Skills That Management Students Need to Have – What the Employers Seek!

So, you have taken admission in a management course? Bright career certainly awaits you. But, have you ever thought, if this career is suitable for you. There are skills that a career in management field requires. From an early course, every individual student must have these skills in him or her. Without these skills, they won’t be able to cope with this competitive market. Employers are looking for –

• More abilities
• More knowledge or know-how in various fields
• More potential

Many students think that having a management degree is enough to acquire a prospective job in the corporate fields. However, though a degree is a must, it is equally important that you have certain management skills in you. Employers often look for these special skills in their employees. Hence, from a very young and tender age, you must work on developing and sharpening these skills.
What is management all about?
Before you get into the world of management, it is imperative that you know a little about it. If you think that the task of a manager is to give orders, boss around, control and issue commands to your subordinates, it is your hard luck.
Management has got nothing to do with these.
The task of a manager is to help the business grow. For that he or she will have to –

• Empower employees
• Facilitate them
• Coach the employees in every possible way and situation
• Work as a cheerleader for an even better performance.

Skills that employers look for:
Technical knowledge and conceptual skills are something that a coursework or degree will help a student to grow. But along with these, there are something more than a manager has to have. In the 17 years of my career as an HR executive, I have understood what employers seek and what employees need to have.
Here is a list that will help you to prepare yourself for the career ahead.

1. Communication skill:

This, I can assure you, is the stepping stone to get into the bigger world. You have to sell yourself and communication skill can help you with that. The better you are able to communicate, the more business your employer will get. Communication helps students to let the employers know –

• How much they know
• How confident they are
• How they can solve a problem by communicating
• How clear communication helps in delivering directions

And this communication skill must have a sense of diplomacy in it, so that even a critical situation is also handled tactfully.

2. Energy level:

A manager always needs to be enthusiastic. He or she cannot be tired, even if he or she might be, showing is not allowed. This will demoralize the team; the team will lose enthusiasm to work harder.

1. Flexibility, adaptability and synthesizing quality:

When you start working as a manager, there will always be the pressure from your seniors, who will be demanding more work and outcome; whereas, you will have to work with an entire team that might not be as interested in deadlines. Synchronizing between the two is your task and responsibility.
You have to adapt with different working environment. There will be workaholic seniors and there will be lethargic employees. How they both work for the company’s benefit is your task. Keep in mind, your team will come to you with their problems and you cannot force them for anything. This is where management skills are required.

1. Motivation:

A manager must always motivate his or her team. A team requires motivation and the confidence that a task can be managed, completed and successfully done within a deadline. If the manager loses confidence, if he is doubtful, the team will lose hope.

1. Problem solving ability:

Different problems may appear during your role as a manager. You should have the skill to solve a problem and not ignore it. To help students with this skill, schools often give homework regarding managerial problems. Try and solve them. You can take help from professionals. This will help you to develop ideas on how to manage a situation.
Do not forget to mention your problem solving abilities in your CV, if you have solved any during your coursework, during an internship or in a previous job. This is highly impactful for you to impress an employer.

1. Task related skills:

Though I have stressed more about the interpersonal skills that a manager must have, there is something extremely important that one must develop in him or her and that is the skill of organizing, planning and even writing a plan down.
Organizational skills and proper planning help a team to take the right path that will complete a task faster. And it is not just oral planning, but also the ability to write down the plan in easy and comprehensive language, so that the entire team is benefited.
How to grow these skills?
I have seen individuals, who are born with leadership skills, are outspoken, extrovert and have a great skill of communication just naturally. But, there are also many, who have the technical skills, the know-how, and knowledge and understanding of management; still lack in confidence, communication skills and leadership. These are qualities that can be worked upon. When I take management classes in various management schools, I tell my students to take initiative in small scales.

• Forming a sports team and leading that
• Supervising a group work
• Participating in group discussions

These are some of the most useful ways to develop these skills. During a coursework, many schools assign homework and projects that will help students to sharpen their skills in these factors. If you are facing trouble regarding solving those problems, you can take help from online professional websites. Students can now take the benefit of academic support from skilled academicians, who know how to help management students in solving their homework and projects. You too can take this help. Just make sure that you have these skills in you, so that you become a successful manager in life.