1. What skills and traits are employer’s looking for in their employees?

2. Being Accountable  Take on and accept responsibility  Deliver the goods  Admit your errors and mistakes  Never place the blame on someone else  An employer is looking for their employee to take ownership of their actions, and to step up to the plate when the going gets rough.

3. Strive for Quality  Be reliable and consistent; someone people can count on  Be on time  Learn from mistakes and improve continuously  Work towards accuracy, thoroughness and detail

4. Hard Working and Productive  Success comes from daily persistence and resilience.  Work smart and find better ways to accomplish your tasks  The is no easy success or quick money; those that are successful are those that put their 100% effort into their work; and employers recognize that effort.

5. Life Long Learning  Employers want to see their employees wanting to continue their education.  further training, courses in university or P.D. (professional development) opportunities  it is up to the employee to continue their education.  Life long learning is key to remaining up-to-date with the latest and the greatest thing out there. It is vital to continuing in a competitive market.

6. Working with others/Teamwork Working with your co-workers is like figuring out how to put a puzzle together. There may be lots of differences, from ideas to cultural backgrounds to personality conflicts, but it is up to you to figure out how to put the pieces together. In almost every line of work, you will be required to work with someone else, whether a team of co-workers, a single individual, or customers. These skills are of vital importance to an employer.

7. Work Ethic A work ethic is a standard of conduct and values used on the job. OR It is how you feel about your job and how much effort you put into it. A good work ethic includes having integrity. A person with integrity is one who firmly follows moral values. Behaving ethically is what you do when no one is around. It involves such qualities as: honesty, confidentiality, and loyalty.

8. Positive Attitude -An attitude is an outlook on life, how you feel about other people and situations. -People with a positive attitude usually: - get along well with others. - are friendly. - are cheerful. - treat others with respect. - People with a positive attitude tend to be more productive.

9. Attendance/Punctuality When you are absent, it causes extra work for others. It reduces the effectiveness of the team and yourself. A part of good attendance is to report with as much advance warning a need to be absent. (Legitimate reason) Punctuality- Not just being there, but being there on time. Being late is: - inconsiderate. - a bad habit. - a sign of an “I don’t care attitude” or that work is not important to me.

10. Physically Healthy Although it may not seem to be a big deal, employers are looking for healthy employees. People who are not taking care of themselves tend to not perform as well at their job or are absent more than others. Taking care of yourself includes: – Eating balanced meals – Sleeping well – Getting regular exercise – Balancing work and social life

11. Further to these points:  You will receive a handout of “Employability Skills 2000+”; here it will list three categories of skills you will need to enter, stay in, and progress in the world of work. They are extremely important for you to look at, as many areas of your Portfolio assessment will be based on these ideals.