7 Job Skills Students Should Develop

Your future job prospects depend on the skills you offer to an employer. This is especially true in today's competitive job market. The skills that are in the most demand by employers include:

1. Strong Work Ethic – Employers want employees who are reliable, dependable, and self-motivated.
2. Time Management Skills – Time management involves planning and following a schedule; listing what tasks need to be accomplished, estimating how long it will take, and in what sequence the tasks will be done. Good time management skills are needed in every profession.
3. Problem-Solving Skills – Virtually all employers look for employees who can identify a problem, develop solutions and implement them.
4. Verbal Communication Skills – Verbal communication skills include both speaking and listening skills. Communication is a two-way street; you must be able to listen to communicate effectively.
5. Written Communication Skills – The ability to write clearly and concisely is vital in the workplace. Writing in the work world often comes in response to a request for information or to brief others.
6. "People" Skills – The ability to work well with others and build good working relationships is important in any field. Good working relationships are built on trust and mutual respect and help employees work more efficiently and effectively.
7. Technical Skills – At minimum, technical skills include the use of a word processing program (like Microsoft Word) and a spreadsheet program (like Microsoft Excel). Spreadsheets are widely used to organize and analyze information. The ability to search the web to gather reliable information is also important.