Human Resources and Skills Development Canada has profiled the "Essential Skills" that are used by workers from diverse occupations. Check out the HRSDC website for this research and the Essential Skills Profiles ! (there are ~ 250). Here you will also find information about the skills that supervisors and employers are looking for.  

Some additional information that may be of interest to you: 

195 recruiters were consulted from organizations employing 100 or fewer people, representing all sectors of the economy and drawn from across the province of British Columbia. Then, 187 skills and personal qualities were selected by reviewing what other researchers in North America and around the world had identified as being important to employers. Review the animation below to learn about the skills and habits that are important to supervisors and employers.