You might think that as a sixth form college leaver, you couldn’t possibly have all the skills that employers are looking for. Well, you might be surprised to find that you’ve probably had the opportunity to pick up all or most of them along the way – without even realising it! This could be through studying, hobbies, sport, volunteering, paid work, travel or through everyday life experiences.

So, what are the main skills employers are looking for? Obviously there are some that are very specific to a particular industry or role but most employers won’t be expecting you to have those under your belt yet. Here are the skills employers most often quote as desirable.

1. Positive attitude – do you have a ‘glass half full’ attitude to life approaching challenges with confidence, excitement and enthusiasm?
2. Communication skills – can you express yourself clearly in writing and verbally?
3. Teamwork skills – do you work well with others, taking the lead if necessary but able to listen to others and pull together to achieve a task?
4. Ability to self manage – are you someone who is on time and can you organise your time effectively?
5. Willingness to learn – can you show that you are keen to learn new things?
6. Thinking skills – can you show that you are good at problem solving and making decisions?
7. Reslience – have you got examples of when things maybe didn’t go so well or were difficult but you managed to pick yourself up and apply yourself to achieve a challenge

Remember when you’re coming up with examples for an application form or an interview don’t just focus on college. Most of us use these skills all the time in our everyday lives….