As summer quickly approaches, you might find yourself having just graduated college and on the hunt for the right job. Applying for your first job after college can be a stressful process, and the thought of sitting through job interviews with the executives and professionals who could determine your future can be scary. If this describes your current situation, don’t panic – job interviews and the overall job search process does not have to be scary, and won’t be if you know what you are seeking in an employer and know what you can bring to the table in the workplace when headed in for an interview.
While it can be daunting to apply for jobs with little to no professional experience outside of school, most employers are looking for postgraduate applicants who possess the traits of someone who would be a good fit for a job, not actual workforce experience. With programs from the Health & Safety Institute and hands on training on the job, your employer knows they will need to assist you with gaining experience once you are hired – you just have to show them that you possess the skills and traits of a good employee who would work well in the workplace in order to get hired first. To help you out, here are 3 simple skills that many employers look for in recent college graduates.
Teamwork Skills
One of the best qualities for any job applicant to have is the ability to work well with others, but this is especially true of recent graduates who might be working in a team or large group for the first time in their careers. Being able to collaborate and communicate well with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds is the key to ensuring a successful job search in any field.
Problem Solving Skills
In order to succeed in any interview, a candidate should possess strong problem solving skills. This means a job applicant should be able to effectively answer hypothetical questions from employers, such as “describe a situation in which…” to determine how effectively one is able to think on their feet. To brush up on these questions or get yourself into a problem solving mindset, think about times that you have succeeded in creating solutions for or working through obstacles for yourself and others.
Leadership Skills
Many employers are more likely to pay attention to candidates that they feel possess good leadership skills, as this could be a useful quality in the workplace in the future. Just because you don’t have experience in the post-graduate workforce doesn’t mean you can’t exemplify strong leadership skills – if you were the leader of a club or organization in college or held other leadership roles in the academic space, employers will take note.