You can always look to a job description before an interview to find out more about what hiring managers are looking for. However, not everything to clear cut. There are often trends in the core skills that employers are really looking for. We’ve chatted some of our candidates who have been to multiple interviews recently to discover what employers are really looking for in those they employ for office support jobs in London.
1. Prioritising
Dane said, “Obviously in office support you’re usually quizzed on organisational skills. However, I’ve noticed that there is now a real focus on prioritising skills. I think, since the pandemic, there’s more acknowledgement that your daily work life will be insanely busy. What employers want to know is that you can see the wood for the trees and work out what’s important and what’s not, or what can wait. Being able to show you can prioritise effectively seems very attractive.”
2. Varied communication
Ali told us, “Every single interview recently has spent some time discussing different communication skills. From your email style to phone calls to in-company chat – I’ve been quizzed on everything. I think it’s because of hybrid working. Many roles now rely on communication in so many different ways. You might be in the office talking face to face with clients one day and then working from home collaborating with colleagues the next.”
3. Goal setting
Nahendra explained, “A new set of questions that I’ve noticed when applying for jobs recently all focus on goal setting. I don’t remember these sorts of questions when I’ve applied for jobs before. I’ve been asked about how I identify goals in my working life and in my career as well as how I go about achieving my goals. It seems to be a trend as I don’t think I’ve considered these questions before.”
4. Resilience
“Resilience seems to have become a buzz word in the workplace,” says Lexi. “I guess that’s what’s happened as a result of the pandemic, but employers want to know that you are a resilient worker. You need to be able to show that you can bounce back quickly from disappointments or plug away at a challenge. I’ve thought of specific examples from my recent working life which demonstrate resilience so that I can answer these questions effectively.”
5. Stress management
“Quite closely related to Lexi, I think employers want to know more about your stress management skills,” says Iris. “Workplaces can be stressful environments and I think employers want to know that you’ve got the skills to manage stress productively and effectively. I’ve been asked questions about what I would do if I saw someone being bullied in the workplace, as well as how I identify my own stress levels. I think employers are taking a greater interest in the wellbeing of their employees and this starts at interview stage.”
We’ve intentionally picked some of the less common skills that employers ask about, but ones which definitely represent new trends. For excellent support with your job applications, become a Love Success candidate. Register today.
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