Jobs

By Fred Ouma

A MULTI-NATIONAL company is seeking a payroll manager with bachelors’ degree in accounting, five years’ experience, extensive knowledge of payroll principles and a sense of humour!

Now you have to reconcile two worlds: process cheques and crack up colleagues. Has the job market become that competitive?

Not exactly, but employers seem to want more these days. Soft or intangible qualities like leadership, sense of humour, or ‘playing well with others,’ are a strong competitive advantage for the job-seeker.
When the search comes down to two candidates who have similar backgrounds and core competencies, the one who is a better team player, or can wear many hats, is likely to win the job.

According to James Mwangi, the chief executive officer of Equity Bank and Dr. William Muhairwe, the managing director of National Water and Sewerage Corporation, employers want to see a candidate’s ability to show value in the workplace beyond the job description.

Credited for turning around private and public institutions, these executives contend that it is the tangible skills or core competencies that get you in the door, but the soft skills often get you the job. The soft skills that could get you that dream job include;

Leadership
Leadership skills are not only critical for supervisers, but also for candidates who may want to rise to positions where they will give directions to others. Are you a team player? Employers like people who work well with others. Even if the job you seek is not officially part of a team, an employer may want examples of how you collaborated with people who do not report to you.

Or are you goal-oriented self-starter? This does not necessarily require motivating others. While employers do not necessarily want loose canons or mavericks, they appreciate people who do not need to be told what to do and can set their own tasks and follow through.

Communication
No matter what the core job duties are, Muhairwe says the ability to write a coherent memo or e-mail, give clear verbal instructions and help meetings run smoothly, or, at least, not sabotage meetings, will probably be needed.

Multi-tasking
Sometimes employers will call this the ‘ability to wear many hats.’ Most professionals have multiple job duties even in the best of times. In an environment rife with lay-offs, Mwangi reveals that managers are comforted knowing a candidate can take on even unanticipated tasks. So are you prepared?

Sense of humour
“While I don’t hear hiring managers asking for candidates who can tell a joke well, I believe that evidence of light-heartedness and/or the ability to lighten up a tough situation is valued, and self deprecation seems to be well-received,” notes Sarah Namirembe of Career Services.

Other skills
Other common soft skills demanded on job listings include time management (you can get everything done on time), strong work ethics (you’re not inclined to take three-hour lunches), and problem solver.
Though you might hint at any of these qualities in your resume, Planet Lubowa, the author of How to Easily Get Jobs, argues that it is in an interview where you let the skills shine. “At interview time, most hiring managers are digging deeper into your core skills, but also evaluating soft skills, which depend on what is necessary for the position,” he adds.

If you don’t have all these soft skills, don’t worry. Even in today’s job market, it is not necessary to be super-human. Muhairwe and Mwangi agree: “Employers don’t expect you to be brilliant at everything. In the interview, you can be honest about your weakness. If you are able to relax and be yourself, they will see you as authentic.”

Build mini-stories
Job-seekers should build mini-stories around the soft skills they think are valuable for the job and share them during the interview. For instance, you can prepare specific examples about how you delivered a job on time, yet you were given short notice.

What if you don’t think you have the necessary soft skills to land the job? Although you cannot take a class to boost your sense of humour, you can ask a mentor or friend to help you improve. Many soft skills can be built or improved on the job. Also, consider volunteering for more responsibility, or jump at a chance to be on a team, so that you will have anecdotes to tell during your next interview. See you up!