Hirers looking for soft skills

Report highlights priorities

EMPLOYERS value workplace skills such as communication, teamwork and a work ethic more than technical capability when hiring new staff.

The Australian Jobs 2017 report, released by the Jobs and Small Business department, reveals 71 per cent of employers place at least as much emphasis, if not more, on employability skills than they do on technical skills.

Most (41 per cent) cite employability skills as being most important to them when hiring new workers, while 28 per cent cite technical skills.

Thirty per cent say both are equally important.

People skills was listed as the most essential employability skill, in particular how staff engage with others.

University students are urged to find ways to gain these skills to complement their qualifications, with part-time work while they study one way they can obtain both concurrently, to increase the likelihood of securing work in their desired field on graduation.

Hays Australia and New Zealand managing director Nick Deligiannis says more weight is being given by employers to a new wave of soft skills, which few jobseekers so far are promoting on their CV and in interviews.

These include a willingness to learn, respect for the ideas of others, and adaptability.

“Being ahead of the curve by developing these job-ready soft skills will help you stand out to employers, both now and in the future,” he says.

“When combined with digital literacy and relevant technical skills, a solid soft-skills base will future-proof your career in the years ahead.”

Deligiannis says having a customer focus and interpersonal and communication skills still are relevant.

The report states employers seeking to fill positions in lower skilled occupations particularly value reliability, motivation, hard work and good personal presentation.

Employers with highly

skilled job vacancies also value communication, teamwork and organisational skills, as well as caring and empathetic attributes.

Jemma Taggart, Jamie McDowall, Emily Wells and

Amelia Reddiex are all working as casuals at Baskin-Robbins while studying at university and not only are gaining soft skills through on-the-job experience, but receiving national-best work training

as well.

Their employers – Baskin-Robbins North Lakes franchise partners Warren and Melanie Wakefield – received the best instore training initiative award presented by the company.