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What are the essential skills you need to possess when on the search for a job/career. How would I develop and practice these skills as a high school student?

Many have started their job/career lives during high school, whether it be a summer job or necessary part-time work during the school year. Many high school students have also gone out to look for a job, but have come back without a single "You're hired!". I would like to know if there are certain skills that would help you knock out that interview or keep an employer interested in you. Of course certain skills aren't easily obtained and will unfold through practice and use. How would I be able to gain these skills as a high school student? #high-school #hiring #student-counseling #interviewing-skills #student-development #communication-skills

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Jennifer’s Answer

Confidence in talking with others about topics you understand and those you don't fully understand. Admit it when you don't know all the facts. Get curious about a different point of view than your own and consider that you could be wrong! Consider how their background influence their position and what they might know that you don't. You could practice this in class and with friends.

A genuine interest in others and what is important to them. This goes a long way to building relationships with team mates and clients.

Respect and professionalism. Care about how others perceive you - earn their respect. Show others that you respect them - their time, ideas, and work/interests.
Thank you comment icon Jennifer - Your answer is great. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with Karen! At this moment there are more than 1k unanswered questions so I want to encourage you to keep going! So many students will benefit tremendously from hearing from you. Keep up the great work! Jordan Rivera, Admin COACH
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Daniela’s Answer

Hi Karen,


This is a very interesting question...


Examples of ways to develop employability skills:



  • WRITING skills


Writing up a project or dissertation
Writing for the student newspaper
Writing a report for a course placement
Essays, dissertations, project reports
Secretary of student society
Publicity materials for a charity
Letter to raise sponsorship for an event



  • SPEAKING skills


Joining a campus drama group.
Public speaking or debating
Seminars
Working as a receptionist in a vacation job
Market research, telesales, bar work
Showing 6th formers round campus
Course presentations
Student radio presenter



  • ADAPTABILITY


Year abroad or independent travel abroad
Working part-time while studying
Changing courses
Combining study with family
Shift work or working at short notice



  • CO-OPERATING skills


Working on a group project
Rag fund-raising
Team sports
Working as a clerical assistant in a busy office
Group project
Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Team sports
Playing in an orchestra or band



  • LEADERSHIP skills


Leading a group project
Chairing a student society
Captaining a sports team
Being a playscheme helper
Guide leader
Air training corps
Course or hall representative
Mentor in school



  • NEGOTIATING skills


Negotiating the rent with your landlord
Negotiating the late handing in of essays
Staff-student liaison committee
Resolving an argument between friends



  • DECISION-MAKING skills


Deciding which modules to take next year
College Welfare Representative
Buying an expensive item (car or computer)
Targeting appropriate customers in a sales job


In the following link you can find much more examples of skills and how to develop them:


https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/skillsdevelop.htm


I hope can help you. Best!
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Lorraine’s Answer

Role play with friends. If any of your friend's parents or older siblings are in a hiring position, maybe they can do mock interviews.
Tryouts for sports or plays help also.

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Muhammad’s Answer

It depends which profession you are going to join. but as a general rule, you should have learning aptitude, communication skills and a bit of computer knowledge (office tools like basic email, word, spreadsheet as a starter) as you are just in the start of your career.

For temporary roles, look for the 'must have / requirements' section in the job add and see if you can fulfill those. if you are seeing those requirements too often, you can learn those online easily.

Same applies for permanent career selection, do a little research about profession you are going to choose, and search for online jobs in that profession for a little bit senior role (the role you want to be be after 2 years), looks for the requirements of the job. Do this for few of the roles, this is your list. now you can pick the easiest one, use youtube / google and other resources to start learning those. This will give you added advantage over hundreds of applicants applying for the entry level role you are applying for.
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Lourdes’s Answer

Development of communication skills is relevant when you are looking for a job and when you are already an employee. To practice you can record yourself in video , it is a good way to identify possible verbal and physical communication improvements.

Try different styles according to the type of companies where you would like to work as per the career that you are going to study.
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Kristen’s Answer

Making connections and networking are very important! If your school has career fairs, try to see who's attending ahead of time and come up with thoughtful questions to ask. Ask for business cards. Send follow-up thank you emails! It's very impressive when people do this at a young age and in a year or two, when you're looking for internships, people will remember that.
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