What do employers want and how do I get it? Part II

Peter D. Hart Research Associates surveyed 305 business executives and 510 recent college graduates in November and December 2006. Here’s what they had to say:

Skill: the ability to communicate

You’re thinking: I know how to communicate! Well, yes and know. Cats, dogs, and babies can all communicate at some level, but they can’t negotiate treaties (or salaries). This is a more nuanced communication. And communication means more than just talking. There’s public speaking, small group communication, and interpersonal communication just to name a few. Communication is more than just the ability to get ideas across to someone. It is the ability to receive messages too. Most students are not exceptional communicators without a certain amount of training.

Where do I get that skill?

Communication courses are a great way to learn the nuances of what it means to communicate. It is an entire major after all. Taking some of these classes is a great way to understand and practice your skills. I recommend everyone take a public speaking class (required at many universities) an interpersonal class and an organizational communication class if possible. Look for classes where there is a lot of discussion, arguing points, and speaking opportunities. Getting comfortable in front of people, be it one on one or in a group, takes a lot of practice. Volunteer for these experiences as much as possible.

Other places to get these skills include campus organizations where you can take leadership positions. Organizations like fraternities and sororities where there is a yearly interview (rush) component are great for practicing these skills. School newspapers offer opportunities to interview people and get good experience talking to people in unscripted situations.


Skill: Listening.

You probably think you know what it means to listen, but more than likely, you're missing this crucial skill. Listening is an active thing. Listening means processing information and responding. It means focusing on the speaker, rather than thinking about your next response (or your next meal.) Poor listeners make poor interviewees and even worse employees. They talk though an entire interview, they don’t pay attention to cues from the interviewer, and they perform poorly when asked to work with a team.

Listening means more than just hearing the person in front of you. It means looking for feedback from customers, co-workers, and supervisors. How do you react when you receive a bad grade on a test or paper? Do you blame the professor? Do you tear it up or stuff it in a bag and never look at it again? If so then you, my friend, are probably a bad listener. You avoid feedback because it can be painful, preferring to stay in your own world of excuses and rationalizations.

Where do I get this skill?

All classes offer opportunities to learn to listen. Choose a class where there is a large amount of lecture. Try focusing on the speaker. Ask questions in your head about what the speaker is saying and write them down. Take lots of notes. Hold yourself accountable for the information in the lecture, regardless of whether or not it will be tested. Offer body language such as nodding and eye contact to show the speaker you are listening. Avoid drifting off into your own thoughts, and if you do, come right back to taking notes.

Read and process feedback on your work. Take a paper or test on which you got a less than desirable grade. Read all of the comments without making mental arguments against them. Wait 24 hours. Read through them again. Go to your professor’s office hours or schedule some time to chat about the comments. Don’t come in with a list of arguments, but really listen to what the critiques of your work are. Then ask how you can work on these issues. It’s amazing how you can improve your work and your relationship to the professor just by listening.

Finally, work on your listening skills with friends and family. Pick three conversations each day in which you will focus on the other person. Listen to their stories, ask questions, and provide feedback that is not about you. Try going through a conversation and count the number of times you use self referencing pronouns such as I, me, my, and myself. See if you can reduce this number. If all of your sentences seem to start with “I” then you could probably stand some more listening practice.


Skill: Thinking on your feet

Whether you’re a surgeon or a salesperson, you will be thrown curves in your job that will require that you think on your feet. You need to respond to situations with speed, but also with professionalism and precision. You can do the right thing, the wrong thing, or nothing.

Where do I get that skill?

Unfortunately, there is no “Think fast 101” for you to take, but learning to think on your feet comes from engaging others. Taking seminar and discussion based classes will go a long way to helping you pick up this skill.

Also, all of those jobs you rarely think of as resume builders can come in handy here. Fast-paced, customer-service oriented jobs such as retail or food service positions can improve your response time in the face of difficult circumstances. Never discount the ability to manage a line of caffeine-deprived commuters first thing in the morning.

Playing team sports is another great way to get this skill set. Your ability to work with a group of people in a competitive environment will be enhanced with every throw, kick, swing, or pass.