Soft Skills
Soft Skills to Pay the Bills - Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success
Technical skills may get you an interview, but soft skills help you earn the job, succeed in the workplace, and build a rewarding career.
Soft skills are the personal qualities and workplace habits that help people work well with others and succeed in school, college, and their careers. Employers consistently rank soft skills among the most important qualities they look for when hiring new employees.
Soft Skill #1: Communication
The activities in this section will not only help participants practice and recognize how they provide information to others, but also help them consider how others may prefer to receive information. It is important to reinforce with participants that communication skills involve give and take — and they can, indeed, be learned and strengthened over time.
Communication comes in many forms:
Verbal (sounds, language, and tone of voice)
Aura (listening and hearing)
Non-verbal (facial expressions, body language, and posture)
Written (journals, emails, blogs, and text messages)
Visual (signs, symbols, and pictures)
Soft Skill #2: Enthusiasm & Attitude
The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of enthusiasm and a positive attitude in the workplace. Participants will hear strategies for turning negative thinking into positive thinking and displaying and discussing enthusiasm during an interview and on the job.
Being dependable
Showing initiative
Being willing to learn
Maintaining a positive outlook
Soft Skill #3: Teamwork
The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of teamwork to workplace success and the specific role each individual on a team may play. Participants will learn about positive teamwork behavior and discover how their own conduct can impact others on a team.
Working respectfully with others
Accepting different viewpoints
Helping coworkers
Sharing responsibility
Soft Skill #4: Networking
The activities in this section focus on the process of networking and its relevance and importance to career development. Participants will learn about taking initiative and overcoming fear, informational interviewing, as well as potential guidelines to consider when using social networks, texting, and email for networking purposes.
Building professional relationships
Introducing yourself confidently
Following up after meetings
Maintaining professional contacts
Soft Skill #5: Problem Solving & Critical Thinking
The activities in this section focus on learning how to solve problems in a variety of ways in the workplace. Participants will hear about how to properly tell the difference among criticism, praise, and feedback and reacting appropriately. The section will also review strategies for making ethical decisions, solving problems on a team with others, and learning how to take into account others' perceptions when assessing actions or statements in the workplace.
Identifying problems
Evaluating solutions
Making good decisions
Thinking creatively
Soft Skill #6: Professionalism
The activities in this section focus on each of the five individual soft skills presented in this publication (communication, enthusiasm/attitude, teamwork, networking, and problem solving/critical thinking), but in a broader framework. This is because professionalism, is not one skill but the blending and integration of a variety of skills.
Punctuality
Appropriate dress
Respect
Responsibility
Integrity
Good work habits
And more…….
Time Management
Prioritizing tasks
Meeting deadlines
Staying organized
Managing distractions
Adaptability
Accepting change
Learning new technology
Being flexible
Responding to challenges
Emotional Intelligence
Managing emotions
Showing empathy
Handling criticism professionally
Resolving conflicts respectfully
Professional Communication
answering the phone
leaving a voicemail
introducing yourself
shaking hands (when appropriate)
making eye contact
writing thank-you notes after interviews
These are simple skills that many employers say are becoming less common, yet they can make a memorable first impression.
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