job market

Are you struggling to find a job in these trying times? Do you feel that you are perfectly qualified for a role, but are falling at some unseen hurdle?

The job market has changed so much in the past ten years. There are so many candidates with the right qualifications vying for the same jobs that education isn’t the only factor that employees now consider. Every job application will ask you to provide a list of additional skills. At first glance, this may appear to be an irrelevant box to tick; however, providing certain information can give you a substantial lead over the competition.

If you want to improve your chances of succeeding in the job market, the following list of additional skills will help. Here’s what you can learn to get ahead in the hiring process.

Another Language

Being able to communicate with your peers is a fundamental skill to have. It can bring you closer as a team and therefore improve production. Unfortunately, every potential applicant is aware of the importance of good communication. So, how can you stand out in this field?

We live in a multicultural society. The people you work with can come from any walk of life, and English may not even be their first language. This is also true of a company’s customer base. Learning a second language can give the employer the tools to communicate with people they could not before. It doesn’t even have to be a foreign language. British sign language allows you to understand those in the deaf community, strengthening their inclusion in the workplace or giving your company a new customer base.

Mental Health Awareness

Another aspect of modern life that has changed in recent years is our understanding and awareness of mental health. Our civilisation is now familiar with these issues and realised that illnesses, such as depression and anxiety can affect anyone among the general public.

However, it is still a difficult thing for some people to get their heads around. A lot of business leaders want to understand the plight of their workers but can’t fully grasp these new terms and concepts. That is why you will look like a much better job prospect if you can establish your awareness of mental health. You can bring up the topic in an interview, but it is more effective to improve your C.V. Try volunteering with a mental health organisation or becoming mental health first aider in your spare time to demonstrate these skills practically.

Computer Literacy

Computers are so ingrained in modern life that it is impossible to come across anyone that isn’t the least bit computer literate. Being able to work with one of these machines is a fundamental requirement in most jobs, but there are some generations that weren’t given the opportunity to learn about digital technology. It wasn’t even that long ago that computers took over the workplace. However, knowing how to use a computer is a mandatory requirement for almost every job in the modern age.

Make sure that you brush up on your skills and become as fluent with this tech as you can. Take a look at what most companies are asking for to know exactly what additional skills you need to learn.

Research Skills

Education is an important factor in the job application process. Unfortunately, the way that you learn and adapt on an average business day is more appealing to a modern employer. So much so, that it is now more useful to know how to research and retrieve information with a search engine.

Research skills will always help you in the workplace; however, it is more beneficial to job hunters. You can hone your research skills to find out more about the company’s that you apply to. For example, to find out the average U.K. salary for your type of job role you can visit checkaslalry.co.uk. This unique site offers unique salary information, which is collated from every job advertised in the U.K., so you know it’s accurate. This level of knowledge can help you weed out any companies that fail to provide the average salary, or anything else you feel is of worth in your field of expertise. The average wage in the U.K. is changing, so don’t get caught out.

An Open Mind

A good understanding of the U.K.’s average salary is most beneficial to you as an individual, but the one thing that an employer values above all else are an open mind. You can demonstrate your ability to adapt by brushing up on the skills already mentioned in this article, but a truly open mind can work anywhere with anyone.

Some of this information will be present in your previous experience; however, you may need to get creative to show your attitude toward this type of ethos. There is no longer room in the workplace for stubbornness, and things are changing so quickly that you need to be an open-minded individual to keep up.

Are you open-minded enough to try adding some of these additional skills to your job profile? The world of work is never going to stay the same, so put the extra work in now to get yourself ahead in the modern job market.