Qualities employers are looking for in 2023

As the skills sought by employers align with the ever-changing economic and technological needs, the importance of social and interpersonal « soft skills » remains essential even in the new of AI.

Expertise, interpersonal skills and operational skills are the three main skills that are necessary to acquire in order to perform in the world of work. Nevertheless, with the upheavals linked to the pandemic, certain qualities are in the spotlight.

Education and professional experience are essential, of course. Academic results remain fundamental but interpersonal skills and the ability to evolve in harmony with the corporate culture are critical. Your passions and your highlighted achievements can make all the difference when you present your candidacy!

What skills can set you apart from other candidates?

Without setting aside the skills inherent in the era of artificial intelligence which is rapidly taking hold in all spheres of our lives, and not excluding this new reality in which the pandemic has thrown us, a report published in 2023 by the World Economic Forum informs us that :

« Cognitive skills are those that are valued today by employers, including two skills in particular in 2023; creative thinking and analytical thinking. »

-World Economic Forum

We are observing a tendency of skills that are sought after from our clients, medium to large national and international companies, and an intensifying demand for certain profiles. For all types of positions and industries, we find that the most valued qualities in 2023 are :

→ Ability to adapt : responsiveness, resilience and agile mode in this new AI era.

→ Autonomy : problem solving, time management and attention to detail.

→ Technological skills : digital literacy, motivation, curiosity and ability to learn.

→ Leadership skills : humility, emotional intelligence and the ability to motivate your team.

→ Communication skills : the ability to communicate effectively on sensitive and complex subjects virtually or in person, in writing and orally.

To face the challenges that the labor market will bring us in the years to come, these qualifications will be essential to ensure this necessary retraining of tasks.

The ability to adapt quickly takes precedence and is a key skill that employers are looking for in 2023 in this new era of AI and an unpredictable world defined by climate, economic and political upheavals.

Whit the rapidly evolving presence of AI, digital literacy will be a highly sought-after skill and arguably an essential skill. Employers recruiting all job types and levels are looking for employees who know how to find, analyse and communicate information in many forms and on many platforms.

Notwithstanding this, interpersonal skills are considered with a weighting of 30% to 50% in the hiring decision to ensure that there is a correlation with the company’s culture as well as with that of the team. This importance increases to more thant 50% when it comes to recruiting a senior management position where the candidate will have to interact and communicate with executives and the board of directors.

| Stefanie Rochford, CHRP, CRHA, President, Rochford Executive Search

| France Moretti, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist