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 occupational therapy 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 communicate well with patients and staff, both orally and in writing
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Ability to remain professional, compassionate and confidential in a variety of situations

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

• Ability to prioritise and focus on assigned tasks
• Sound planning and time management skills

Teamwork that contributes to productive working relationships and outcomes:

• Ability to form constructive and effective professional relationships with existing consultants and staff
• Ability to work within a multi-cultural health care team
• Enjoy working with colleagues
• Capacity to constructively contribute to achieving team goals

Problem solving that contributes to productive outcomes:

• The ability to plan, implement and evaluate programs
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership
• Possess well-developed clinical reasoning

Technology that contributes to effective execution of tasks:

• Demonstrated competency in the use of computers

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:

• Willingness and enthusiasm to support clients in undertaking activities to enhance their quality of life
• Coachable and motivated to improve the lives of our residents
• Demonstrated commitment to continuing education and professional development
• Ability to provide straightforward clinical services, including one-on-one, group and health promotion activities

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 occupational therapy employers are seeking:

• Have professional registration with Occupational Therapy Australia
• Demonstrated commitment to quality improvement, patient safety and risk management
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant occupational therapy assessment and treatment intervention approaches
• Notable experience in working in an acute hospital setting or allied health area and working with children, adolescents and their caregivers in a health and/or welfare setting