Young professionals entering the job market for the first time face the daunting task of proving to employers that they have the education, skills and potential to succeed at a position without the relevant work history.
So without a loaded resume to lean on, what are hiring managers looking for from young professionals and what will get you the job?
One LinkedIn researcher partnered with the organization Circumventure and surveyed 1,400 hiring managers from Fortune 500 countries to identify which skills and personality traits are most important when hiring young professionals. The results paint a telling picture about the importance of soft skills and the right attitude and mindset when entering the business world – all important components of the Dardis Academy training experience.
Skills
Based on the LinkedIn survey, hiring managers rank problem-solving (finding solutions when faced with challenges) and being a good learner (learning new skills quickly) as the most important skills they look for in hiring young professionals.
Personality Traits
The survey results also show that hiring managers look for young professionals that are collaborative, work hard and have a positive attitude.
The job you’re applying for will also impact the kind of skills and personality traits that you should share in an interview, as the research shows that the importance of specific skills and personality traits varies by the exact role they’re hiring for. Working toward a sales role? Focus on your oral communication skills and maintain a positive attitude. Hoping to land a marketing or public relations gig? Research shows that creativity, passion for the work and strong written communication are key.
Through Dardis Academy, students have the opportunity to learn the soft skills they need to achieve in the real world and actually apply their new skills in a six-week business simulation. When applying for their first job, Dardis Academy grads can describe to employers how the elite training experience taught them important professional communication skills and other important real-world business skills like preparing for and scheduling meetings, delivering business presentations, learning from audience evaluation and feedback and summarizing presentation takeaways.
To learn more about this opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest, click here.
Photo credit: bpsusf via Flickr