2018 is the year of career change and with one in every two people considering this possibility it is said to peak in the first three months of the year. Now is the time to start considering candidates with core skills and attributes rather than those who possess your required skills and experiences.
With the recent SEEK research showing 50% of candidates are considering a career change it was also found that two in five candidates are wanting to make a move within the next 12 months. Employers and hiring managers need to start learning what core skills to look for and what attributes candidates have that make them the right person for your business.
Core Skills
Often transferrable skills are overlooked and employers are focused on interviewing candidates with a specific skill set of experiences. Transferable skills are a vital ability to possess regardless of the organisation or role.
Organisational skills such as time management or research skills
Communication skills such as listening and writing
Interpersonal skills like empathy and flexibility
Analytical skills such as critical thinking and problem solving.
Everyone wants to succeed in their career and more often than not the driving factors for success are much the same in any role. Regardless of the working environment all candidates key attributes come down to motivation, values and preferences.
Aspects that are often found in standout candidates are; someone who is able to work autonomously and in a team, punctuality and problem solving skills as these show a candidates flexibility and are skills useful in any workplace. Recruiters will be able to assess whether there is an alignment in goals, values, drivers and interests necessary in the role within the organisation by your presence in the interview. Someone who arrives on time and is well prepared shows immediate attention to detail and a keen interest in the role.
More SEEK studies show that on average, transferable skills had an importance weighting of 63% whilst formal qualifications are only 37%, furthermore it showed that two in five have hired someone because they demonstrated more passion for the role than actual skills.
Hiring purely based on a candidates previous experience and skills can be limiting. Hirers are starting to lean towards the idea of aptitude and potential rather and focusing on what the individual has already achieved.
