Developing Skills that Win the Job
Going Beyond Education and Experience by Enhancing Soft Skills
To improve career success, employees should focus not just on experience but also on their soft skills. Here are four of the top soft skills and how to develop them.
Ask the average person on the street about soft skills and they would probably look at you funny or define them as the ability to be empathetic or caring, some soft, gentle quality.
In the workplace, soft skills are somewhat touchy-feely in nature in that they are not as tangible as hard skills; hard skills being an employee’s education, experience and training, those things that are learned over the years. Soft skills, however, are more often personal attributes, traits and characteristics that are less likely to be taught, though some, such as written communication skills, can be learned.
The problem is that recent information coming out of universities as well as found in new surveys conducted by several different organizations has concluded that educators, business leaders, human resources professionals and others have begun to realize how important it is for employees to have soft skills to complement the hard skills that they possess.
So naturally it is important to ask, specifically what are we talking about and how can someone go about developing these all-important skills?
The difficulty isn’t in defining them as much as it is in developing them. Everyone has their own personal strengths, idiosyncrasies, and personality quirks that, quite frankly, make for a rich and interesting work force. However, there are still very specific qualities – soft skills – that most employers seek in their employees.
Here are four top soft skills that employees should hone if they want to improve their chance for career success:
Communication
Communication skills go beyond just the ability to hold a conversation with another person. While it is important to be concise and coherent when expressing an idea, it is equally important to be able to listen carefully and understand the return message. In addition, written communication skills are vital in properly composing everything from a simple email to an in-depth report.
- Think before speaking to ensure personal clarity
- Present information in meetings to gain confidence
- Practice good listening skills by reflecting and paraphrasing what the speaker has said
- Take classes in public speaking, business communications, grammar
Teamwork
Teamwork implies an ability to get along with others and work collaboratively, building trust, being dependable, and offering support. Customer service requires an equal balance of good communication and teamwork skills.
- Make a commitment and honor it
- Do quality work in a timely manner
- Be willing to assist other team members when needed
- Recognize each other’s accomplishments
Project Management
Project management means that an employee is not only capable of organizing and managing their own time and work load, but they have the potential to lead others. Someone with good project management skills is self-directed to prioritize, meet deadlines, and move projects forward.
- Plan each day by writing out a “to-do” list
- Track projects on a white board
- Use a “tickler” file to stay organized
- Calendar important events, deadlines, and goals
Problem-solving
Problem-solving skills tend to be the sign of a creative individual with critical thinking and analytical abilities who can develop solutions, not just identify problems. Those with good problem-solving skills use their initiative in accomplishing tasks and resolving issues and often feel comfortable “thinking outside the box” or taking risks.
- Once a problem has been identified, develop three solutions
- Brainstorm with others to solve issues
- Be proactive, not reactive
- Define problems in new ways by asking questions
