| Companies across the UK are struggling to fill positions | | | | application. |
| because there simply aren't enough properly skilled | | | | Employers may be struggling to find the right person |
| candidates available. A skills gap exists in almost every | | | | for the job but they're still constantly receiving |
| industry, be it IT, engineering, accounting or specialized | | | | application letters and CVs from prospective |
| secretarial roles. This gap may be specifically related | | | | candidates. So what can you do to help your potential |
| to knowledge of that particular industry, but more often | | | | employer realise that you have the skills and attributes |
| than not, the skills that are lacking are the most basic. | | | | they're looking for and make your application stand out |
| Skills Shortage | | | | from the rest? |
| Today's employers are looking for far more than being | | | | Having the right academic qualifications or years of |
| able to read, write, follow instructions or demonstrate | | | | experience behind you is not enough to prove your |
| initiative. They're also looking for more than just | | | | ability to do the job. Getting some good vocational skills |
| academic qualifications, especially when often all the | | | | and qualifications can give you the edge over others. |
| candidates applying for a particular job are likely to | | | | Improving Your Skills |
| possess the same ones. Employers these days look | | | | The Microsoft Office suite of applications has become |
| to appoint the candidate they believe is most capable | | | | the standard software used in most office |
| of doing the job, rather than those who on paper have | | | | environments. There are several applications within this |
| the best knowledge of it. Along with good team | | | | suite that you can learn to master. For example, |
| working and communication skills, a grasp of basic IT | | | | Microsoft Outlook is a tool for managing e-mail and |
| skills and evidence of wanting to learn and gain new | | | | contacts; Microsoft Excel allows you to create |
| skills will come high up on an employer's requirements | | | | spreadsheets to store and manipulate data; and |
| for prospective employees. | | | | Microsoft Access is a database package enabling you |
| Assessing Your Skills | | | | to store and share large amounts of information. |
| So before you start filling out your application form, it's | | | | Training courses in Microsoft Office applications are |
| worth considering whether you really have the skills | | | | readily available either as online E-learning courses or |
| needed. You should consider what skills you do have, | | | | by attending instructor-led Microsoft training courses. |
| those you need to brush up on, and those you need to | | | | Following completion of such courses there is also the |
| learn from scratch before you start applying for jobs. | | | | opportunity to obtain the Microsoft Office Specialist |
| You may just need to know how to navigate yourself | | | | (MOS) qualification, which provides proof of the user's |
| around a computer and understand the latest | | | | competency in a range of Microsoft Office skills. |
| software, you may need to gain a better | | | | Undertaking such training courses will ensure that you |
| understanding of databases or spreadsheets, or you | | | | are fully equipped with the skills that today's employers |
| may need to gain very specific skills in a particular | | | | are looking for. |