Top Job Skills Employers Want to See

October 1, 2020
Written by:
Jamie Gaddy
College Prep, Homeschool High School

Qualities Employers Want to See In Your High Schooler

As your teens think about heading out to the “real world” they should be thinking about employment and what it takes to be employable. Even if college is not an option, an aptitude for working for someone and with other people will be a big help to them starting out.  What are the skills on a resume that employers are looking for? Having these skills would make a wider variety of jobs open to them and have employers hiring them with open arms. More than likely if they have grown up being homeschooled these are skills that they have learned throughout the years.

 

Soft Skills For High Schoolers

Many of these desired attributes would be considered “soft skills”. Soft skills are personal characteristics, personality traits, and the ability to interact with other people. Here is a job skills list within this category.

Interpersonal Skills

This is one of the most sought after skills for a job application and what employers are looking for. This is the way we behave when interacting with other people. This would include the employer, fellow employees, and customers. Interpersonal skills are shown either verbally or nonverbally. Body language and our attitude while communicating with others is a really good indicator of excelling at a job.

 Honesty

is most likely a very important thing taught while homeschooling that students learn through their home life and relationships with others. Teen need to always do the honest thing. This makes employees know where they stand with them.

Work Ethic

This is something sought out in a potential employee with every profession. Work ethic is an attitude of determination and dedication to one’s job. Along with this are strong moral principles that make them valued employees demonstrated in a strong set of values and behaviors.

Flexibility

This is a very important attribute to have when working with other people and very valued by employers. Flexibility includes the willingness and ability to adapt to changing circumstances and expectations. Homeschooling is the perfect environment to learn this skill.

Problem Solving Skills

Problem-solving is definitely something that homeschoolers have been taught and shown since they were young. It is a universal job skill that is applicable in any position in any occupation. This goes hand in hand with interpersonal skills because people often need to know how to communicate with others as a team to solve problems.

Loyalty

Loyal employees are something all businesses desire. If they invest in training and paying wages then you owe them your best work. Even if a particular job is not something your teen plans on doing long term, a loyal employee will receive the benefits of a good reference along with the training received, when they move on to something bigger or better.

Organizational Skills

This can be a hard one because some people are blessed with more organizational skills than others. It is a valuable skill to learn thought that will stay with you in every facet of your student’s life.  These skills allow an employee to efficiently make the best use of their time, energy, and resources. Organizational skills help you to stay focused on different tasks in order to achieve the desired outcome in an efficient manner.

Leadership Traits

This is another one that goes hand in hand with interpersonal skills, qualities of a leader. Not everyone is a natural-born leader but with training and practice, a person can learn good leadership traits. Effective leaders are able to communicate well, motivate others, handle and delegate responsibilities, and listen to input from others. It is a necessary skill to have if an employee wants to be moved up in a company and helps define the qualities of a leader.

 

Hard Skills For High Schoolers

Hard skills obviously are different from the skills listed above. They include teachable and measurable abilities. Many of these are things you have taught your teen like writing, reading, math, and computer skills. Hard skills also are part of the skill set that is required for a particular job. These skills are learned through formal education and training programs.

Skills for Job Application

Some good things to think about with this one is what skills are needed with a particular job and what skills an employer might see as being an asset to their business. A future employer needs to see that you are qualified for the job that you are applying for.

Computer Skills for Resume

Many of these depend on what job a potential employee is looking for but here are some of the basics that it is important to be familiar with. It’s a good idea to know what a future employer might be looking for so you know what skills to list and what skill you may want to take an online class for before applying!

  • MS Office
  • Google Drive
  • Spreadsheets
  • Email
  • Quickbooks
  • Social media and the etiquette that goes along with it.
  • Writing Skills
  • Software Skills

Analytical/Quantitative Skills

Analytical skills are important as they entail being able to collect and analyze information and problem solve. Although this may sound technical we all use these types of skills every day. Brainstorming, observing, and making decisions are beneficial for any job. Quantitative skills go along with it and are objective and involve analyzing numerical and measurable data.

Technical Skills

Technical skills are big and important for many reasons. These are the skills needed to work in certain industries and occupations. Often this means college but it can also mean technical schools and even online training. With some occupations, there will be on the job training but it definitely is an advantage to have already acquired the skills needed before applying for a particular job.

Apprenticeships and internships may help give you some of this type of training and help you decide on a career path.

 

When starting out on a career path it is of utmost importance to know what a future employer is looking for, skills for a resume to pursue your dream, and skills for a job application. These soft skills and hard skills must be kept in mind at all times. The soft skills will show your future employer how you’ll perform at a job and if you have the qualities of a leader, and the hard skills you know will show what you can do from your job skills list.

#CAREER PLANNING, #COLLEGE PREP, #HOMESCHOOLING HIGH SCHOOL

Jamie Gaddy

Jamie Gaddy, B.S., M.Ed., Ed.D. has been a college education professor for over 17 years. Education has been a part of her life in both the classroom and as a principal. Six children later found her dissatisfied with traditional school and homeschool became the better fit. She is also a pastor’s wife, editor, and entrepreneur who now homeschools four of her six children in Georgia. Jamie loves to share about her homeschool experience to help other homeschoolers find success. Connect with her at [email protected].