“The mark of higher education isn’t the knowledge you accumulate in your head. It’s the skills you gain about how to learn.” – Adam Grant
By now, most professionals have heard that millennials will make up almost half of the workforce by the year 2020 and close to 75 percent by 2030.
That means that much of the hiring of young professionals born between 1990 and 2010 has already begun and will continue to take place for quite some time.
So, as millennials continue to emerge into corporate America, as job seekers, the tech-savvy, collaboration-heavy, philanthropic souls, need to build up all aspects of their work experience.
In the accounting, finance and information technology professions, specifically, technical skillsets are often seen as the most common deciding factor when it comes to hiring. While there’s certainly great importance in having the right technical skills for a role, employers don’t only look at technical skills—they look at the whole package.
Therefore, millennials need to be up on their game as far as soft skills are concerned, as well. In fact, the three most common soft skills include communication, collaboration and leadership. However, there are a few more soft skills that job seekers might not even realize they should stay sharp on.
I recently came across a Forbes article that covers this topic well. As we move further into 2017, it’s essential for job seekers, especially those millennial job seekers, to understand what will set them apart from the competition and from any misnomers surrounding the millennial generation. That’s why I decided to discuss these skills further below.
Learn the 4 Skills Every Millennial Jobseeker Needs in 2018.
1. Attention to Detail
With increased automation in many roles, it’s easy for job seekers to lose their focus when it comes to the tasks in front of them. Instead of letting technology do all of the work, it’s important for millennial job seekers to try to focus more often. For example, instead of letting spellcheck handle typos and errors, job seekers would be wise to slow down, take their time and review their resumes, cover letters and emails. Now of course, this is not just an issue for millennials – it’s something job seekers of all ages should do. Being able to clearly convey attention to detail with a potential employer starts as soon as one submits their resume.
2. Curiosity and Commitment
In the past, it was common for job seekers to seek higher education for top roles, and while I don’t want to discredit the importance of higher education for various positions, not all roles need advanced degrees. Instead, hiring managers and recruiters are beginning to look for curiosity and a willingness to learn as a key component in the assessment process.
3. Grit
In an ever-changing corporate landscape, it’s important for job seekers to have strong adaptability, and even further, it’s essential for job seekers to be able to convey their adaptability. Everyone has faced setbacks in their careers, no matter if they’re first starting out in their career or have several years of experience. However, finding the grit in that story is what will make a millennial memorable and be seriously considered for an open position.
4. Humility
This is arguably one of the most advanced skills that unfortunately doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Before a job seeker even lands a job, it’s very important for them to remain humble in the interview process. That does not mean groveling, but instead, means accepting the fact that he or she does not know everything and has the ability to admit their mistakes when they arise. In order to advance, though, millennial job seekers must admit that they still have room to learn.
Do you know of other important and overlooked soft skills for millennials or other job seekers? Comment below and let us know.