Employers emphasize how important essential skills are when determining the suitability of prospective employees. Employers know that essential skills are the foundation on which all other skills are built.

Review the Government of Canada website essential skills descriptions below.

... the skills needed to understand and apply information found in sentences and paragraphs.
... the skills needed to compose handwritten or typed text to communicate information and ideas.
... the skills needed to find, enter and use letters, numbers, symbols and images in electronic and paper formats.
... the skills needed to make sense of and apply mathematical concepts and information.
... the skills needed to understand and use digital systems, tools and applications, and to process digital information.
... the skills needed to solve problems, make decisions, think critically, plan, remember details, and find information.
... the skills needed to exchange thoughts and information with other people by speaking, listening and using non-verbal cues, such as body language.
... the skills needed to interact with other people (one or more).
... the skills needed to continually develop and improve one's skills and knowledge in order to work effectively and adapt to changes.
Levels of Complexity

Most skills within a skill set are assigned a level of complexity. Levels of complexity measure the degree of difficulty of the skills needed to perform tasks. Levels of complexity range from 1 (basic task) to 5 (advanced task).

In the skill set Reading, for example, Read company memos containing instructions about orders has a complexity level of (1) and Read trade journals to stay abreast of recent changes in the industry has a complexity level of (3).

Visit  http://www.esdc.gc.ca/en/essential_skills/profiles/guide.page#h2.3-h3.4 for more information about essential skills profiles.