Professional Skills: Discover the 7 Most Requested

Professional skills are beneficial for the professional and also for the company, putting both ahead of their competitors.

The job market is more competitive than ever. Although the unemployment rate rose between December 2022 and February 2023, there are still many vacancies that need to be filled. 

The way companies hire today is different from years ago. In the past, technical skills, academic background and experience were essential to fill an opportunity.

In fact, these requirements are still important, however, the selection processes have opened up spaces for behavioral skills as well, which are essential in the work environment and for the company's development.

For example, a person may have a great resume, but if they don't know how to work in a team, they may not add value to the company's team and hinder their development.

Continue reading and discover just 7 of the professional skills most sought after in the job market. 

What are professional skills?

Because it is a broad term, it is difficult to define what professional skills are, especially in just a few words. 

However, according to the book by Eric Roland René and Philippe Zarifian: “The Competence model: historical trajectory, current challenges and proposals”, there are some points that reflect the professional competence, being them:

• Occupation of responsibility and professional determination in the face of the circumstances one faces;
• Sharing challenges and the ability to form alliances;
• Practical intellectuality based on acquired knowledge.

From these specifications, we conclude that professional competence adapts to the uniqueness of each employee.

Therefore, an organization may have competent professionals, but with different characteristics and skills.

The company benefits from this diversity, because a team of professionals with different skills and abilities brings many advantages, such as:

• Increased development and profitability;
• More quality;
• Solidity;
• Innovation;
• The company becomes more competitive and is always ahead of the competition.

How important are professional skills?

To the professional skills are important in any work environment, that is indisputable, of course.

They can be developed in the company, over time, and make a huge difference in a professional's career and also for the company. 

The company is highly benefited by professionals with different professional skills.

Its development is constant, business progresses, there is a considerable increase in revenue, productivity and quality of services offered.

The professional, in turn, has a more competitive profile when he has these skills, and stands out more easily in selection processes.

As a result, he gets better positions, salaries and a structured career.  

What are the professional skills most requested by the company?

There are many professional skills that companies look for in a candidate. However, some of them stand out for their versatility. 

That is, they can be used in different areas, companies, placements and can directly or indirectly affect the company's development. 

We have selected 7 of them to present to you below. Check them out!

1. Teamwork

THE teamwork It is a transformative tool in any company, as well as essential for obtaining positive results. 

It brings together different people with different thoughts and characteristics for a common purpose.

Together, they pool time, efforts, resources and share ideas and thoughts in order to find solutions or create something in an organization.

In Brazil, she is the second skill (38,4%) more valued by large companies, according to a survey carried out by PageGroup.

However, throughout Latin America, the Teamwork ranks first as the skill most valued by leaders of large companies, with 47.5%.

A professional who knows how to work in a team is always prepared to act in different scenarios where this skill is necessary.

That way, becomes more competitive and is in high demand for compose the teams of large companies. 

In the end, What does it take to learn to work as a team? Observe some characteristics that will help you develop this skill.

• Self-control;
• Respect;
• Communication;
• Ethics;
• Empathy;
• Collaboration;
• Conflict management;
• Proactivity;
• Self-confidence;
• Collective trust;
• Commitment;
• Innovation;
• Flexibility.

2. Emotional Intelligence

This skill is essential in any environment of our lives, in our career and in the work environment it would be no different. 

In the same survey by PageGroup, emotional intelligence occupies the first position in the ranking of skills most valued by leaders of large companies, as 42.9% of the percentage.

In Latin America, it occupies second position, with a percentage of 33.8%.

However, when it comes to the most difficult skill to find in the market, emotional intelligence also occupies the first position with a percentage of 57%.

So if you have this skill, you also have one of the skills professionals most requested by large companies.

The good news is that, just like teamwork, emotional intelligence can be acquired through certain practices, such as: 

• Control your reactions;
• Don't act on impulse;
• Be more rational;
• Develops self-knowledge and self-confidence;
• Be resilient;
• Learn to prioritize;
• Observe your behavior and reactions.

3. Assertive communication

Still on the survey mentioned above, the assertive communication It is the third most valued behavioral skill by leaders of large companies in Latin America. 

In Brazil, its percentage is 31.1%, while in all of Latin America, it is 28.8%. 

A professional who masters assertive communication stands out in different areas, with a more competitive profile.

THE communication is an important tool in any type of relationshipo, normally, it happens through words, but there are other ways to communicate, even your posture can say a lot.

It is used to resolve conflicts, persuade, avoid conflicts, convince, change ideas, points of view, clarify, pass on information, express opinions, etc.

A person with this skill knows how to express their ideas and can communicate in a clear and understandable way.

Furthermore, you know how and when to use words. Balance is a characteristic that accompanies this skill, certainly.

This is because, in selection processes, while candidates are rejected for talking too much, others are rejected for not saying anything; not having assertive communication and being able to express their ideas.

As we have already mentioned, communication is reflected in different ways: in the tone of voice, posture, looks, gestures, etc.

Therefore, it is essential to master this skill in any field of our lives.

Below are some tips to follow for those who want to develop assertive communication in the workplace:

• Learn to listen;
• Think before you speak;
• Calculate your words and the positive and negative impacts they can cause;
• Direct the audience;
• You also have an amount of responsibility in what the other person understands, so be clear and objective;
• Do not rush communication;
• Don't be verbose;
• Ask if necessary.

4. Mastery of a second or third language

So far, we've only talked about behavioral skills, however, there are some skills techniques that are among the professional skills most requested by large and small companies. 

The main one is certainly the command of a second or third language. English, as it is the universal language today, is the language most required in selection processes.

A professional who masters this standard language and the other behavioral skills mentioned in this text has a powerful resume and stands out among the other candidates.

According to the survey, this technical skill was cited by 36.8% of the leaders interviewed. Data processing took second place with 32.80% and statistical analysis 32.7%.

78% of executives pointed out the importance of having a balance between behavioral and technical skills.

This is because the company has the opportunity to better deal with moments of uncertainty and crisis. 

Furthermore, 80% of them stated that they would not hire a candidate who met the technical competencies but did not have the necessary soft skills. 

So this makes it clear that having the behavioral skills is important, but it is better to have a balance.

In short, a professional who has the technical and behavioral skills and experience in the role will excel in the selection process.

5. Proactivity

The proactive professional acts and does his work without waiting for orders from others. He combines autonomy and confidence, and always takes the lead in solving problems. 

Most problems are best solved when the resolutions are put into practice urgently.

To be a proactive professional you need to have attitude, self-confidence, anticipate problems and solutions, map opportunities and think creatively.

Additionally, you need to be organized to do one thing at a time. Stay in tune with the market to recognize opportunities and act promptly.

6. Organization

Organization is an important and indispensable skill in any work environment. 

It is of utmost importance that professionals are able to organize and plan their routine activities at work. 

In tasks that require specific deadlines, organization is essential for the work to be carried out within the stipulated time and with quality.

To be more organized at work, start:

• Organizing your schedules;
• Set your priorities for the day;
• Use a diary or spreadsheet to write down and distribute tasks;
• Use organizational tools to control tasks;
• Eliminate distractions;
• Stay focused;
• Do one thing at a time.

7. Flexibility

Finally, our last suggestion professional skills most sought after in the job market is flexibility.

A flexible professional is better able to adapt to changes and different scenarios in the work environment.

This individual also has the ability to develop opinions, but is always tolerant and respectful of ideas that are not the same as his own.

Like the other skills mentioned in this text, flexibility is a characteristic that can be developed in the workplace.

See below how to develop it:

• Be resilient;
• Seek and know how to receive feedback;
• Do your work in different ways;
• Let go of the defensive posture;
• Listen carefully;
• Respect thoughts, positions, knowledge, history and realities that are different from yours;
• Don't be afraid or ashamed to change;
• Stele in constant evolution;
• Increase your knowledge;
• Be grateful;
• Reflect;
• Recognize your worth.

Conclusion

In such a competitive job market, it is important to know how to stand out. Therefore, develop the skills professional skills mentioned here, as they will make all the difference in your career. 

Looking for a job? Check out some of the companies that are hiring!

Nara Sampaio April 7, 2023