Soft Skills Employers Seek – Lesson

Soft Skills Employers Seek
Click here to print your online guide.

Soft Skills = Career Success
No matter how smart you are, or how many degrees you earn, you are going to need a solid set of soft skills in order to be successful. Soft skills refer to a person’s ability to relate to others, to get him or herself (and possibly others) organized, to communicate in written, spoken or other forms, to conduct research or gather information about various topics as assigned, and so forth. While you do need specific technical or hard skills to get those good jobs, soft skills are essential for workplace success. For more information and examples of soft skills, review this PowerPoint, What do Employers Want in Employees. (On your printed guide, answer question 1.)

Soft Skills Give You the Edge
Because experts estimate that career success depends on a good set of soft skills, you will want to develop your soft skills for better employability. According to Job Outlook 2008, employers want new hires with a good GPA. They also want employees with good communication skills, a “strong work ethic”, initiative, interpersonal skills, and problem-solving abilities. Unfortunately more than a third of employers say new graduates lack many of the soft skills they seek. If you develop and demonstrate these important skills, you’ll have an edge in the hiring process. (On your guide, answer question 2.)

Rate Your Soft Skills
Want to test your soft skills in a number of key areas? This automated self-assessment quiz will test and tally your soft skill savvy. As you respond to a 24 question quiz, you will receive immediate feedback on the state of your soft skills. This quiz, offered by communication coach Peggy Klaus, author of The Hard Truth About Soft Skills Workplace Lessons Smart People Wished They’d Learned Sooner, is a great place to begin. After you take the quiz, print your feedback and review it. Decide on two or three things you will do immediately to improve these skills. (On your guide, answer question 3.)

Keep Soft Skills Sharp
It’s rarely a shortfall in technical expertise that will limit your chances to land a good job or to move up in the workplace. It is rather a shortcoming in social, communication, and self-management behaviors. So before you go out seeking your dream job, hone those soft skills. Soft skills can open doors to extraordinary career opportunities. You can have all the technical expertise in the world, but if you can’t sell your ideas, get along with others or turn your work in on time, you’ll be going nowhere fast. (On your guide, respond to the last question.)