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In this topic

we're going to talk about what employers want and expect from their potential candidates a

Really good place to start is with the Department of Labor's competency model

It's a great foundational piece to help you understand some baseline competencies that employers expect you to show up with on the job

At the bottom of that competency model is the foundational layer

And basically it's made up of what we call personal effectiveness competencies. You might have heard these referred to before as soft skills

So what is the difference between a soft skill and a workplace competency well something like integrity

We be considered a soft skill whereas experience with spreadsheets would be considered a workplace competency

Another characteristic of personal effectiveness competencies is that they are what we call portable skills

Meaning they aren't tied to any one job or industry. They're actually skills that we can apply across a broad range of settings

Research tells us that if employees have these skills. They are more likely to perform well on the job

These are the kinds of skills that employers expect their new hires to come to the job with already

Not something that they need to be trained in or coached after they've been hired

Next let's take a look at each of these competencies in a little bit more detail

I want to help you understand from the point of view of the employer some of the questions that they might be thinking about as

You go through the job hiring process

The first one we're going to take a look at is interpersonal skills

Some of the things that the employer might be thinking about is does this person know how to play well with others?

Do they have manners can they empathize with their teammates? Do they know how to be an active listener a

Second competency is integrity

Some of the things that they might be wondering about are are they fair? Are they a thha chol are they trustworthy and honest?

Number three in our list is professionalism. What does that mean?

Well some things that they might be thinking about or will they be on time? Do they have a positive attitude?

Are they able to keep their personal problems outside of the workplace? Are they helpful do they gossip?

The next one on our list is initiative

Some questions there are are they self-motivated resourceful and creative?

Are they willing to get things done without being told will they do more than required? And are they a problem solver?

Dependability and reliability is the next competency

some questions that they might be thinking about as they speak with you is do they finish their tasks and meet deadlines do they follow

Up and keep commitments. Do they show attention to detail and are they able to work independently?

Number six on the list is adaptability and flexibility

What does that look like?

Well some questions there are can they handle changing work conditions? Can they stay open to new ideas?

Are they flexible enough to handle rapid change surprises and challenges and are they able to deal with role changes?

and

Finally number seven, which is lifelong learning some things that they may want to know is do they want to learn new skills

Do they take the initiative to learn and set goals? Are they curious?

Do they value knowledge and skills and do they take opportunities for formal and informal learning whenever they get the chance?