Want a job in 2013? Update these 5 skills

The dark clouds of the economic turmoil will loom over the job market next year, say experts. But job-seekers should not lose hope. Hiring would happen, albeit in a very conservative manner. So why not catch up on some much- needed skills to impress upon prospective employers.

HR experts say apart from domain knowledge, there are 5 behavioural and knowledge skills which candidates should possess in order to increase their chances of bagging a job.

1. Emotional Quotient (EQ) -- refer to an employee’s understanding of his emotions and ability to engage with them in a better manner. More than the intelligence quotient (IQ), it is EQ which employers hunt for in prospective candidates. This is so as high EQ helps individuals build and maintain relations with co-workers and increases level of sensitivity towards others. “People who maintain a calm composure during tense situations can handle situations better and find solutions to problems unlike those who get hyper easily,” says Aneesh G Laikar, CEO of search firm Selectema Consulting. Firms therefore look for a EQ:IQ ratio of approximately 80:20 in potential candidates, as they believe IQ can be built, but EQ in often in-built. And why 80:20? Well, because, EQ helps individuals build and maintain relations with peers and superiors, increases productivity and opens up doors for clarity in communication (good listening habit is integral to EQ).

2. Communication skills: Job-seekers should have a sound ability to communicate with others. Communication is the key in any organisation and a good set of inter-personal skills bring about a degree of transparency within the organisational culture.

3. Foreign language proficiency: In an era when 40-50% of the turnovers of all big firms come from international markets, ability to communicate in a foreign language gives a natural edge to a candidate. Fluency in English goes without saying. But command over either French, German, Spanish, Japanese or Chinese gives an added advantage. Arvind N Agrawal, president, corporate development and HR, RPG Enterprises says if he would notice a CV that boasts of foreign language proficiency, he will pay more attention to that CV. So job hunters can use their free time to enroll in foreign language classes.

4. Digital avvy: Yes candidates need to be savvy about computers and technology. But they should also be gung ho about working in a virtual environment through the telephone, internet, video conferencing etc. Experts say lot of deals and discussions take place through a virtual environment and candidates need to be comfortable and confident about enacting their roles through a virtual set-up, rather than always insisting on a face-to-face meeting.

5. Sensitivity towards different time-zones:  Specially true of the IT and BPO and other sectors where a large chunk of the employee and customer base resides in different time-zones.