Do you think you know what skills are most sought after by employers?
By Tory Campbell, ’00, Senior Associate Executive Director, Experience, OSU Alumni Association
In our careers, we can spend infinite time thinking about what we value as top skills and how we are overlooked or should be recognized and promoted. However, how often do you take 15 minutes with your supervisor to ask what skills they feel are most important to help the team or company succeed in any given season?
You might be asking: Why should I do this?
The reason is twofold. First, initiating this conversation tells your supervisor that you are invested in developing skills that complement your career goals, your team and the company. Secondly, your supervisor likely has a higher-level overview of your team’s operations and its most urgent and in-demand skills. Their input can help you gain a much-needed perspective on aligning your skills and professional superpowers with the core needs of your workplace.
This subtle and inquisitive approach often makes the difference in increasing your opportunities to be a prized, healthy contributor to your company through the various seasons your team or company goes through.
Do you think you know what skills are most sought after by employers?
Here is a quick exercise to help you see how close or far off you are on what your supervisor deems the essential skills. Take one minute to rank these skills in order of importance for you, then see how your understanding stacks up with the answers. After completing your ranking, you’ll receive a link to a recent article to see how your employer may rank these skills. The difference in priorities may mean the difference in potential promotion, job satisfaction, and whether you’re able to contribute to projects from your areas of strength or remain sidelined.
These monthly career features aim to promote new perspectives and help Oregon State University alumni and friends gain leverage in building and maintaining a solid career. So, we’ll post the survey results in next month's OSUAA career newsletter for your review and community learning.
