Archive for December 2011
Job Skills – 7 Essential Skills That Are Required For Any Job
December 19, 2011 | 
Author
In this highly competitive economy, employers are looking for workers who can do more than just fill a vacancy – they are looking for people who can help them grow. While any job has a specific skill set associated with it, companies want workers with “evergreen” job skills that are always useful in changing times.
If you want to find a job that will let you grow professionally, you’ll want to make sure that you have skills that will help your company grow right along with you. These skills will make you a highly sought-after candidate in any field, and will help you to keep the job you get:
1. Research skills
Nobody has all the information they’ll ever need in their head (or on their desk) already, but if you know how to do research, you’ll always be able to find the information in a timely manner.
2. Logic and reason
Every company runs into problems, and those problems need to be solved. A firm grasp of logic and reason will make you an invaluable asset.
3. Technological literacy
Computers have taken over the workplace, and every worker needs to have at least a basic level of skill and comfort with modern technology, just to be able to function.
You don’t need to have a degree or special training in computers or information technology, but you’ll be expected to have a basic level of ability to work with computers.
4. Communication skills
Every job will require you to communicate with other people, in speaking and often in writing as well. Employers are interested in workers who can express themselves clearly in their dealings with supervisors, underlings and co-workers.
5. Organization
A messy desk may be acceptable (though it is never recommended), but a messy approach to your work is never something an employer is looking for. You’ll probably have to do a lot of different tasks, each with a different schedule and deadline, and being able to organize your work is crucial.
6. Interpersonal skills
Every workplace has people in it, and those people often have different personalities and temperaments. Being able to work well with others, and communicate across barriers of culture and personality is necessary.
7. Career-minded orientation
If you don’t know where you’re headed, neither does your company. Having a plan for your own career will make your employer more willing to help you achieve your goals since they will benefit from your growth.
These skills aren’t the only ones that you’ll need for your specific job, but they are skills that will make you an asset to any employer, and serve you well in any position that you’ll find yourself in.
Posted in job skill technology | 
Tags: Communication Skills, Find A Job, Looking For People | 
No Comments »
The Skills Need For Jobs In Information Technology
The area of information technology has been particularly buoyant for university graduates in the United Kingdom over the last ten years and more. Businesses of all sizes, have established their own IT departments in recognition of the need to utilise advances in technology in order to remain competitive and to ensure that their technical infrastructure is fit for purpose. The rapid expansion of information technology in the UK has not only meant a more vibrant economy but more jobs for IT graduates and young professionals with an eye for technology. However, while the job market may be strong for IT graduates, there are many challenges which need to be surmounted in order to succeed and advance in the industry.
IT professionals need to posses certain skills in order to rise above daily challenges. A knowledge of IT issues is a given pre-requisite in the competitive UK job market, but, in itself is not enough. Professionals need to go above and beyond the minimum prerequisites in order surpass the competition and achieve professional success.
A prime aptitude that is needed in IT jobs is the ability to think outside the box. This ability is often thought to be innate and something that a person cannot develop in the professional world. However, IT professionals who may not think that they can think creatively need to consider their past achievements. Students working on projects and programs in IT departments throughout the UK have probably often had to develop creative faculties of which they were originally unaware. These projects will also, no doubt, have required an ability to work with others in addition to the ability to create a program from scratch. IT professionals in the wider world likewise need to challenge their latent creativity in order to provide unconventional solutions for their employers.
In addition to creativity, a successful IT professional needs to be willing to stay updated on the latest trends in their field. Many consultants, designers, and software developers accomplish this by simply purchasing new consumer electronics and giving rein to their natural interest. However, a determined IT professional will go above and beyond these passive educational efforts by reading industry publications and online forums. In this way, they can turn their interest in technology into a tangible asset in the workplace.
Finally, IT professionals need to possess a strong and helpful work ethic in order to generate success. An IT consultant with some time on their hands may, perhaps, lend some support to colleagues, be this assisting a less experienced worker or providing in-depth expertise in a specific area. Also, IT professionals should show their commitment to the company in general by providing guidance and advice on the application of IT to other departments. By showing an active interest in the success of the department and the company, a professional ensures success for themselves.
Information Technology Leaders Need Good Communication Skills
Do you ever feel like you cause animosity and anger just by answering a simple question? All you tried to do was help, and they took it the wrong way, right? The old adage, “It is not what you say, but how you say it,” is as true in today’s business environment as ever before. The wrong word or tone of a word can cause misunderstandings, ill feelings and resentment, producing communication barriers that cost your organization more money than server downtime. It is essential that you approach and communicate effectively with your Front Line people.
When discussing issues that you are more familiar with, it is very easy (inadvertently) to make people feel belittled or even stupid. This causes associates, team members and even mentors to fear talking to you or asking questions. No one wants to feel like they’ve asked a dumb question. Now, small problems that you may have solved quickly fester and grow to become major obstacles before they come to your attention. So how do you communicate with people and not sound like you are trying to hit them over the head with an encyclopedia? Developing effective communication skills requires training and practice. However, here are a few tips for avoiding making people feel inferior.
Listen. Do not be a Wizard.
Someone comes to you with a question that you have heard and answered 10,000 times before. You know what they are going to say before they say it. You may have a tendency to cut them off and jump in with the answer to their question. When this happens, you tell them, “I am the all powerful, all seeing OZ! I know what you are going to say and it is a stupid question that you should already know. Take this answer and get out and stop wasting my time!” This is a mistake. You may already know what’s coming, but you must let them talk. Let the person get it out and look them in the eye as they explain. This question is important to them—hear it!
Wait. One Mississippi, Two Mississippi
When the situation, problem or question is a real a major issue (at least to the person seeking your advice), then you don’t want to have the answer or the solution to the problem too readily available. In other words, it can’t be too easy for you to solve. You may have the solution on the tip of your tongue, but don’t let it pop out. You can build significant value in your advice while simultaneously giving credibility to the question simply by delaying the response a second or two. Just count to two or three, while giving that, “That’s a good question,” pondering look into the air. Then respond with an attitude and tone of voice that projects, “Ok, I think I’ve got it…”
Can I get back to you?
Let’s face it; sometimes you are simply too busy to talk to anyone. However, you don’t have to say, “I don’t have time for you now, get out! You can still lend credibility, and build value and camaraderie by the way you “put-off” people. You need to help people feel that it is in their best interest that you do not talk to them at that moment. As an example, cutting him off, you might say, “Listen, Bill that is a very good question and it’s going to take me some time to really look at this. In fact, I think it’s too important for me to try to figure it out right now, when I only have a few minutes. Look, let me get back to you first thing Friday, when I have the time we need to give this the attention it deserves.”
Can you help me?
You can give commands and orders all day long. However, often it is better to ask for help instead. When you have to delegate tasks, especially those that may be tedious or labor intensive, it is easy for people to feel like you dumped it on them. A good thing to do is to ask for help with the project. You, the big boss; the technical genius, actually needs their help. “Mary, I really need your help with something…” You will find that people are more inclined to want to help you, than run errands for you.
Ineffective communication acts like a cancer throughout your organization, directly and indirectly costing your company precious time and money. Communication however is a process and an effective communication process will increase productivity and decrease costs, thereby enhancing the bottom line. And remember, Your Front Line IS the Bottom Line.