According to the report “Are They Really Ready to Work? Employers’ Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21st Century U.S. Workforce“, the top 6 competencies for success in the labor market today are:

1. Networking – connecting to people and sharing your and their goals (Networking in 7 simple steps)
2. Enthusiasm – showing interest and energy
3. Professionalism – show up on time, respect others
4. Communication Skills – listening, context and timing, message (Improve your Speaking, Listen better)
5. Teamwork – acting as part of a team, sometimes leading, sometimes following
6. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking – solution orientation, data driven analysis, structured thinking (6 steps for business problem solving)