Want your job application to stand out? Employers say they look for these skills

NFER

The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has conducted a significant five-year study, identifying six crucial transferable skills that are becoming as vital as formal qualifications for securing and maintaining employment over the next decade. This research underscores a fundamental shift in employer priorities, moving beyond traditional academic achievements to a greater emphasis on practical, interpersonal, and cognitive abilities. The NFER's findings are particularly pertinent given their earlier research, which projected the disappearance of up to three million low- to mid-level jobs by 2035 due to advancements in AI and automation, creating a pressing need for a more adaptable workforce.

This context highlights a growing urgency for job seekers, especially the more than one million young people currently not in education, employment, or training, to cultivate and effectively demonstrate these identified skills. The study implicitly suggests that a workforce equipped with strong transferable skills will be better positioned to adapt to technological disruption and evolving job roles, thereby mitigating potential unemployment risks and fostering greater resilience and innovation in the labor market. This strategic focus on skills development is crucial for national economic stability and individual career longevity.

North Bar

Christian Townsley, co-founder of the North Bar group in Leeds, exemplifies how businesses are actively seeking candidates who possess these transferable skills in practical settings. He emphasizes the importance of organizational abilities, multitasking, and maintaining a "cool head" in a fast-paced environment, such as a busy bar. Townsley's recruitment process notably includes trial shifts, which serve as a practical arena for job seekers to showcase their communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in real-time interactions with customers and colleagues, providing a tangible assessment beyond a resume.

The approach at North Bar illustrates a direct application of the NFER's findings, demonstrating that employers are looking for concrete evidence of these skills in action, rather than just theoretical understanding. Jake Readman, a general manager at North Bar, further stresses the importance of effective communication, including the ability to de-escalate conflict and show initiative. This hands-on assessment method allows employers to gauge a candidate's personality and adaptability, which might not be fully conveyed through a written application, as noted by job seeker El Cousins who prefers in-person CV delivery.

Barbour's

At Barbour's factory in South Shields, HR director Lynn Bassett highlights collaboration as a non-negotiable skill for all recruits, emphasizing its critical role in their operational success. She explains that the interlinked nature of departments within the factory necessitates a strong "one team" approach, making collaborative abilities fundamental to maintaining efficiency and product quality. Bassett's perspective reinforces the idea that specific job experience can sometimes be secondary to a candidate's inherent capacity for teamwork and their ability to articulate past collaborative experiences, even if those experiences are outside a formal work setting.

The experience of Addie Pattas, a fashion degree student on placement at Barbour's, further illustrates this point. Working in the jacket repair department, Pattas found that effective communication with various teams—including the warehouse, factory, and shipping team—was crucial for keeping everyone informed and ensuring smooth processes from repair to return. This real-world example from Barbour's underscores how essential collaboration and clear communication are, even in seemingly specialized roles, for fostering a cohesive working environment and achieving collective goals within a complex manufacturing operation.