OUR RESEARCH - YOUR SKILLS: INDUSTRY INSIGHT
HPD Exclusive Report
that had given her more than As we move through the interview, the best places, but anywhere you
freedom. “Being away from she explains that building skills work can help you to develop
home allows you that level of is only one part of the process skills if you know how to apply
independence and self-reliance in developing yourself; the other yourself properly. Whether it be
that you need when you start part is effectively putting them in a large fi rm, a small factory, or
your professional career,” she into practice. “I would highly teaching children English abroad,
says, “even though you have an recommend that students have if you can pick up the right skills
impulse to spend like mad and some sort of practical experience and develop certain qualities,
turn your student loan into one of working in an environment then this will be refl ected in
huge party!” where they can develop and you. In any environment, you
build other aptitudes. I myself will be dealing with people,
Yes indeed, she has an understated worked in an accounting fi rm in and interpersonal skills will be
sense of humor. the summer between my second relevant no matter where you
and third year.” work. It’s all about applying that
“The touchy feely stuff” and being able to demonstrate in
The most valuable trait she your interview that you used each
developed during her early years experience to add value to your
was interpersonal skills. Being
“It wasn’t
self.”
able to speak with a diverse range
of people is something which she something she Building personal capacity is
feels is a must. “Dealing with
was doing to
something that Sarah clearly
people is undoubtedly one of the values. She says that “if Deloitte’s
most important, if not the most
mindlessly
graduate intake was based purely
important skill in the business
put on her CV”
on academic achievement then
world,” she reiterates. She goes they would fi ll their positions
on to explain that interpersonal many times over.” But its the
skills are what allows you to “Is this something that you extras that they are looking for.
fully understand the business that yourself decided to go out and The ability to speak to a variety
you are working in, the type of seek, or were you shown the way of people and to have no fear in
client that you are dealing with, by your university?” we asked. making mistakes, but be willing
or the way to handle those around to learn from them is something
you; they may be your colleague, “It was a bit of both really. The that they yearn for in graduates.
your secretary or your manager. careers service certainly helped She is very enthusiastic about
To get what you require, which by giving me a list of places that people having these wide range
is best for you to complete your were willing to take students on, of skills, and says that if someone
job, you need to be able to get but after that, it was all down can display these competencies
the best out of them. “You have to me. Students nowadays are in their interview, then it will
to know how to speak to both even luckier that they have the put them in good stead. “Even
the CEO and the guy running the Internet, which gives them so those who sometimes can’t join
warehouse, because your job may much more opportunity. But they many societies because they’re
entail getting information from need that level of pro-activeness captain of the rugby team should
them both, and neither is going in them to get a placement that be able to demonstrate the skills
to have all the answers for you. will help them.” they have. But they can’t just
Those lower down will certainly put down ‘captain of the rugby
have a better idea of how things “Would you say that only team’ and expect that to be
are running on the ground than working in an accounting fi rm or enough. They have to show how
the CEO, but then will he or she any fi rm related to your industry being captain helped them to
be the person who will tell you is paramount?” develop skills such as infl uence,
about the running of the entire leadership, communication,
fi rm?” she goes onto explain. “Not at all. It’s certainly one of confl ict resolution, the list is
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HPD Sept ‘09 - Feb ‘10