Employability Skills: Measuring Soft Skills and Workplace Readiness

Employability skills are general skills and traits needed in almost every job. Also called foundational skills, job readiness skills, or essential skills, these are proficiencies that make an employee desirable to prospective employers. Administering a pre-employment test that measures these general abilities will enable employers to confidently hire the right candidate for the job.

Employability Skills: Always In High Demand

As discussed in a previous post, both general and job-specific skills are critical for workplace success. For example, both plumbing and carpentry require different sets of technical skills, but both jobs require soft skills like critical thinking and problem solving. No matter the job or technical skill required, employability skills will always be in high demand.

For Employers

Evaluating employability skills is an important step in the hiring process. In addition to hiring candidates with the right technical skills, employers must also assess a potential employee’s soft skills. Good communication, critical thinking, and working in a team are some skills that help maintain a healthy and productive workplace. Also, hiring the right person with the right skills for the job will help cut down on hiring and training costs and will increase overall employee retention.

For Workers

For employees, being able to showcase your proficiency with soft skills will make you a more desirable job candidate. Hiring managers almost always look for candidates with both hard and soft skills. Invest in your career by developing skills that make you a well-rounded and valuable employee.

Top Skills For Workplace Success

Pre-employment tests and skills assessments are the perfect way to test whether or not your candidate has the essential skills for the job and if they will be a good fit for the company. Here are the top employability skills to look for:

Communication

Good communication is absolutely critical in the workplace. Both written and in-person communication skills are in high demand. It’s not just about being able to talk or email with coworkers, but about communicating accurately and effectively in multiple scenarios. For example, most skilled trade workers must be familiar with industry-specific terms and vocabulary. An electrician who is called out to diagnose a problem may need to explain their findings to a homeowner in layman’s terms, communicate a technical explanation to a supervisor, discuss specific solutions with co-workers, and gather any necessary parts or tools—all before the repairs have even taken place.

Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are also referred to as “people skills” and are the everyday ways we interact with co-workers, managers, and customers while on the job. Being able to collaborate and work well with teammates is an important part of a company’s overall success. Interpersonal skills are especially important for those in management positions, as these employees are responsible for making sure the entire team is productive and efficient.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

No matter the industry, all workers should be able to apply critical thinking skills to identify problems and apply definitive solutions. Employees who are able to think on their feet and solve problems quickly are valuable assets to any organization. Another aspect of critical thinking skills is the ability to analyze information, organize tasks, and manage time.

Self-Motivated and Able to Learn New Things

Any employee with the initiative to tackle problems and a desire to learn new things is an incredible asset to any organization. Some organizations have even found it more effective to reskill current employees rather than hiring new workers. E-learning and reskilling have become major parts of the hiring and training process. From 2001 to 2017, the number of companies using e-learning has increased by 900%. Organizations with robust learning programs should take care to hire candidates who demonstrate a willingness to learn and increase their skills.

Technology Skills

Technology has become an integral part of the modern world. Now, most jobs require some degree of technological literacy and may require training in company-specific systems. Candidates familiar with computers, word processors, spreadsheets, project management software, and scheduling software will have an advantage over those who don’t. While technological know-how may be considered a hard skill (concrete and job-specific), there’s no doubt that this is a skill essential to job success.

New Skills Assessment: Employability Skills

Nocti Business Solutions has a new skills assessment focused on these employability skills. With this tool, your organization can accurately measure the general skills a candidate will need to be a successful employee. The test covers:

• Reading, writing, and math
• Critical thinking skills
• Resource management and systems thinking
• Information use
• Communication skills
• Technology use
• Interpersonal skills
• Personal qualities

Take A Sample Test

Nocti Business Solutions provides over 130 skills assessments across many different industries. Our tests are meticulously researched, scientifically validated, and offer accurate and reliable results. Skills assessments and pre-employment tests have proven extremely valuable tools for improving worker safety, on-the-job training, and helping companies of all sizes find success.

See if NBS skills assessments are the right fit for your organization by taking a free sample assessment!