Soft skills play a more important role than you think in driving career success. In today’s world, meeting the technical skill requirements of a job is expected. Displaying a strong set of career soft skills in the workplace shows employers your ability to be interpersonal, which lends you a competitive advantage to move up in your career. Soft skills are paramount to human interaction. They are pivotal in conveying your point of view, building relationships, and showing the desire for career advancement.
You may have the best qualifications for a job, but they can be unnoticed if you don’t know how to effectively conduct yourself in a business environment. Consider these 4 soft skills (aka interpersonal skills) as a counterpart to your qualifications. Exhibit them in the workplace to help drive career success and greaten your opportunities to be successful.
1. Communication
This goes beyond literal verbal communication, but also includes listening to others, written correspondence, and body language. It is important to know how to communicate in a professional manner among peers. Can you articulate your point in a way that doesn’t put blame on others but rather supports accountability? Do you convey messages in a fact-based manner with opening for commentary? Is your body language composed and neutral? Do others actually believe you’re listening to them when they are speaking?
If you believe the answer is yes to these questions, you likely have strong communication skills. Those that can tailor their interaction across multiple personalities, interpret what others say, collect thoughts, and be perceptive when speaking are effective communicators. Employers look for employees that know how to talk to other people without ruffling any feathers. Communication is also a highly transferable skill.
2. Resourcefulness
If something goes wrong or something unexpected happens, what is your first reaction? Do you run to someone else in a panic or do use logic to troubleshoot before getting others involved? Managers appreciate employees that are resourceful in solving problems verses immediately running to them without taking a moment to think about the issue. Having traits of resourcefulness demonstrate your ability to be self-sufficient and adaptable to unforeseen situations.
3. Leadership
Employees that can effectively engage with others up and down the organization show characteristics of leadership. Those with these attributes help embed a positive workplace culture. Leaders are those that set an example, motivate team members, and offer advice and direction to others. Being confident is key to show leadership strength to employers.
4. Delivery
Do you follow through on projects and commitments you promise to deliver? Employers want to see that you fully stand by your work. They want to see that you are invested in the outcomes of assignments with best interest in organizational success verses individualistic motives. Employees that care about their work don’t deliver minimal effort for the sake of getting assignments off their plate. They take a strategic approach to their work. They pay attention to details, deadlines, and execution. Employers want to see that you have the ability view the bigger picture and produce high quality deliverables that drive business results.
Conclusion
Technical abilities and educational background will only get you so far in your career. Complementing soft skills alongside your hard qualifications shows employers that you have what it takes to move up the ladder. Showing traits of effective communication, resourcefulness, leadership, and results-driven delivery expands the value you bring to the table.
Are you constantly developing your soft skills to enhance your performance in the workplace? If not and you’re looking for greater career success, it’s time to start working on these skills.
RGBSI's Staffing & Workforce Management Division is now Zobility.
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