There are so many named skills these days it’s hard to know which ones you need to acquire to maintain a competitive edge isn’t it?
I have narrowed the list down to 7 Essential Business Management Skills that Employers Want:
- Organisation and Time Management skills: This skill is a crucial requirement when in a Business Management position. Time is limited, deadlines always exist and effective management of competing demands is critical.
- Communication skills: Communication is something we do from the time we are born, and yet misunderstandings occur so often, don’t they? One would think we would have perfected this skill by now wouldn’t we? As human beings, the only way to get a message across is to communicate with each other. A business cannot function without the presence of effective communication. A Business Manager frequently interacts with clients, direct reports, and key stakeholders. It is important for them to effectively articulate their message verbally, non-verbally and in written form. This will avoid confusion and misinterpretation. It will contribute to confidence and future success.
- People Management and Leadership skills: Would you say human resources are a Business’s most valuable resource? I believe they are and here’s why… Human resources can either make or break a Business. People management is crucial based on the impact employees can have on business success. This is where you come in as a Business Manager, it is your role to work through people to motivate them to achieve key result areas, which in turn contributes to optimal Business performance.
- Emotional Intelligence: As humans, we are emotional beings aren’t we? Human emotions can be complex to understand at the best of times, can’t they? The concept of emotional intelligence in terms of leadership and management is relatively new. Emotional intelligence, very briefly described refers to heightened consciousness of your own emotions and your ability to proactively manage them effectively. It is also about recognising the emotional states of others by picking up on verbal and non-verbal cues and then acting accordingly to achieve the best outcome for all parties involved. This contributes to you being a highly effective leader and manager.
- Project Management Skills: Projects are very common in the workplace. They can range from being simple and small to something complex and big. To have skills in this area and an understanding of project management concepts such as planning, implementation, monitoring and finalisation is certainly an advantage and in demand in many industries today.
- Computers and technology: What doesn’t work without technology these days? The answer is not much. With the rate of technological change, people need to be up to date with the latest developments in computer technology. Now, more than ever, your skills and ability to be tech savvy and feel confident in using computers and technology is critical to success in the business environment.
- Ability to adapt to change: Great things never came from remaining in our comfort zone! There is no question that businesses need to change to remain competitive in the marketplace. To remain competitive means to change, evolve and grow to maintain and achieve success. Individuals who take initiative and invest in their professional development are highly sort after because it means as a staff member you can hit the ground running with updated skills and knowledge that businesses can draw upon to remain competitive.
More and more these days’ employers expect potential employees to come equipped with tertiary qualifications. They expect potential candidates to have the skills and knowledge so that they can be job ready and hit the ground running.
You can easily develop the skills listed above by investing in your own professional development. Why not do something today that your future self will thank you for!
TrainSmart Australia offer many nationally recognised courses online in the Business Management and IT.
Will there ever be a perfect time to study? The answer is unfortunately no. Tomorrow is too late, yesterday is over and now is exactly the right moment. You won’t regret it!
