updated version, what do employers want?

 Unit 1 Communication and Employability Skills for IT

What do employers want?

When applying for a specific job, it helps if you have technical knowledge. For example if you’re applying for a job as a programmer for a company, you’ll almost definitely need to know how to programme, what it is and how to overcome problems you may encounter.  This technical knowledge is vital when you’re going for a specific job and can make you stand out against other candidates wanting the same job.  Technical knowledge can also be experience, if you’ve had a previous job doing what you want to do in your new one, it shows you have the technical knowledge.

Also you need to know some work procedures and systems. Health and safety is a key work procedure which is needed in basically every job role. For example if you was working on computers, you would have to know procedures like keep liquids away from the computer and make sure that all the wires are tucked away so they aren’t a tripping hazard. Another example is if you were working in a science lab, you would need to know all the safety procedures like you need to wear goggles, wear a lab coat etc. so you don’t get hurt. These procedures and systems are vital to know in a workplace because it shows that you know how to avoid injury or beware of dangerous activities.

When going for a job, any kind of job, you need to show that you have good time management. This is one of the most important aspects of working. If you have good time management you can get all your work out on time and you’ll know how long you have to complete it so you can produce it to a good standard. If you don’t have good time management it could mean you end up submitting work late or not completing it to the needed standard and in the worst case you could lose your job. In the interview it would be a good idea to let them know you have good time management skills so it makes you look more reliable and professional.

 

Another necessity is English. If you’re applying for a job, pretty much any job you do, you need to have good English skills. This can show various things to the employer, it can show that you’re well-spoken and have a good knowledge of the English language. Also being good at English will help you because it means you’ll be able to compose a good E-mail if that’s needed in your workplace, or if you need to write reports often it will be needed because you need good grammar so it makes sense to who its going to. If an employer gets an E-mail asking for a job from someone who has bad English, straight away they will think this person isn’t capable of writing or speaking properly and isn’t fit for the basic procedures  needed in the job.

Maths is not necessarily needed in all jobs but certainly is helpful. Having a decent knowledge of Maths can help in lots of circumstances. Jobs like programming, working with money or data, are jobs where Maths will come in handy.  Programmers will need basic Maths knowledge at least, because some of the code you’re writing will have Mathematics in it. Some jobs, like being a lolly pop man, you won’t really need to have knowledge of maths. Most big jobs these days require a decent knowledge of Maths which is why most College and University courses now ask for a Maths qualification. Maths is a hard subject so people who have studied it and have a decent grade often go on to study it further or get a good job which it is needed in.

 

Planning and organisation skills are important for various reasons.  Being organised with your work shows to your employer that you’re on top of your work and understand it. It’s also good because it means you yourself know what you’re doing and what you have to do. Planning your work out shows the employer that you know what you need to do and this can also link to time management because when planning you’ll have to know how long you have on each piece etc.  Organisation is a good skill to have because it makes you more confident that you can complete your  work as you know what’s left to do and what you have done.

 

Also being able to problem solve is something an employer is looking for. If you’re a programmer for a big company, spending hours a day programming, the company will want you to be able to fix problems you encounter. If you’re coding is wrong but you don’t know where, you need to be able to figure out what’s gone wrong and fix it without freaking out and not being able to do your work. This means the company will trust you and think of you as a good programmer.