Soft Skills Rule
You can be the best technically or academically skilled person in the world, but if your "soft" skills aren't there, you may not progress in your career the way you would like. It is important to work on your soft skills - these are skills that often aren't directly taught in the education system - they are skills that you often pick up in every day life.
So what are the soft skills?
Waikato employers have told me that they look for a positive attitude, personal responsibility, work ethic, problem solving skills, innovativeness, adaptability, the ability to acquire information and learn , and ultimately to be able to communicate effectively with colleagues and clients.
Research from the United States suggests that while employers used to appoint candidates on the basis of 90 percent experience and 10 percent attitude, that situation has now changed to around 40 percent attitude and a series of "soft skills". There is evidence that employers are struggling to find this particular package of skills. Employer skills surveys reveal communication skills, teamwork, customer handling and problem solving to be bigger skills shortages than literacy and numeracy - and IT capability.
A UK report says that people need higher skills but also a wider set of skills and personal capabilities. As the UK economy shifts away from the standardised jobs and processes of the industrial revolution, organisations from all sectors increasingly need people able to work collaboratively, to communicate clearly and to respond effectively to new situations and the shifting demands of clients.
Resilience is going to be one of the most important attributes a person will need in the future - the ability to bounce back and adapt to changing workplace circumstances
So how do I acquire soft skills?
You may need to venture out of your comfort zone to acquire these skills - say yes to every opportunity you have.
Take a toastmasters course, or put your hand up to work in leadership roles. Join debating teams. Muster up courage to talk to older people in a social setting. Participate in a performance in front of an audience. Develop teamwork skills by playing a team sport.
Develop a positive attitude by picking yourself up and trying again when things go wrong. When you finally do achieve, which you will do if you try hard enough and think about different ways of reaching your goals (you may have to lower your goals a little in the interim) then your positive attitude will be fuelled.
Soft skills keep developing throughout your whole life. All the best!!!
By Mary Jensen
