Three Skills Employers Won’t Tell You They’re Looking For

Most job ads list technical skills. But in the interviews and hiring panels I’ve sat on, three other skills often decide who gets the role.

1. Making complexity simple. Can you explain an idea clearly to someone outside your field?

2. Seeing patterns. This is noticing trends before they’re obvious — in data, behaviour, or market shifts.

3. Knowing how to start. Many people can plan. Fewer know how to take the first step without over-preparing.

These skills are trainable. I’ve seen them grow fastest in environments where people get real feedback and can try again quickly — something we built into E³’s teacher support tools.

If you’re working on your own “employability,” invest in these. They’ll serve you in any role, in any economy.