To stand out in a sea of applications and get past applicant tracking systems and HR managers, candidates need to prove they have what it takes to do the job. Be sure you make the cut by developing and showing off these 9 essential skills companies want to see on your resume.
Thinking about applying for a new job in Tulsa, Oklahoma?
If so, you’re making a smart move. Tulsa is a hot and growing career market these days, offering unique, appealing programs and incentives to welcome innovative, creative, forward-focused companies, like tech businesses and startups to the city—as well as the employees who work for them. Both local job seekers and those willing to relocate have great opportunities to find a perfect fit for their career goals.
Of course, to stand out among the many applicants vying for the job you want, you’ll want to make it clear to HR managers that you have the skills they’re looking for. And that starts with knowing what matters to employers today.
With that in mind, here are 9 vital abilities that Tulsa companies want prospective new hires to bring to the table. If you have these skills, you’ll want to highlight them on resumes, LinkedIn, and interviews. If you don’t have them, there’s no better time than now to build them—so you’re ready to showcase these skills at interview time.
1. Communication
Every position requires some level of ability to effectively communicate, whether with fellow employees, supervisors, or clients. Employers love staff members who listen, share ideas, and collaborate well face-to-face. So, the better you are at sharing your views with tact, grace, and clarity, the more success you’ll have on the job.
How to develop this skill:
Become a good listener. Remember, effective communication is a two-way street, so it’s important to pay close attention to what others are saying, and reflect it back to confirm you understand what’s being said.
How to highlight it for employers:
Mention areas where your communication skills have been most visible, such as negotiating and closing sales—and don’t forget to put a number on your success rate!
2. Leadership
How to develop this skill:
Identify your personal leadership style. To do this, determine what approach to leading a group is most natural and comfortable for you—and what brings you the best results. Then, make a consistent effort to use that approach as you have opportunities to lead.
How to highlight it for employers:
Highlight times when you have successfully taken charge of a task that involved a group effort. Mention ways that you have improved systems, volunteered to do more than required, or successfully pursued something on the job that you were highly passionate about achieving.
3. Teamwork
The ability to effectively collaborate and get things done is vital for any employer—especially the startups and nonprofits that Tulsa is known for. It takes a team effort to accomplish the goals that build a company—which is why employers value this skill so much.
How to develop this skill:
Teams work best when everyone is doing their part. So, get to know what you personally bring to the table, and offer that skill to the group. Be committed to giving your best, communicating well, and doing the required work on time—which benefits everyone in the group.
How to highlight it for employers:
Look for team activities where your contribution particularly shines, such as being a vital member of an employee focus group or creatively solving a problem that helped the group move forward.
4. People Skills
There’s no way around it—work relationships matter. Most jobs involve some level of interaction with other people, so it’s important to get good at connecting with others. And it’s also vital to be able to resolve conflicts with tact, so that the team can come together and get things done.
How to develop this skill:
Treating others with respect is core to great people skills. Ways you can build this area include paying attention when others speak, showing gratitude, offering compliments, be kind, and live up to good business ethics.
How to highlight it for employers:
Point out areas where your success depends on your ability to build relationships, such as forging business-to-business partnerships or coaching fellow employees to better performance.
5. Adaptability
Learning new skills, being flexible and embracing change are vital for today’s workforce. Nonprofits, for example, often require employees to wear many hats, while startups are all about creating new ways of doing things. And of course, new technologies crop up at the speed of light these days. Being able to gracefully roll with all these changes will help you stand out.
How to develop this skill:
So much of this skill is centered around mindset. So, as you seek to grow more adaptable, start with how you think about work. Let go of the idea that things must be done as they’ve always been done. Be willing to take risks and take classes in areas that are new to you.
How to highlight it for employers:
Draw attention to times when you stayed composed under pressure, navigated a switch in plans to great success, or took initiative to gain a new skill that you effectively used to improve your job performance or gain a promotion.
6. Self-Management
Being able to take charge of your day and your assigned tasks is a skill that makes you an appealing candidate for any employer. And it’s easy to see why. When you can take responsibility, manage your time well, and make good decisions, it means your managers can step bac and let you do your work while they do theirs. It makes the work more efficient.
How to develop this skill:
There are numerous ways to take charge of your job position, so test out different approaches to find what works best for you. For example, some people like to get their hardest task done first thing in the morning. Others find it helpful to schedule focused blocks of time each day to concentrate on specific projects.
How to highlight it for employers:
Mention activities where it’s been vital that you took charge on your own to fulfill project goals, such as creatively managing your calendar to fit in time for unexpected tasks—a plus for startup businesses, tech environments, and nonprofits.
7. Technology Know-how
Today, nearly every worker interacts with technology somehow, and that means being comfortable handling various tech tasks is essential. From social media to coding and more, many positions require tech abilities for you to be in the running. In addition, technology itself continues to be a vibrant industry sector, in which the potential for career growth is phenomenal—so if you’re looking to grow, gaining tech skills is a smart decision.
How to develop this skill:
So much tech training is online—naturally! So, take advantage of the internet to take classes, webinars, and tutorials that boost your skills. And if you’re interested in switching careers, research open job descriptions to identify the specific tech skills they’re looking for—and learn them.
How to highlight it for employers:
Don’t be afraid to specify the tech skills and programs you know by name, and explain how you used them to drive results at your previous jobs. If you have a specific knowledge of something named in the job description you’re applying for, mention it in your cover letter and resume.
8. Problem-Solving
All jobs involve moments when things don’t go according to plan, and you may find yourself in need of a new way to get a project done. Challenges will arise that require a creative approach. You may need to see things in a fresh light. These are times when employees with strong critical thinking skills stand out, as they can innovate to find productive solutions.
How to develop this skill:
Adopt the IDEAL approach to unexpected challenges. First, identify the nature of the problem; then define the main issues that must be addressed. Examine several possible solutions, so you can find the best one. Act by setting a step-by-step process into place to resolve the issue. Finally, look for lessons that can benefit you down the road.
How to highlight it for employers:
Describe a problem that came up at work, and explain how you approached addressing it. Tying this skill to something that the employer has asked for in their job description is a plus.
9. Professionalism and Strong Work Ethic
It’s easy to overlook this quality, but there’s a reason employers look for it. Professionalism filters into every area of a job—from arriving on time to handling conflicts in a respectful manner that is appropriate for a work environment. In a nutshell, it shows prospective employers they can trust you to get the job done.
How to develop this skill:
Assess your current strengths and weaknesses on the job and look for ways to improve on your performance. And don’t overlook your values—traits like reliability, integrity, and positivity in the work environment go a long way toward showing employers you are committed to making them successful.
How to highlight it for employers:
Point out examples that show you have taken the initiative or went above and beyond the call of duty to accomplish something important on the job. List specific results that arose from your actions.
Summing It All Up
Making your next career move is an exciting prospect, and you can gain great success for yourself by focusing on the skill sets that today’s employers want most. And these skills can always be developed further through real-life experience and a commitment to make yourself more appealing to HR managers. So, take these steps today to work on these skills and see how well they position you for success in your chosen field.
