Employability Skills

We mean this in a literal way. Pick your feet up and walk proud, and get right to your work - don't procrastinate or let things drag up to the deadline, and then jump in to get it done in a fast flurry at the end. It makes your boss crazy. Gain a reputation for having your act together more so than the majority of people.

Ask your supervisor what the expectations for outcome are. This will immediately make you stand out from 95% of the other employees. Mean what you ask and follow through on your promises.

When you get the opportunity to learn a new skill, receive training for a different activity, or take a study course paid for by your employer--do it! Cross-training, new skill sets, and further education show that you are intelligent and value life-long learning. If push comes to shove, and people are let go, you stand a better chance of being retained than those who can only do one thing.

Be on time. Always arrive early. Be at least 15 minutes early every day. That way, if you are running late, you will be on time. If you have to park far away, you will walk in and still not be late. If your client is early, you will be there to greet him or her, and not leave someone waiting for you - even if you arrive on time.

Cultivate good relationships with the people in your organization;they are the experts in their departments. Treat all co-workers with courtesy, respect, and kindness because they hold more power than you realize, and your reputation with them matters. Do not hang out with other employees who mistreat, disrespect, or talk down to others.

Whether it's menial and tedious, or tough and high-paying, learn how to do the job, regardless of how difficult you think it might be. Promotions are most commonly based your ability to do your job, loyalty to the company, your aptitude, and your educational background. If you don't know how to do something, go find out; don't make excuses for why you didn't do it.

EES stands for Essential Employ-ability Skills.

✰ Employ-ability skills are the "career capital" that people need to get a job and acquire job-specific skills while on the job.

✰ They are integrated and used in varying combinations across business, education, government and society and are transferable between contexts.

✰ Employers recognize that success comes when their employees have the right combination of generic employ-ability skills and technical skills, knowledge and expertise.

✰ Employ-ability skills development has always been an important implicit component of school, college and university education.

Don't spend a lot of time on personal phone calls. Work is for work. Keep cell phones in your locker and limit personal calls on work phones to emergencies.

Hold your head high and be confident. A calm, assured energy will take you much farther than carrying yourself in a hunched up ball.

Always be productive. Don't let paper sit on your desk for days on end. Get the work done and move on to the next thing as quickly as possible.

It will provide you with valuable ideas about what people expect from you, any weak areas, and what you need to work on first. If a boss or coworker criticizes you in a way that hurts or angers you, wait until you cool/calm down and ask them if you can talk with them. Tell them how you felt, but tell them that you would like to fix the issue and want them to talk with you about what needs to be changed.

Dress appropriately for your job.

Use the last 15-20 minutes of your shift. People notice who runs to the clock out stations prior to shift end. One of the best uses of this time is to organize your work space for tomorrow. Take a moment to put away loose papers, sweep, wipe down surfaces, and locate things you'll need.

Offer junior employees guidance and encouragement. Offer to show them the ropes or offer training tips. Remember how it felt to be the newbie. Be a mentor. If you are not sure someone understood something, be willing to ask if they need assistance. Don't do the work for them, teach them instead. Be careful what you say to new employees; don't air your grievances, frustrations, or interpersonal conflicts. Don't gossip.

Acceptance is the Key. Don't argue a lot, your company's policies is what your boss has to follow. So if you found something wrong, try to understand your boss's perspective, but without arguing. Use a good and quiet way to understand the problem point. You may just realize that things happen for a reason and not necessarily for a season. Policies are implemented for reasons of the good of the whole.

Volunteer or be active in projects to get the job done. Don't worry about who gets credit your boss knows much more than you think. Be a team player. In addition, volunteering allows you to choose the part you will play. If you don't choose, chances are it will be chosen for you. Either way, you'll be responsible for some facet, so be one of the first to step forward when you can.

A good employee is honest about his/her work and qualifications. Self criticism and willing to receive feedback (bad as good) is essential to become a good learner.

Employees who know how to adjust themselves to new environment, willing to learn new things (quick learners) and perform their best in changes are likely to be the best performers in any organization.