6 Key Skills Your Future Boss Thinks You’re Missing

Grit is about powering through difficulty and overcoming adversity. One in four surveyed employers think graduates lack it.

Choose to see your mistakes and failures as learning experiences which you can bounce back from. And never give up on a goal because it’s hard – try breaking it into small, achievable steps and force yourself to push through when your motivation flags. Find a challenge which is both tough and interesting to complete – perhaps you could climb a mountain, or teach yourself another language.

Standing up and talking to strangers may be terrifying, but many employers expect their new hires to be able to communicate with confidence. Perhaps you’ll have to give presentations to other parts of the company, perhaps you’ll be expected to run client meetings, and you’ll almost definitely need to be able to network.

The only way to overcome this fear is by doing it. Start attending university networking events, volunteer to be the spokesperson for your group project, walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. The more you do it, the less nerve-racking you’ll find it, and your public speaking ability will improve dramatically. If you really want to polish up, a club like Toastmasters is a good bet too.

There’s no quicker way to seem incompetent than to turn in slapdash work. Take time over projects and only ever focus on one thing at a time to make sure everything is done as well as it could be. Staying organized will help – write important things down so you don’t forget them, and keep a schedule.

Importantly, always proofread everything you write – it’s so easy to make a mistake! If there’s a typo in your CV or cover letter or even in the accompanying email, it’s guaranteed to create a bad impression.

You may think that going into an entry-level role means you don’t need to be a leader just yet, but most employers want staff who can take the initiative. You may be expected to take charge of a project or manage clients, and showing great leadership potential marks you out as a good candidate for future promotion.

Volunteer for positions of responsibility wherever you can. Realize that good leaders listen more than they talk. Always consider the needs of everyone in your team, and think about how you can best motivate everyone to perform their best. When you interview, take charge of the situation, and act confident. As long as you don’t cross the line into arrogant, employers will be impressed.

Beth Leslie writes career advice for Inspiring Interns, a graduate recruitment agency which specialises in landing candidates their dream internship. Check out their website to see which graduate jobs London has to offer, or to ensure your CV is top-notch, take a look at Standout CV.

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