In the world of work, there are some skills that are equally invaluable regardless of the field that you work in. Chief among these are communications skills, which tend to be at the top of the list of soft skills that are sought-after by employers. But what are the specific language skills that companies and employers look for in candidates? Read on to find out.
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Fluent English
Across many of the largest companies in the world, especially those with any sort of international presence or focus, fluent English language skills are essential. English remains the de facto language of global business and is predicted to become even more widespread in the coming years. That’s why it is important to continually brush up on your English language skills, especially when it comes to business vocabulary. For this, you don’t need to go back to school. Busy professionals can now make use of affordable online English tutoring to receive 1-on-1 lessons on how to communicate in fluent business English. Being proactive is key.
Public Speaking Skills
Public speaking skills remain among the most sought-after skills by employers across all industries. This means more than simply being able to speak to an audience with confidence (or at least the impression of confidence). It means being able to get across your ideas in a persuasive and easy-to-understand way to a potentially diverse audience of listeners. It means using language to be an effective ambassador for the company that you work for.
Strong Written Communication
It’s not all about conversational skills. Strong written communication skills are highly sought-after among a cross-section of employers and industries for a number of reasons. Good writing skills can be essential for creating digital marketing copy. They can prove important for writing grant applications or a business pitch deck. Writing skills are also essential for communicating via email, which is a primary mode of communication across virtually all industries. The list goes on.
Cross-cultural Communication
Good communication means being able to communicate effectively with people outside of your bubble. It means being able to reach out and engage with a diverse array of audiences in ways they will be familiar with. This could prove essential when marketing a product, forging new partnerships, collaborating with others, and seeking new talent for your company. When you can demonstrate that you are adept at cross-cultural communication, you will become a much more attractive candidate.
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Conflict Resolution
In all industries, from fast food to space engineering, conflict is a routine part of the job. Conflict can flare up in a wide variety of contexts, such as with customers or among members of your team who might disagree with your way of doing things. Conflict in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, and can even help you facilitate better solutions. However, what is truly important is the ability to resolve conflicts in an effective and timely manner. For this, you need to be able to demonstrate flawless conflict resolution skills – something that requires very strong communication abilities.
Clarity
Too many job candidates make the mistake of assuming that using big words and sounding as authoritative as possible is key to winning over employers. This is rarely the case. Employers do not value your ability to flex your vocabulary or jargon. Rather, what they want is a person that can take complex ideas or concepts and communicate them in a clear way that even the most inexperienced layperson can understand. When you can communicate with brevity and clarity, you can help to grow your company.
These are the essential communication and language skills that employers want from candidates in 2024. How do you fare?
