With so many #graduates now on the market, #employers will look for evidence of skills and work experience, which will make you stand out from the crowd. Depending on the career sector and profession you choose to work in, there could be very specific skills, abilities, and #knowledge needed to do the #job. However, complementing these are general #competencies and #behaviors that are essential for successful working which are often overlooked by candidates.

1. 6 Ways To Check That Your Career Skills
Are Still Competitive
SOURCE: FAST COMPANY

2. Keep an eye on your industry
People who are intellectually curious
tend to look at the world around them
and ask questions about what’s going
on around them. No matter what your
function or role in the company, you
need to be asking, "What’s next?". Is
the industry adopting new standards or
technology? Are there emerging
services that will require new skills?
Asking those types of questions will
help you think about areas you might
want to improve.

3. See what vendors are selling to your
industry
You can get clues about what’s
next when you look at what’s being
sold to your industry. Walk the
vendor halls at trade shows to see
new technology or best practices
in doing business. Similarly, ads
and advertorials in trade
magazines can give you a heads-up
about what major industry vendors
are developing to service your
industry.

4. Interview influencers
Ask people, "How do you stay smart?"
In other words, find out what industry
publications, blogs, online newsletters,
social media accounts, or web sites
they follow to remain informed. Read
those to get a sense of the skills it takes
to be more successful in your field.

5. Scan job listings
Even if you’re not looking for a new job,
it’s a good idea to review job posts in
your industry on a regular basis. If you
start to see demand for skills you don’t
have, begin building those areas to keep
yourself marketable.

6. Pay attention to who is being hired
Important clues may be all around you.
Are new hires recommending software
or processes with which you’re
unfamiliar? Is your supervisor giving you
low marks in some business skills during
reviews? Don’t ignore these signals.

7. Set personal goals and don't forget soft
skills
It’s important to set your own development
goals annually. Don’t overlook the general
business skills you might need as you step
up a rung on the career ladder. Certain
employees don’t work out and the reasons
are often related to soft skills like humility
or ability to collaborate or work with team
members.