Why are we passionate about Musical Theatre?

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Aside from it being a life changing magical platform for participants and audience members, there are some very real attributes that the discipline encourages and develops in its participants. The performing arts builds confidence, resilience, empathy and the ability to feel comfortable in one's own skin, but there are some real life workplace skills that employers are looking for that you can only get from being involved in a musical. Here are five real-life job skills that employers are looking for in 2017 According to a Linkedin survey of nearly 300 hiring managers in the U.S. conducted in 2016 (topresume.com)

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1. Communication skills.

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Regardless of your profession, communication skills are a must. Communication skills are one of the top skills employers want. Big ideas, creative solutions, and awesome technique may not do you much good if you can’t get your ideas across to others. If you know, or can learn to, effectively convey your ideas to co-workers, bosses, clients and those around you, you’ll be more successful. It’s really that simple.

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2. Organization.

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With the many layers and details involved in staging a musical, you simply cannot survive without being organised. Organization is a skill employers are looking for because it leads to efficiency and transparency. If you are a person who respects and follows some method of organization, it makes it easier for your company to understand your work process. Organizational skills can mean anything from how you write up an email or report, to how you arrange your desk and supplies. Even though some people thrive in a haphazard methodology, or think they do, an organized approach is much more employer-friendly.

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3. Teamwork.

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It’s not too hard to figure out why companies and hiring managers value teamwork as highly as they do. No matter what your job is, you most likely have to work with others. That means more than just talking to them. You’ll have to share ideas, collaborate on projects and work together to find solutions to problems.

People who struggle to accept others’ input and cooperate on a regular basis can cause a number of problems, which can lead to an air of resentment in the office. Others may become frustrated and the company could even lose good employees.

Playing nice with others isn’t just something your teachers tell you in Primary School, it’s a skill you will need for your work life as well.

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4. Punctuality.

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You may be inclined to swipe this into the category of time management, but it’s actually simpler than that.

Time management implies that you efficiently manage your time throughout the day, week, month from project to project. It’s a way of measuring your efficiency. Teachers and Directors are going to find you much easier to work with if you are reliable and turn up at the designated call time.

Punctuality means you do what you say you were going to do at, or before, the set time. It means you show up to the office on time, regardless of your commute. It means you’re in your seat and ready when the meeting is supposed to start. It means you are on the conference call by the time it’s supposed to begin.

If time is money, a person who does not take punctuality seriously is like a slow leak in the company’s finances.

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5. Critical thinking.

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“It's sort of a mental attitude about critical thinking and curiosity. It's about mindset of looking at the world in a playful and curious and creative way.” - Adam Savage

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One of the most detrimental phrases one can hear in the business world – any business – is “that’s how we’ve always done it!”

Critical thinkers look beyond the basic information in front of them at all times. They look at things from different angles. Why? Because there may be a better way that they just haven’t seen yet. They don’t assume that the information provided to them is complete.

Why is this a skill that employers are looking for? Critical thinkers deal with analysis, not emotion. They don’t simply adhere to tradition or gut feelings, they do research and are able to present solutions along with data to back up their ideas. In short, you don’t present information unless you’ve thoroughly vetted it yourself. It’s a form of taking responsibility for your work.