By Christopher Wilson

 

Today’s college students and graduates are competing in an ever-expanding workforce, both here in America and on a global basis. Finding ways to differentiate yourself based solely on the technical knowledge you possess is increasingly challenging.

 

While knowledge is certainly an important component to success, graduates can increase their career success through the development of a broad set of skills that will enable them to drive desired outcomes. 

 

The best 10 skills to identify, learn, and master when coming out of college are:

1) Effective Resume Writing: Resumes are intended to get you an interview, not a job. They need to be written with that in mind—concise, direct, and content rich.

2) Interviewing: Understand that interviews are a two-way process. It is just as critical to ask questions of your own. Preparation is key.

3) Negotiating a Salary: Ideally, you want the hiring manager to decide you are the best candidate for the job before discussing salary or pay. Your chances for maximum pay will improve if you discuss compensation after you are considered the best candidate. You have skills to offer, value them.

4) Positive Attitude: Present yourself positively and improve the way you are viewed by potential employers.

5) Active Listening: Real listening is different than waiting to speak. Most people do not know how to focus on this skill, but there are ways to dramatically improve this skill— mainly, by practicing.

6) Communication Skills: Effective communication skills follow a process that can produce more efficient and effective results. By learning to communicate efficiently, you will be able to handle more work in less time.

7) Business Writing: Writing a business letter or other communication piece is different than writing papers in school. You want to present conclusions and be prepared to defend your positions, rather than referencing your research in your memos.

8) Develop a Personal Plan: Developing a set of personal goals and milestones will help guide you through the inevitable ups and downs of career progressions.

9) Managing Up to a Boss: Know how to read your new boss and how to help them be successful.

10) Rapid Learning: Information is readily available today and there is less need to know every detail. It is no longer about what you know; it is about how fast you can learn.

 

Expanding your competency in these skills will give you an edge in today’s job market.