Skills you can earn alongside your degree that boost employability

08 Jun 2018

It’s widely believed that it takes more than a degree to get a job in the modern world; you need other skills and experience on top of that. And as an international student competing against domestic talent, you want to make sure you stand out.

As we recently reported, employers in the US don’t think university is adequately preparing students for success within the workplace.

You get it: your degree is simply not enough on its own to get you hired – so what can you do?

There are numerous skills you should try and pick up during your university years to put you in good stead for landing a job after graduation. According to Entrepreneur, the following three skills are most important…

1. Tech skills

The tech world is racing forward and any young person who wants to make their way in pretty much any industry needs to be at least a bit tech-savvy.

Why not see if your university runs training classes on certain types of software you could take? Or how about one on coding? You never know when these skills might come in handy – and they’re bound to impress employers.

Take it from Obama and keep up! Source: Giphy

If you have a reliable set of tech skills under your belt your qualifications will be enhanced, setting you aside from people with the same education as you, minus the experience.

Recent research from Upwork discovered that employers actively seek skills in big data and analytics, marketing and sales automation, Internet of Things (IoT) and digital advertising.

2. Soft skills

As the world becomes heavily involved in technology – and robots threaten to take our jobs – it’s important for us to keep up. But remember, there are some things a robot just can’t do…

It’s not all about hard skills in the modern world, we need to improve our soft skills – the ones robots cannot recreate.

You’re not a robot! Go and develop the skills that make you human. Source: Giphy

Think: leadership, critical thinking and creativity. You could consider going on a leadership course or joining a pottery class. The opportunities are endless!

There are countless ways to work on your soft skills but make sure you’re not neglecting them while you focus on your academics.

3. A passion for lifelong learning

While a desire to keep learning isn’t a skill per se, there are countless skills you will pick up by dedicating yourself to it.

Join an evening class or embark on an online course and pick up a new language, discover your artistic side or learn a new sport. You’ll be surprised at the number of skills you’ll pick up – and not just ones related to your chosen venture.

Learning is fun! Source Giphy

If you explore a wide range of avenues you’ll become well-rounded employee – and person, making you much more interesting to chat to in an interview.

Just remember, when you get your degree, the learning shouldn’t stop. You should always strive to learn more, keeping your open mind and healthy curiousity at the ready.