their resume and explain how it has helped them in their career,” says Natalie Firth, co-founder and co-CEO of Think Talent. A heart that understands the customer is a priority in organisations, especially in areas that require customer care.

Resilience

When the going gets tough, it’s still high time to keep going. Whether it be a change of pace, working with difficult people, or surmounting a crisis, recruiters value employees who have proven they can weather the storm.

“The requirements of today’s workplace are more intense than ever before,” says Andrea McDonald, Director of u&u Recruitment Partners. “Due to the rise in technology, employees are rarely ‘off,’ so the ability to manage that pressure and work effectively is essential.”

How best to display it: To showcase your resilience, give examples of how you successfully managed big changes in the workplace. Describe the steps you took and what you achieved. If it took you several attempts to be successful, talk about that as well. “In an environment where you’re constantly experimenting, you have to be comfortable with failure and able to get back up again. That is why resilience is so important,” says McDonald.

At JobStreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organisation.

Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit JobStreet today.

About SEEK Asia

SEEK Asia , a combination of two leading brands JobStreet and JobsDB, is the leading job portal and Asia's preferred destination for candidates and hirers. SEEK Asia’s presence span across 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. SEEK Asia is part of the Australian Securities Exchange-listed SEEK Limited Company, the world's largest job portal by market capitalisation. SEEK Asia attracts over 400 million visits a year.

About SEEK Limited

SEEK is a diverse group of companies, comprising a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK has a global presence (including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, South-East Asia, Brazil and Mexico), with exposure to over 2.9 billion people and approximately 27 per cent of global GDP. SEEK makes a positive contribution to people’s lives on a global scale. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, where it is a top 100 company and has been listed in the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies by Forbes.