Work Readniness

What employability skills are employers looking for?

• Soft Skills

• Hard Skills

• FIFA 23 Skills

• Transferrable Skills

Answer explanation

Soft skills are non-technical skills that promote productivity, efficiency and effective communication in the workplace. Some soft skills can also be part of your personality or work ethic. These skills are often transferable across roles and industries and are necessary in every level of the workplace, from entry-level roles to top-level executives

Hard skills are a specific set of technical competencies that you need to accomplish the duties and responsibilities of a particular job. They are mainly a result of the knowledge, training and experience that you have garnered throughout your life. If, for example, hard skills learnt on this unit are electrical wiring and testing.

Ok lets see what Soft skills are. Which Soft skill is best described as:

The ability to work in varying environments, learning new skills quickly and adjusting to changes within the workplace. 

• Adaptability

• Punctuality

• Dependability

• Resilience

Answer explanation

Adaptability

With the Coronavirus we all saw with the shift to remote work, adapting to changing environments is essential.

What does this soft skill describe?

The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.

• Planning

• E-mailing

• Communicating

• Initiative

Answer explanation

Communicating your ideas, views, and opinions concisely and straightforwardly isn’t an easy skill to master. But being able to share ideas quickly is more important than ever before. Business moves fast in the world of technology. You have to be able to communicate powerfully and with speed.

We use Padlet, Onefile, Showbie and more apps on our I-Pads. We are in fact an Apple Distinguished School. What best describes this soft skill.

• Digital Wizardry

• Digital Literacy

• Digital Mastery

• Computer Savvy

Answer explanation

Digital Literacy

The days of writing Microsoft Office on your resume are over. Employers are looking for people who can pick up any digital tool quickly, like a new task management system, design tool etc. Every company uses various digital tools and knowing everyone is impossible. With digital literacy skills, you tell an employer it doesn’t matter if you’ve used a specific tool before because you can learn quickly.

Time management

Companies have to trust that employees manage their time well in remote work. Demonstrating strong time management skills in a hands-off environment shows potential employers that you can meet deadlines.

Write an example of Time management that you have done.

Teamwork

Most jobs don’t exist in a bubble. Being able to work with a team is essential. Prove you can work effectively in a group to accomplish tasks. Teamwork means being able to manage conflict, collaborate, and share ideas.

Write an example of teamwork you have been involved with

If you see a disaster waiting to happen, jump into action and fix it. Be observant and get things done early. Employers love to see their employees solve problems before they wreak havoc. 

• Critical Thinking

• Pro-Active

• Time management

• Leadership

Answer explanation

Pro-active

Being able to see an event or task turning bad before it happens and being able to control it is an essential soft skill that employers are looking for. For example if you are waiting for a component to finish a task and it is not available being pro-active you could catch up on paperwork or another task until the component arrives.

What are Hard Skills? Select which ones you think they are.

• Crimping

• Wire Stripping

• Reading and following wiring diagrams

• Working out a safe plan to carry out work

Answer explanation

Hard skills are a specific set of technical competencies that you need to accomplish the duties and responsibilities of a particular job. They are mainly a result of the knowledge, training and experience that you have garnered throughout your life. If, for example, you are an engineer, your hard skills can include testing, equations and performing mathematical calculations. Without hard skills, you would not know how to perform a specific job. It is common for industries and professions to highlight the hard skills needed to handle a job in the job description for the role.

What does STEM (acronym) stand for?

• Sociology

  Technology

  English

  Maths

• Science

  Technology

  English

  Maths

• Science

  Technology

  Engineering

  Maths

• Science

  Technology

  English

  Maths

Answer explanation

STEM encourages critical thinking (soft skill) problem solving (soft skill) and involves teamwork and therefore boosting self-confidence.

Is writing a hard or soft skill?

• Writing is a hard skill.

• Writing is a soft skill

Answer explanation

Hard Skill

Most modern jobs involve varying levels of writing. You e-mail to your co-workers or clients write down engineering reports or handovers for the next team taking over your work. Basic writing skills are essential and they make you more hirable when you include them in your CV. You can also showcase them in how you write to your employers. This involves creating a cover letter and CV that lack typos and grammatical errors. Use the right tone as well and include specific writing projects that you have finished in the past.