In the last century, office skills were solely the province of secretaries and administrators but these days, proficiency in different digital packages is expected from almost everyone, especially with the increase in hybrid and remote working. Some competencies which used to be regarded as an added bonus are now looked at as essential so your resume could be poorer if certain things are missing.
Office skills can be divided between knowledge and experience and acquired skills such as proficiency in key digital programmes. Sometimes these are referred to by recruiters as soft or interpersonal skills and, technical or hard skills. Here’s a look at the office skills employers are going to want in 2023 and these include a mixture of both to help make yourself a standout applicant.
Microsoft Office
The Microsoft Office Suite has over 40 programmes so you might think your resume looks impressive with four or five, but this is now the bare minimum. Must-haves include Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook. If your interview includes a technical assessment, then expect to be tested on one or more of these. If you are stronger in some programmes than others, get yourself up to speed with training to fill in the gaps or up your skill set. Training is so easy to access and can be in person, remote or just bespoke to suit your needs. Make sure you use an accredited provider and try and tailor what you do to a formal assessment or qualification as this will provide clear evidence of your proficiency.
Foreign Languages
The role you are applying for might not be overtly international but in the global village, languages can prove to be really useful. Always list them on your resume as you may not know exactly which ones are of benefit. You don’t necessarily have to be fluent either; there are different levels of competency – a working knowledge of a language can be perfectly acceptable and valued.
Communication Skills
Unless you are applying for a role as a lighthouse keeper, then there isn’t a job on the planet that won’t be enhanced by good communication skills. Always give concrete details and elaborate on how and when you have been a good communicator. Keep information short and to the point but don’t be generic – use concrete examples. This might bring into play supervising or managing staff, conflict resolution or conveying a unique message to customers.
Other Programmes
Almost every form of communication or work process is digitalised so list down your particular skills even if you don’t think they are relevant. Most people work with management platforms like Monday or Trello and use apps like Slack to stay in touch. If you have worked in customer service, then ZenDesk is a real favourite. Include design suites and accounting software like Sage and QuickBooks if you have used them. It may not be relevant to the role you are applying for, but it shows competency and the ability to learn different programmes.
Taking time to refine and polish your resume will ensure you are at the top of the list when it comes to an invitation for an interview. If your soft skills look weak then draw on experience from voluntary or personal situations. If your technical skills are limited or patchy, then spend time training and increasing your skillset with particular reference to the sector that you want to work in. If you are unsuccessful at the application or interview stage, see if you can harvest any feedback. This can be so helpful in flagging where the gaps are on your resume.
