Employability skills - what employers are seeking!

During your course, you should be asking yourself "What can I do to improve my chances of getting a job when I graduate?"

The first step is understanding what the employers in your field are seeking in candidates. Below is a list of the 8 employability skills, and under each are the current key skills that health sciences employers value. We found this information by searching for relevant jobs on seek.com.au.

Being aware of the key skills required in your field, will help you search for opportunities to build on these skills and then you will be able to demonstrate them in your resume and during interviews.

The 8 employability skills

Communication that contributes to productive and harmonious relations between employees and customers:

• Ability to write and convey information in a clear and concise format
• Highly developed interpersonal, communication, presentation and negotiation skills
• Demonstrated consultation skills relevant to the establishment

Planning and organising that contributes to long and short term strategic planning:

• Ability to focus on designated tasks
• Able to work under tight deadlines
• Excellent time management skills
• Demonstrated ability to plan and organize work tasks and projects independently according to priorities

Teamwork that contributes to productive working relationships and outcomes:

• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Able to relate well with people of all interests, backgrounds and abilities
• Maintenance of effective relationships with a diverse range of service providers and stakeholders

Problem solving that contributes to productive outcomes:

• Ability to research and analyse data
• Ability to develop strategies and implement these into action

Technology that contributes to effective execution of tasks:

• Demonstrated computer literacy

Self-management that contributes employee satisfaction and growth:

• Highly developed self-management skills
• Possess knowledge and confidence in own ideas

Learning that contributes to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee and company operations and outcomes:

• Strong passion for editing, reading and updating your medical knowledge
• Openness to constructive feedback
• Ability to plan, develop, promote, facilitate, monitor and evaluate learning programs
• Ability to liaise with public and private health services and other sectors that impact upon health, such as housing and council services

Initiative and enterprise that contributes to innovative outcomes:

• Demonstrated ability to be innovative, resourceful and adaptive to change
• The capacity to think on your feet, deal with uncertainty and embrace change

Other attributes that health sciences employers are seeking:

• Broad knowledge of the health care industry
• Knowledge of workplace health promotion and the delivery of corporate health programs
• Demonstrated knowledge and/or understanding of the Australian health system(s)