A survey of employers by the National Association of Colleges and Employers ranked the most important skills they seek in a new hire. In the top nine listed were interpersonal skills, teamwork skills, leadership and flexibility-- all “good worker” traits.

In her syndicated column, Sheryl Silver quotes a staffing professional as saying that even when there is “a rosy employment picture, companies remain selective and consider attitude and demeanor as significant factors in evaluating candidates.” Silver says that “attitude appears to be a priority [even] in the information technology (IT) arena, despite the intense competition for talent that exists there.” A director of human resources for such a firm stated that “in our particular case, attitude is equal to skills. We look for someone who's a good fit both from the viewpoint of technical skills and attitude.” “Attitude and demeanor” as used here actually refer to the kinds of skills we have been describing.

A joint survey by the U.S. Department of Labor and the American Association of Training and Development identified the skills employers value most highly. Right at the top were willingness to learn, self-motivation, interpersonal and teamwork skills (including conflict resolution, handling criticism and mediating disputes), and self-esteem. These are not skills that can be taught by an employer; in a very real sense, you either bring them with you or you don't.

A report by the American Association of School Administrators asked a panel of 55 distinguished experts in such fields as education, business, government, psychology, sociology, anthropology, demography, etc., to name the most important knowledge, skills and behaviors that students will need to develop if they are to prosper in the 21st century. The study divided skills into three categories: academic, personal and interpersonal, and civil. The latter two areas listed almost all character or “good worker” related skills including: self-discipline, adaptability and flexibility, listening, being able to work as part of a team, being excited about life, respect for the value of effort (work ethic), multicultural understanding, honesty, integrity, practicing the “golden rule,” being able to take responsibility for one's own actions, an appreciation for those not like one's self.

Doug Fauth, Campus Recruiting Manager for Ernst & Young Consulting Services put it this way: “We look for candidates who are flexible (actually ‘liquid'!), work well in an environment of change, have strong teaming skills, initiative, professional integrity, can manage relationships, show resiliency, have strong planning and organization skills, and good presentation skills. And I agree that the work ethic is sometimes overlooked, but that is high on our priority list as well.”

When Dierdre considers her skills (and her lack of them), I know she is not thinking of most of these characteristics or behaviors, even though she probably exhibits a majority of them. In doing so, she has overlooked a very important part of who she is, and a powerful selling point to employers who are increasingly realizing that they need to hire people of character. When liberal arts students in particular look at skills, their view is typically very narrow and tends to focus on the things they are most insecure about: computers and technology, and business and financial skills. While it is certainly important to gain as many of those skills as possible, there are a host of other “good worker” skills that employers seek and value. And many of the specific skills students feel they lack and therefore fixate on can actually be taught with reasonable ease by an employer.

There seems little doubt that “character” will be an important buzzword for the new millennium, but it will also have significant implications for the new job seeker. How can Dierdre and the many students like her (perhaps you!) be empowered to see themselves more fully as they begin their job search?

First, take seriously the skills you have. To take them seriously is to find out what they are, and I hope this article will help in that process. Don't overlook the extremely important personal characteristics you have that will make you a valued employee. Further assistance can be accessed through your career center or through the numerous career help books you can find in any bookstore or on line. You probably have far more skills than you have ever considered, so spend the time it takes to find them out. Who you are as a person is every bit as important as the technical, academic or practical skills you bring to the workplace. The public defenders office didn't want to hire Dierdre only because of her ability to write a report and

The above is an excerpt from The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need: How to Find and Get the Job or Internship of Your Dreams, which is available for sale for $19.85 in our bookstore or $27.00 at Amazon.com but for free to those who subscriber to our free career newsletter. This hot new book contains job search secrets of the most experienced, most knowledgeable and most respected career experts. Learn career planning, job hunting tools and tactics, interviewing, cover letter and resume writing (lots of samples!), networking, and how to find an internship. Written by 149 career experts. To receive a free copy, subscribe to our free career newsletter.

Career Videos