Job-Readiness Skills in the 21st Century

Many job-seekers are prepared for employment; however, a segment of people looking for work don't have what are called job readiness skills. Job readiness skills are the basic, fundamental skills that a job seeker or an employee must have to be employable. The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy reports that the three "'R's' are fundamental to every employee's ability to do the job," according to its September 2008 publication titled, "Essential Skills to Getting a Job." In addition to rudimentary skills that many job seekers, employers and employees take for granted, job readiness for the 21st century involves another set of skills related to professional behavior, communication, collaboration and critical thought processes.


The phrase "job readiness skills" within the context of training typically means preparing a segment of the population that has been largely absent from the labor market for employment. That segment often includes new entrants to the labor market or those previously denied employment based on circumstances such as incarceration, lack of education or at-risk behaviors. Job readiness skills are part of a national undertaking by the U.S. Department of Labor in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Title I of the act funds state and local Workforce Investment Boards, or WIBs. WIBs help implement programs such as job readiness skills training to address challenges that employers and workers encounter as a result of unemployment, underemployment, lack of basic skills and general education.

Job Search

Job seekers generally use the Internet to search for employment. The 21st century way of looking for work is to search job posting sites, complete online application processes and await the call from a recruiter to schedule a preliminary phone interview. This differs from earlier years when Sunday newspaper classified ads were the main source used for learning about job vacancies. Within the context of job hunting for the 21st century, job readiness skills also mean the job seeker knows how jobs are advertised -- on job boards and sites that aggregate vacancy listings and on companies' websites listed as pages titled "Careers" or "Employment."

Employment Applications

Whether the employment application is a paper one or an online application process that many employers adopted in the 21st century, job readiness skills consist of knowing how to complete a job application and write a cover letter and resume. Job readiness also means understanding that employment applications are an important factor in determining whether an applicant has the core competencies, such as attention to detail and the ability to follow instructions.


Knowing what constitutes professional attire and demeanor during a job interview are components of job readiness skills. However, in the 21st century, job readiness within the context of attire may mean that the applicant realizes that he must dress professionally despite the company's typical dress code for employees. For example, instead of wearing a sweatshirt and jeans to a company that has a casual dress code, wearing suit or a coordinating sweater and skirt ensemble is what job readiness skills training teaches job seekers.

In the 21st century, cellphones and smartphones are practically everywhere they're so commonplace; however, having job readiness skills means that you turn off your phone during the interview and that you shouldn't use your phone for extensive conversations at work. These might sound like common-sense tips; however, job readiness skills include the most basic tenets of a job search.

Social Skills

Many of the job readiness skills related to courtesy and respect are the same for the 21st century as in previous decades. For example, reporting to work on time and calling your supervisor when you can't make it or if you're going to be late, is a social skill that demonstrates professional courtesy and maturity. It conveys an understanding that dependability is key to success in any job. Additional skills include developing interpersonal relationships at work and exhibiting behavior that shows respect for co-workers and supervisors, as well as respect for the organization's ethics and code of conduct.


In many jobs, an employee's proficiency with technology determines his success. Although it's not always necessary to have expert-level proficiency with a cadre of software applications, many employees are required to have basic technology skills, such as logging into the computer, checking email and typing a message or correspondence. Without these basic skills, an employee can still be successful if she's open to learning and has the fundamental analytical and critical thinking skills required to develop an understanding of basic principles related to using a computer.