The technical skills demanded by employers are constantly changing and different employers require different skills. In contrast, the key soft skills remain constant and are almost universally sought by employers. Yes, the ability to talk in zeros and ones, type 0-60 words in under a second, or disentangle subprime mortgage calculations will help get your foot in the door, but ultimately the soft skills you possess are what will keep your feet firmly planted.
Employed, unemployed or in search of student jobs or internships, continual self-improvement is essential. Listed below, in no particular order, are six key soft skills that when mastered, will put you ahead of the game.
Flexibility
In today’s new economy technology is re-shaping industries faster than you can make a cup of coffee. In the old days it used to be one job, one skill. Today, companies don’t hire for a specific position but rather people who are smart and flexible. The way you demonstrate that is by showing you can do multiple things well and are willing to move with the times.
Diplomacy
People get hurt, upset, angry and frustrated - it’s just what human beings do and it won’t always be possible to evade confrontations that arise from these heightened emotions. Being able to hold your own in such situations is vital. Don’t be a pushover, but be diplomatic and eloquent in getting your point across and you’ll earn the respect of your colleagues.
Reliability
There’s nothing easier than promising to carry out a task when you have no intention of doing so. But people will notice. If you promise to do something (e.g. send a CV by a certain time), stay true to your word and make sure you do it. Moreover, if you cannot achieve something that you promised too, don’t sit there like a lemon, nope, send an email or get out your seat and go tell the person waiting on you.
Attentiveness
We’re often surprised by how many professional people talk simply to be heard. Yeah, it may look good for a short while, but often most people will see through the BS and it’s a sure way to grow a list of haters. Good listening skills are in short supply and people like to be listened too. So you can easily stand out by showing attentiveness and asking lots of questions.
Networking
A difficult soft skill but with real tangible benefits. Getting to know people on a professional platform works wonders for your career. Not only will it help the long days whizz past by providing you with people to gossip with, but you’ll soon find that certain contacts have keys that unlock magic doors to all sorts of opportunities. Don’t underestimate the power of networking.
You might be thinking, "Where did team-working, communication, and interpersonal skills get to?" Quite frankly we felt that these are soft skills already possessed by many of us without much thought and therefore a review wouldn’t have provided much valuable insight.
So there you have it, six fantabulous soft skills for workplace success. More often than not people continuously seek to improve on their technical competence, whilst neglecting their soft skills. Don’t make that mistake. Seek to, learn, cultivate, develop, and maintain your soft skills.
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July 8th, 2011
GWorkExperience
Very beneficicial read Tim, thank you.