Employability Skills and Its Importance

Running head: IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS 1
Employability Skills and Its Importance
Name
Institutional Affiliation

IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS 2
What are employability skills and why is it important for potential employees to possess
them?
In today's evolving job environment, employers are looking for employees who possess
more than qualifications and experience to fill the different positions being interviewed for.
Hence individuals need to have employability skills on top of the qualifications and experience
they have so that they stand out from the rest thus they have an advantage over the rest.
Employability skills, therefore, are important skills, personality traits and qualities, and values
which an individual possesses which helps them to adjust to a new job or workplace easily.
These skills are mostly referred to as foundational skills and are soft skills which are transferable
qualities that an individual has that make them employable especially in the eyes of a potential
employer(Mason & Williams, 2006) . Even if an individual has technical skills and experience
required for a job, employability skills still play an important role in determining whether they
get the job.
There are various employability skills that individuals can possess to help them be above
the rest of the competition. First is good communication and interpersonal skills which are a
quality that the majority of employers rank as the most important foundational skill for an
individual to possess. It is the ability of an individual to listen effectively to their managers and
coworkers and then communicate with them appropriately after which they act on what has been
communicated appropriately (Ju, Zhang, & Pacha, 2012). Also, it is the ability of an individual to
explain what they mean in a clear and easy manner through both verbal and written
communication.

IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS 3
Problem-solving and critical thinking is another foundational skill that is important for
individuals to have. It is where an individual can look at a problem understand it by breaking it
down, analyze it deeply and then identify the solutions to the problem. Therefore the individual
can apply this skill in the various areas involved in solving a problem. Employees need to be able
to think logically in any situation and then come up with reasoned judgments and conclusions.
Next is self-motivation and initiative are where an individual has the ability to come up with
creative ideas and also think up improvements to the way things are in a company. When the
individual comes up with this creative idea this skill also enables them to implement them on
their own and not waiting to be told what to do (Miller, Biggart, & Newton, 2013).
Another skill is teamwork which is very important in any workplace situation. It is where
an individual is good at working with other people both with those in the workplace and also
other people whom you come in contact with while working at your company. Most projects in
different companies require people to work together for it to be completed therefore one needs to
possess this skill as they are bound to work in a group at some point of their employment. Ethics
is another important foundational skill and it is a broad term which covers an individual’s values
and principles (Wilton, 2011). Therefore, it is the ability of an individual to follow all the rules
set at the company that employs them, be honest and also act in a professional and responsible
manner.
Flexibility is another skill. It is the ability of a person to not get flustered when things at
work do not go the way it is supposed to but to adapt to the situation and make the best of it.
Next is organizational skills. It is the ability to be methodical and organized while carrying out
their duties at work. The individual is able to plan their duties well so that they meet set
deadlines and targets (Rosenberg, Heimler, & Morote, 2012). Therefore, this skill allows the