top of page

What does it take to get a job?

On the market for a job but don’t know where to begin? Want to know what it takes to make a lasting impression?  Workforce Planning Hamilton has compiled a number of resources in one space for you to get what you need to succeed.

What are Soft Skills?

You may not have heard of “soft” skills before, but if you’re looking for a job, you’ll want to get to know them.

 

Soft skills are personality-oriented interpersonal skills, like teamwork, work ethic, flexibility, patience, persuasion and time management. Unlike “hard” skills (like knowing how to program a computer or operate a piece of equipment), soft skills aren’t always easy to teach or readily apparent. But that doesn’t mean they’re not important – in fact, some employers might say soft skills are the most important skills!

 

It’s easy for employers to teach new employees the “hard” skills they need to succeed. Soft skills are a lot harder to teach, so employers often hire job applicants because they already have these soft skills.

Learning and using soft skills can vastly improve the quality of your work. Employers are looking for employees they can count on and that can perform a variety of tasks quickly and accurately. By using soft skills, employees can be their best selves while performing the tasks assigned to their boss’s standards.

​

By speaking directly to local employers, we’ve learned the value of soft skills in the workplace and how they affect the quality of work done by employees. If you would like to learn more about soft skills such as independent work, dependability, teamwork and work ethic, and how it can help you land a job, keep reading and watching.

Independent Work

Skill 4
Independent Work and Generational Differences

Independent work is a skill integral to any business. If an employee can’t work on their own, they will have difficulty with just about any setting.

​

Today, being able to work independently is more important than ever. With the rise of technology like smartphones and the internet, people can work from home in any number of careers. Employees now must be able to work independently or they will face great difficulty in the working world.

​

Millennials – born between the 1980s and the early 2000s – are often seen as lazier and more entitled than other generations. They’re often lambasted in most popular media on a regular basis, and many other generations think it’s partly because they aren’t good at independent work.

​

“It’s an attitude problem,” says Greg Sloan, a baby boomer – someone born between the mid 1940s and 1960s – with 22 years of experience in the printing industry. “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Some people aren’t willing or able to work on their own, and that hurts the employer and the other employees.”

​

Tyler Kwan, a millennial kitchen worker, doesn’t believe that millennials are less hard-working.

​

“I think it comes down to the individual,” he says. “Some people can work fine on their own, and some people need more instruction. It really doesn’t have anything to do with their generation.”

​

Linda Vanderbent, a member of generation X – born between 1960 and 1980 – has run a childcare centre for three decades. She doesn’t agree that millennials are unable to work independently.

“I think that people can choose whether they want to work in the daytime or nighttime, or from home or from a specific location, but I’m neutral about it. I think it’s a sign that the times are changing,” she says. “Because of technology, we’re able to conduct business from other locations. It doesn’t have to be a specific site where everybody comes to you. I think it’s easier now for people.”

​

Career paths such as radio, software engineering, graphic design, or public relations can be pursued entirely from home with the help of the internet and cheaper equipment. Without the ability to work independently, workers may find themselves unable to keep their jobs.

​

In a way, workers do have it easier in the modern world. But this benefit comes with the requirement to be able to work well alone. Independent work is now a skill more essential than it has ever been.

Independent Work with Felton Brushes and Flying Squirrel

Working independently means taking ownership of a task and not needing constant supervision.

 

A person who can work independently takes initiative rather than waiting to be told what to do, and works until the job is done. They ask for help when needed and take ownership of their mistakes.

 

Local employers discuss how to work independently and why it is helpful in keeping a job.

Dependability

Skill 2
Dependability with the Other Bird and Felton Brushes

Dependability means a person can be relied on or is trustworthy.

 

A person shows dependability by being reliable in performing job-related tasks, finishing assigned projects, and meeting deadlines and appointments.

 

Why is dependability so important to employers? This video explains.

Teamwork

Skill 3
What’s the most important soft skill?

The truth is there is no universal one most important soft skill. Soft skills are like the Power Rangers – effective on their own, but best when they come together in their giant humanoid machine, Megazord. Whether it’s teamwork, working independently, dependability or work ethic, they all mean coming together to win over your employer. And, just like there are some parts of Megazord that are more effective for different battle situations, some soft skills are more important for different jobs.

 

A work environment at a popular fast food joint would be different from one at an escape room. The fast food joint has a lot of employees and works like an assembly line. Each person has a different task and must work together to serve customers. If one person is slacking, everyone else must pick up their slack. For this job, the important soft skills are teamwork and work ethic.

 

Jump over to the job at the escape room. The number of employees are significantly fewer than the fast food restaurant. Here, one person oversees informing the group, running a group through the room and saying goodbye. The responsibility is solely on one individual to ensure the guest experience is as pleasant as possible. At Crux Escape Rooms in Niagara Falls, the most important soft skills are working independently and dependability.

“Hands down dependability strictly based on the fact that almost the entire schedule is based around being on call,” says Cecilia MacDuff, general manager at Crux Niagara. Employees are relied on to be ready to come in as soon as a room is booked.

 

Each job requires its own skill set. The key to success, wherever you work, is being able to get yourself into the Megazord formation. One soft skill alone is not going to win you the battle. You’ve got to be able to use them all together. These skills will be your secret weapon to becoming the ideal employee.

Teamwork with Flying Squirrel, the Aberdeen Tavern, and ACS Valves

Teamwork is the combined action of a group of people working towards a common goal.

 

A person demonstrates good teamwork skills when they use strong communication skills to help achieve team goals and to contribute to a positive, effective, efficient and supportive working environment.

 

Learn why teamwork is crucial to keeping a job in this video.

Work Ethic

Skill 1
Skills for Success

How do soft skills contribute to successfully finding a job? Hover over the dots below to find out.

Work Ethic with Fruitland Manufacturing and Reptile Kingdom

Work ethic is a set of principles that sees hard, diligent work as a benefit to young workers.

 

A person who demonstrates a strong work ethic is dedicated to the company and feels personally responsible for their job performance.

 

This person always works to the best of their ability. In this video, local employers talk about what work ethic means to them and why employees need to have it.

Workforce Planning Hamilton
Hamilton City Centre
77 James Street North, Unit 117
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8R 2K3

 

info@workforceplanninghamilton.ca

Tel: 905-521-5777

Fax: 905-521-9309

Success! We'll get back to you ASAP.

bottom of page