Strengths & Weaknesses Candidates See in Themselves During Job Search

Experience is seen as the primary asset by candidates in the eyes of potential employers when job hunting. According to the latest survey conducted by eJobs.ro, 55.1% of participants ranked experience as their top strength, with charisma following at a distant second (8.4%), based on their self-assessments. Flexibility, emotional intelligence, creativity, and educational background are other factors candidates rely on to gain a competitive edge over others applying for the same position.

“Many candidates struggle with self-assessment and are unsure of the qualities they possess that could help them secure a job. Some say this uncertainty stems from not knowing what employers are specifically looking for, making it difficult to gauge how valuable their skills truly are,” says Ana Călugăru, Head of Communications at eJobs.ro, Romania’s leading online recruitment platform.

On the other side of the skills they don’t have, but which would help them be more attractive in the eyes of a new employer, 35.5% say they feel disadvantaged by the fact that they don’t speak at least one foreign language fluently International. 28.4% do not have enough confidence in themselves, and this makes them lose ground in discussions with recruiters, while 23.9% believe that they would have more chances on the job market if they had a niche specialization , and the number of candidates would not be so high. 17.4% say they lack digital skills, and 12.5% ​​don’t know how to manage people. 11.3% admit that they are not flexible enough and just as many that they have gaps in emotional intelligence.

“If not long ago we saw the lack of experience ranked first, now only 4% of respondents think they might have problems getting hired for this reason. They begin to understand that the lack of experience can be compensated by skills that weigh more heavily, such as digital ones, creativity, flexibility or emotional intelligence”, says Ana Călugăru.

Candidates also say that, from their perspective, digital skills are currently the most important factor for employers. 32% believe that employers are primarily looking for flexible individuals who are willing to learn, retrain, or acquire knowledge in various areas. Additionally, 29.7% think that fluency in a foreign language is very important for companies, followed by the ability to manage a team and creativity. Sales, negotiation skills, and entrepreneurial spirit—qualities that candidates believed were particularly sought after by employers in previous years—are now mentioned by less than 20% of respondents.

“In light of this awareness that there is a gap between the skills they have and those employers are seeking, 47% of survey participants say they plan to take courses or specialized programs to acquire new skills. Another 35% say they would like to do so, but only if the courses are free or paid for by the employer, while 7% are undecided,” explains Ana Călugăru.

When asked if they are currently looking for a job, 47.6% responded affirmatively. For 38.8%, changing jobs is not a priority, but they would apply if a better opportunity arose. Only 13.5% said they have no plans to make a career change in the near future.

The survey was conducted between July and August 2024, with a sample of 700 respondents.