Skills Employers Are Looking For

• The Conference Board of Canada's Corporation Council on Education released its Employability Skills Profile in June 1992. The profile lists the critical skills required of the Canadian work force as identified by key representatives of 25 major Canadian corporations. Compare your skills to those highlighted in the profile below. Using a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest level), rate your competency in each area.
  
  ACADEMIC SKILLS
  
  These skills provide the foundation you need to get, keep and progress on a job. Canadian employers need a person who can:
  
  1. Communicate
  
• Understand and speak the languages in which business is conducted; listen in order to understand and learn.
• Read, comprehend and use written materials, including graphs, charts and displays.
  
  2. Think
  
• Think critically and act logically to evaluate situations, solve problems and make decisions.
• Understand and solve problems involving mathematics and use the results.
• Use technology, instruments, tools and information systems effectively.
• Access and apply specialized knowledge from various fields (e.g. skilled trades, technology, physical sciences, arts and social sciences).
  
  3. Learn
  
• Continue to learn for life.
  
  PERSONAL MANAGEMENT SKILLS
  
  This combination of skills, attitudes and behaviors is required to get, keep and progress on a job and to achieve the best results. Canadian employers need a person who can demonstrate:
  
  1. Positive attitudes and behaviors
  
• Self-esteem and confidence.
• Honesty, integrity and personal ethics.
• A positive attitude toward learning, growth and personal health. initiative, energy and persistence to get the job done.
  
  2. Responsibility
  
• Ability to set goals and priorities in work and in personal life.
• Ability to plan and manage time, money and other resources to achieve goals.
• Accountability for actions taken.
  
  3. Adaptability
  
• A positive attitude toward change.
• Recognition of and respect for people's diversity and individual differences.
• Ability to identify and suggest new ideas to get the job done creatively.
  
  TEAMWORK SKILLS
  
  These skills are needed to work with others on a job and to achieve the best results. Canadian employers need a person who can:
  
  1.Work with others
  
• Understand and contribute to the organization's goals.
• Understand and work within the culture of the group.
• Plan and make decisions with others and support the outcomes.
• Respect the thoughts and opinions of others in the group.
• Exercise give and take to achieve group results.
• Seek a team approach as appropriate.
• Lead when appropriate, mobilizing the group for high performance.
  
  Note the areas where you scored yourself 0 to 4. Select two or three which you feel present the most threat to you in getting a job. Add these to the Assessment for Skills Development page.
  

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