Job Skills 101by Ted DeCorte, M.A.

Once upon a time, bank tellers counted money, bookkeepers kept track of figures, and secretaries typed letters. An employee's job duties were narrowly defined, and decisions were left to those "higher up." THAT WAS THE PAST. Today, employers demand that employees broaden their workplace experiences and acquire a good, working knowledge of a wide range of skills. To achieve these skills, business people have relied on our educational systems, and when those have fallen short, they have developed "in-house" training programs. What do employers expect from their employees? A study by the U.S. Department of Labor and the American Society for Training and Development identified seven skills groups needed by employees for workplace success in the 1990's and beyond . Here we go. What employers want from their employees:

1. ABILITY TO LEARN: Employers are placing a high priority on the ability of employees to absorb, process, and apply new information quickly and effectively. This is needed as employers more frequently shift employees between jobs and responsibilites.

2. ABILITY TO LISTEN & COMMUNICATE ORALLY: On the job, over one-half of our time is spent listening, and the other portion is spent communicating to others, either by phone or eye-ball to eye-ball. Unfortunately, schools spend little time instructing students how to effectively listen and communicate with co-workers or the public.

3. THE THREE "Rs": Compentence in Reading, Writing and Computation is critical in any job today and will be increasingly important in the future. It's no secret that many in our nation's workforce lack analytical and critical thinking skills, and monitoring one's own work are skills looked for in hiring and promoting.

4.ADAPTABILITY: An organization's ability to succeed depends on using creative thinking to solve problems and overcome barriers. Employers place a premium on workers who develop such skills.

5. PERSONAL MANAGEMENT: Taking pride in work accomplished, setting goals and meeting them, and enhancing job skills to meet new challenges are necessary characteristics or today's employees. The formal educational system has provided little or no training in developing such attributes as self-esteem, motivation and career development.

6. ABILITY TO WORK EFFECTIVELY IN GROUPS: The ability to "play together," working cooperatively in teams is increasingly important for workplace success. Employers value the development of interpersonal skills and negotiation.

7. ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS & LEADERSHIP: Employers want employees to have some sense of where the organization is headed as well as what they must do to make a contribution. Employers place a high priority on persons who can assume responsibility and motivate co-workers. The transformation of the worker's role is indicative of the extraordinary
changes in the workplace. For tomorrow's employees, success on the job and in the job market depends entirely on acquiring specific skills today.

Printed June 1991 in The Pacesetter, an international publication for Chamber of Commerce executives and volunteer leaders, and Look North, a publication of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.


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