If you are trying to get a job, or a better job, your chances of doing so will be greatly enhanced by the experience and education you place on your resume, but the “soft” skills that you demonstrate will distinguish and differentiate you from the gluttony of competitors who are vying for the same job.

But what are those skills?

Apparently, in spite of the flood of resumes that employers are receiving during a time when the market is saturated with job seekers, they are not as happy with their prospects as you might think.

This is according to a comprehensive survey conducted by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D. Their survey is a distillation of many studies done on the skills universally sought by employers.

A portion of the skill list derived from their survey follows.

Communications Skills (listening, verbal, written). By far, the one skill mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write, and speak effectively. Successful communication is critical in business.

Exceptional listener and communicator. Someone who effectively conveys information verbally and in writing.

Analytical/Research Skills. Deals with your ability to assess a situation, seek multiple perspectives, gather more information if necessary, and identify key issues that need to be addressed.

Highly analytical. Thinking with demonstrated talent for identifying, scrutinizing, improving, and streamlining complex work processes.

Computer/Technical Literacy. Almost all jobs now require some basic understanding of computer hardware and software, especially word processing, spreadsheets, and email.

Computer-literate performer. Competent with extensive software proficiency covering wide variety of applications.

Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple Priorities. Deals with your ability to manage multiple assignments and tasks, set priorities, and adapt to changing conditions and work assignments.

Flexible team player. Someone who thrives in environments requiring ability to effectively prioritize and juggle multiple concurrent projects.

Interpersonal Abilities. The ability to relate to your co-workers, inspire others to participate, and mitigate conflict with co-workers is essential given the amount of time spent at work each day.

Proven relationship-builder. Someone with unsurpassed interpersonal skills.

Leadership/Management Skills. While there is some debate about whether leadership is something people are born with, these skills deal with your ability to take charge and manage your co-workers.

Goal-driven leader. Someone who maintains a productive climate and confidently motivates, mobilizes, and coaches employees to meet high performance standards.

Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness. There is possibly no bigger issue in the workplace than diversity, and job-seekers must demonstrate a sensitivity and awareness to other people and cultures.

Personable & Professional. Strengths include cultural sensitivity and an ability to build rapport with a diverse workforce in multicultural settings.

Planning/Organizing. Deals with your ability to design, plan, organize, and implement projects and tasks within an allotted time frame. Also involves goal-setting.

Results-driven achiever. Someone with exemplary planning and organizational skills, along with a high degree of detail orientation.

Problem-Solving/Reasoning/Creativity. Involves the ability to find solutions to problems using your creativity, reasoning, and past experiences along with the available information and resources.

Innovative problem-solver. Someone who can generate workable solutions and resolve complaints.

Teamwork. Because so many jobs involve working in one or more work-groups, you must have the ability to work with others in a professional manner while attempting to achieve a common goal.

Resourceful team player. Someone who excels at building trusting relationships with customers and colleagues.

As someone who specializes in career planning, I have to give kudos to Randall and Katharine for this meticulous list. It’s one of the best I’ve seen. If you are serious about finding a job, including and demonstrating the above skills on your resume, and highlighting them in your interviews, may be the key to opening the door to greater opportunities for you.

“Selling Skills … Make Closing A Sale Automatic.”

By Nick Moreno – Sales Trainer & Head Sales Coach

The National Sales Center

There are well-defined moments in the sales process when you absolutely must ask for the order. You can’t afford to have these precious moments slip through your fingers but unfortunately, that’s exactly what happens to too many salespeople. I have some advice that will protect you from becoming one of those salespeople. The key is to make closing automatic and you do that by knowing exactly when you must ask for an order.

“Always Be Closing”

Unfortunately, too many salespeople were mislead into believing that “Always Be Closing” represents the “ABCs” of salesmanship. Frankly, nothing could be further from the truth. You can’t always be closing because asking for an order is only one of the steps in the sales process. At a minimum, before you ask for an order you need to establish some rapport with your prospect, uncover a need for your product and present your solution. “Always Be Colsing” may sound great in a movie but it is meaningless when you’re in your sales territory, attempting to sell something to someone.

Often, salespeople that think they should always be closing are, in reality, never closing. These salespeople do not understand the sales process because if they did, they would know when and how to ask for an order. Well-trained professional salespeople don’t have these problems because they follow a well-defined sales process. These professionals know exactly when the only thing left to do is close the business.

Fear Of Closing

I also work with another group of salespeople in my sales training programs that need help with their closing skills. These sales reps need to overcome their fear of closing. After all, you can’t be sales rep and have a fear of closing, just as you can’t be an electrician and have a fear of electricity! Salespeople close and if you are not closing you’re not a salesperson… you are just a conversationalist. Salespeople that fear closing just keep talking and hopelessly praying that at some point, the prospect will ask for an order form to sign. Guess how often that happens?

In my work, I’ve uncovered many factors that cause some salespeople to fear closing. Some sales reps don’t want to face the moment of truth. Other salespeople fear they may appear “pushy”. There are also other salespeople that assume, without any data to support their assumption, that the prospect is not ready to sign an order. I help these salespeople by making closing an automatic reflex reaction to certain events in the sales process. When closing is automatic, you don’t even have to think about it. You automatically ask for the business. This process helps most salespeople overcome their fear of closing.

Initial Close

At some point in the sales process, you’ll ask your prospect a series of questions to uncover a need for your product or service. You’ll then present your product and explain how the product addresses the needs you’ve uncovered. Once you’ve presented all the benefits your prospect with gain by using your product, you must close. You must ask for the order at this point in the sales process. Don’t think about it … just close.

Since this is the first time you’ve asked your prospect for the order, this closing attempt is called the Initial Close. Your prospect has two possible reactions to your Initial Close. Your prospect will either give you the order or give you an objection. Obviously, if you get the order, you’ve accomplished your goal. On the other hand, if you get an objection, you still have some work ahead of you.

Overcoming Sales Objections

It is not end of world if you get some objections after your first closing attempt. In fact, you probably will get some objections after your Initial Close. Most prospects feel it is their duty to have some objections for the person attempting to sell them something. So relax and don’t panic. Now that the objection has surfaced, you just moved one step closer to the order. Keep in mind that an objection is not rejection. An objection is only a request for more information. Your prospect is confused and unclear about something you said or something you failed to mention. By addressing the sales objection, you give your prospect new and additional information. Armed with the new information, your prospect is able to develop a new and favorable opinion about their decision to purchase your product.

Objections should not be ignored and must be answered in a way that completely salifyes the prospect. The salesperson should not get defensive or start debating the prospect. The goal is not to win an argument. The goal is to get the order.

The “No More Objections” Close

Once all objections have been successfully addressed, you must close the prospect and ask for the order. As with the Initial Close, don’t even think about it and make this closing attempt an automatic part of your sales process. I refer to this closing attempt as the “No More Objections Close”. Once the prospect runs out of objections, the salesperson must ask for the order. Don’t think about it … just close.

Salespeople should always be direct and confident when closing a sale. The salesperson’s confidence makes the prospect confident about the decision to purchase. All objections have been successfully addressed and the salesperson must confidently assume the prospect is ready to do business.

Also, you must remain silent after you ask for an order. The prospect must be the next one to speak. There could be an uncomfortable pause while the prospect thinks about the final decision. If you interrupt that pause, you greatly diminish your probability of receiving the order. That’s why this is called strategic selling.

When You Must Close The Sale

As you now see, there are two moments in the sales process that call for a closing attempt. The first attempt is after you’ve presented the benefits of your product. The second time is after all objections have been successfully addressed. Implement this process and make closing automatic.

It is common to speak about our strengths and our weakness at interviews. The chances of you grabbing the job increases when you recognize your strengths. But over confidence on this subject can at times fade your opportunity. Attending interviews with a mindset that you know everything will only make you walk out of the interview.

Skill Identification:

Skill identification is very important. Skill identification is the key for a job. You have to do express your abilities. You have to expertise to your best. Many people boast about themselves. They boast about their abilities and skills. But never be shy in discussing about your skills. It is your responsibility to explain your talents to your employer. In fact, telling about your abilities is like trading yourself with the employer. This is the exact way of getting a job. Avoid underestimating yourself and being tough or rude during interviews. Be ready with answers to questions thrown to you like the one which asks you to differentiate yourself from the rest, questions etc… Prepare your resume in a way that it should highlight your talents and skills. This enables the employer to note it easily.

Types:

Hard skills and Soft skills are the two types of skills. Things you like to do come under hard skills. The things may be of your interest like some knowledge about the operations of various machines, typing skills, knowledge on computer programming, ability to use different sets of tools, certificates on special crafts, etc… The skills that are abstruse come under Soft skills. Personal qualities are an example of a soft skill. A personal quality includes qualities such as the role of a good player, self ability to work, decisive nature and the behavior in an organized manner.

Steps:

Listing out previous work experiences:

Preparing a list on your previous work experience is very important before attending an interview. The list should contain the name of companies you had worked for and the lessons or things learnt from them. The list may be difficult to prepare and at times be longer. But make sure that you do not miss out even a small activity where you had been a member of some organization.

List your hobbies:

Listing out hobbies is also advisable. It may appear unimportant to you, but it is not. In fact, your hobbies can reflect some of your abilities to the employer. In other words, your personality is much reflected. For instance, say you had represented for your school’s debate team. This tells the employer about your good analytical skills. If you are a champion in chess then it would indicate your employer about your ability in arriving at critical decisions. Note the things you do frequently along with your daily routine. You may be person who is perfect in doing things. You may also be an extrovert or a gregarious person. Though these seem to be ordinary, they add some value to you in your interview.

Career Decision:

Career decision is the next phase you got to work on after you had listed your skills and abilities. Match your skills with the job you are searching for by selecting the good and the best from the list. Analyze whether your skills match the job you seek. Sometimes you have to omit some skills from the list, but never be bothered. Keep in mind that your skills add value to you.

Stick to your resume:

Be true about your skills. You must be a proficient in it. For instance, if you are an organized and efficient person then you have to prove it by utilizing the interview time to its best by filling your thoughts in an effective manner.

Thus it is essential to know about your skill before applying a job. Do your levek best and good luck!