What are the Most Important Soft Skills?

What are the Most Important Soft Skills?

It’s hard to judge which soft skills are most important, but this list is broadly what employers mean when they talk about good soft skills and the skills which are most likely to enable you to build constructive working relationships with others, or to be a constructive and helpful employee.

1. Communication Skills

Communication skills are always top of the ‘essential skills’ list in any job advertisement. People with strong communication skills can build relationships (from the initial building rapport through to a longer-term relationship), listen well, and vary their communication to suit the circumstances.

If you spend time on nothing else, work on your communication skills.

2. Making Decisions

Valued by employers for many reasons, being able to make decisions is key to getting on in life. Sometimes the actual decision doesn’t even matter; what matters is that you have made one and moved on.

3. Self Motivation

People who are self-motivated get on by themselves. They don’t need close supervision and they are good to work with because they are generally positive about life and can be counted upon to keep going. It also helps to work on your personal resilience and adaptability to change.

4. Leadership Skills

These are the set of soft skills that we least expect someone to develop by themselves. There are many leadership training courses available and much has been written about how to develop your leadership skills.

Our leadership skills pages describe many of the skills needed for effective leadership and how to develop your leadership style.

5.Team-Working Skills

Like leadership skills, there are many training courses to teach you how to work well in a team. However, there is also plenty of thinking to suggest that good communication skills, particularly good listening skills, together with an ability to build rapport will go a long way to support your ability to work well in a team.

6. Creativity and Problem Solving Skills

Creativity and problem-solving skills are highly valued because they are hard to develop. There are many people who believe that creative thinkers are born, not made, and there are certainly some people who find these skills much easier. But, like other skills, you can develop them if you work to do so and our pages on these topics will give you some ideas about how to do this.

7. Time Management and ability to work under pressure

Many would say that these two skills, which often go hand-in-hand, are more an attitude than a skill. However they can also be developed and honed, which is why we include them as skills. Highly valued by employers, they are also very useful for organising a family or a team, and for making sure that the job gets done.

6 soft skills everyone needs and employers look for

In a 2008 survey of more than 2,000 businesses in the state of Washington, employers said entry-level workers in a variety of professions were lacking in several areas, including problem solving, conflict resolution and critical observation.

You'll likely see these "soft skills" popping up in job descriptions, next to demands for technical qualifications. Employment experts agree that tech skills may get you an interview, but these soft skills will get you the job—and help you keep it:

Communication skills

This doesn't mean you have to be a brilliant orator or writer. It does mean you have to express yourself well, whether it's writing a coherent memo, persuading others with a presentation or just being able to calmly explain to a team member what you need.

Teamwork and collaboration

Employers want employees who play well with others—who can effectively work as part of a team. "That means sometimes being a leader, sometimes being a good follower, monitoring the progress, meeting deadlines and working with others across the organization to achieve a common goal," says Lynne Sarikas, the MBA Career Center Director at Northeastern University.

Adaptability

This is especially important for more-seasoned professionals to demonstrate, to counter the (often erroneous) opinion that older workers are too set in their ways. "To succeed in most organizations, you need to have a passion for learning and the ability to continue to grow and stretch your skills to adapt to the changing needs of the organization," Sarikas says. "On your resume, on your cover letter and in your interview, explain the ways you've continued to learn and grow throughout your career."

Problem solving

Be prepared for the "how did you solve a problem?" interview question with several examples, advises Ann Spoor, managing director of Cave Creek Partners. "Think of specific examples where you solved a tough business problem or participated in the solution. Be able to explain what you did, how you approached the problem, how you involved others and what the outcome was—in real, measurable results."

Critical observation

It's not enough to be able to collect data and manipulate it. You must also be able to analyze and interpret it. What story does the data tell? What questions are raised? Are there different ways to interpret the data? "Instead of handing your boss a spreadsheet, give them a business summary and highlight the key areas for attention, and suggest possible next steps," Sarikas advises.

Conflict resolution

The ability to persuade, negotiate and resolve conflicts is crucial if you plan to move up. "You need to have the skill to develop mutually beneficial relationships in the organization so you can influence and persuade people," Sarikas says. "You need to be able to negotiate win-win solutions to serve the best interests of the company and the individuals involved."

When it comes to soft skills, show—don't tell

How do you prove you're proficient at, say, critical observation? Demonstrating these soft skills may be more difficult than listing concrete accomplishments like $2 million in sales or a professional certification. But it is possible to persuade hiring managers that you have what they need.

To demonstrate communication skills, for example, start with the obvious. Make sure there are no typos in your resume or cover letter. Beyond that, enhance your communication credibility by writing an accomplishment statement on your resume or cover letter, says Cheryl E. Palmer, president of Call to Career. "Instead of stating, 'great oral and written communication skills,' say, 'conducted presentation for C-level executives that persuaded them to open a new line of business that became profitable within eight months.'"

Learn soft skills

The good news is that, like any skill, soft skills can be learned. The better news? Boosting your soft skills not only gives you a leg up on a new job or a promotion, but these skills also have obvious applications in all areas of a person's life, both professional and personal.

• Take a Course: Some colleges are mixing technology with areas such as effective written and verbal communication, teamwork, cultural understanding and psychology. Take a writing or public speaking course to boost your communication skills. Look for a conflict-resolution course or "leadership skills" class at your local community college.
• Seek Mentors: Be as specific as you can about your target skill, and when you're approaching a potential mentor, compliment that person with a specific example in which you've seen him practice that skill, advises Ed Muzio, the author of Make Work Great. "Then ask whether that person would be willing to share ideas with you about how you might achieve the same level of capability," he says. "Maybe it will grow into a long mentoring relationship, or maybe you'll just pick the person's brain for a few minutes."
• Volunteer: Working with nonprofit organizations gives you the opportunity to build soft skills. And listing high-profile volunteer work on your resume gives you an excuse to point out what you gained there. For example, "As chair of the environmental committee, planned and carried out a citywide park cleanup campaign. Utilized team-building, decision-making and cooperative skills. Extensive report writing and public speaking."

Like what you’ve read? Join Monster to get personalized articles and job recommendations—and to help recruiters find you.

Types of Communication: Verbal, Non-verbal and Written

Communication is key to maintaining successful business relations. For this reason, it is paramount that professionals working in business environments have first-class communication skills. There are three basic types of communication: verbal, non-verbal, and written. If you want to succeed in business, you need to master each of these types of communication.

Verbal Communication

Verbal or oral communication uses spoken words to communicate a message. When most people think of verbal communication, they think of speaking, but listening is an equally important skill for this type of communication to be successful. Verbal communication is applicable to a wide range of situations, ranging from informal office discussions to public speeches made to thousands of people.

Improving your verbal communication skills can help you to foster better relationships with your coworkers and maintain a large network of contacts that you can call on when necessary. Consultants are one group of professionals that need to pay particular attention to this area of communication, as they need to constantly meet with new people and quickly communicate large quantities of important information. Consultants can improve their communication skills with this online communication course for consultants.

Public speaking is the aspect of verbal communication that many otherwise confident business people struggle with. If you have trouble organizing your thoughts and mastering your nerves when presenting to large groups of people, then this free Pitch for Success online webinar can help you to improve your public speaking skills.

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication includes body language, gestures, facial expressions, and even posture. Non-verbal communication sets the tone of a conversation, and can seriously undermine the message contained in your words if you are not careful to control it. For example, slouching and shrinking back in your chair during a business meeting can make you seem under-confident, which may lead people to doubt the strength of your verbal contributions. In contrast, leaning over an employee’s desk and invading his or her personal space can turn a friendly chat into an aggressive confrontation that leaves the employee feeling victimized and undervalued.

Want to learn how to use non-verbal methods to communicate more effectively? The Secrets of Body Language online course can teach you to recognize and modify your own body language, as well as how to read that of others.

Written Communication

Written communication is essential for communicating complicated information, such as statistics or other data, that could not be easily communicated through speech alone. Written communication also allows information to be recorded so that it can be referred to at a later date. When producing a piece of written communication, especially one that is likely to be referred to over and over again, you need to plan what you want to say carefully to ensure that all the relevant information is accurately and clearly communicated.

Written communication must be clear and concise in order to communicate information effectively. A good written report conveys the necessary information using precise, grammatically correct language, without using more words than are needed. The online course Write Less, Say More can help you to write brief, punchy, powerful reports.

By improving your verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills, you can become more successful in all areas of business. Whether you are managing others or working as part of a team, the ability to communicate effectively can improve relations with your colleagues and help you all to work more effectively together.

Types of Communication

Communication

Communication is a process of exchanging information, ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions through speech, signals, writing, or behavior. In communication process, a sender(encoder) encodes a message and then using a medium/channel sends it to the receiver (decoder) who decodes the message and after processing information, sends back appropriate feedback/reply using a medium/channel.

Types of Communication

People communicate with each other in a number of ways that depend upon the message and its context in which it is being sent. Choice of communication channel and your style of communicating also affects communication. So, there are variety of types of communication.

Types of communication based on the communication channels used are:

1. Verbal Communication
2. Nonverbal Communication

1. Verbal Communication

   Verbal communication refers to the the form of communication in which message is transmitted verbally; communication is done by word of mouth and a piece of writing. Objective of every communication is to have people understand what we are trying to convey. In verbal communication remember the acronym KISS(keep it short and simple).
   When we talk to others, we assume that others understand what we are saying because we know what we are saying. But this is not the case. usually people bring their own attitude, perception, emotions and thoughts about the topic and hence creates barrier in delivering the right meaning.
   So in order to deliver the right message, you must put yourself on the other side of the table and think from your receiver’s point of view. Would he understand the message? how it would sound on the other side of the table?
   Verbal Communication is further divided into:
   • Oral Communication
   • Written Communication

   Oral Communication

   In oral communication, Spoken words are used. It includes face-to-face conversations, speech, telephonic conversation, video, radio, television, voice over internet. In oral communication, communication is influence by pitch, volume, speed and clarity of speaking.

   Advantages of Oral communication are:
   It brings quick feedback.
   In a face-to-face conversation, by reading facial expression and body language one can guess whether he/she should trust what’s being said or not.

   Disadvantage of oral communication
   In face-to-face discussion, user is unable to deeply think about what he is delivering, so this can be counted as a

   Written Communication

   In written communication, written signs or symbols are used to communicate. A written message may be printed or hand written. In written communication message can be transmitted via email, letter, report, memo etc. Message, in written communication, is influenced by the vocabulary & grammar used, writing style, precision and clarity of the language used.

   Written Communication is most common form of communication being used in business. So, it is considered core among business skills.

   Memos, reports, bulletins, job descriptions, employee manuals, and electronic mail are the types of written communication used for internal communication. For communicating with external environment in writing, electronic mail, Internet Web sites, letters, proposals, telegrams, faxes, postcards, contracts, advertisements, brochures, and news releases are used.

   Advantages of written communication includes:
   Messages can be edited and revised many time before it is actually sent.
   Written communication provide record for every message sent and can be saved for later study.
   A written message enables receiver to fully understand it and send appropriate feedback.

   Disadvantages of written communication includes:
   Unlike oral communication, Written communication doesn’t bring instant feedback.
   It take more time in composing a written message as compared to word-of-mouth. and number of people struggles for writing ability.

2. Nonverbal Communication

   Nonverbal communication is the sending or receiving of wordless messages. We can say that communication other than oral and written, such as gesture, body language,posture, tone of voice or facial expressions, is called nonverbal communication.Nonverbal communication is all about the body language of speaker.
   Nonverbal communication helps receiver in interpreting the message received. Often, nonverbal signals reflects the situation more accurately than verbal messages.Sometimes nonverbal response contradicts verbal communication and hence affect the effectiveness of message.
   Nonverbal communication have the following three elements:

   Appearance
   Speaker: clothing, hairstyle, neatness, use of cosmetics
   Surrounding: room size, lighting, decorations, furnishings

   Body Language
   facial expressions, gestures, postures

   Sounds
   Voice Tone, Volume, Speech rate

Types of Communication Based on Purpose and Style

Based on style and purpose, there are two main categories of communication and they both bears their own characteristics. Communication types based on style and purpose are:

1. Formal Communication
2. Informal Communication

1. Formal Communication

   In formal communication, certain rules, conventions and principles are followed while communicating message. Formal communication occurs in formal and official style. Usually professional settings, corporate meetings, conferences undergoes in formal pattern.
   In formal communication, use of slang and foul language is avoided and correct pronunciation is required. Authority lines are needed to be followed in formal communication.

2. Informal Communication

Informal communication is done using channels that are in contrast with formal communication channels. It’s just a casual talk. It is established for societal affiliations of members in an organization and face-to-face discussions. It happens among friends and family. In informal communication use of slang words, foul language is not restricted. Usually. informal communication is done orally and using gestures.
Informal communication, Unlike formal communication, doesn’t follow authority lines. In an organization, it helps in finding out staff grievances as people express more when talking informally. Informal communication helps in building relationships.

Quotes about Following Your Passion - Follow Your Dream

1. Following your passion is the best way to lead a fruitful life

~ Jeffrey Benjamin

2. Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don't let anyone limit your dreams.

~ Donovan Bailey

3. Follow your passion, and success will follow you.

~ Arthur Buddhold

4. Flow your passion, follow your dreams, but most of all follow your heart.

~ Nishan Panwar

5. Life is short. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

6. Follow your passion. Stay true to yourself. Never follow someone else's path unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that.

~ Ellen DeGeneres.

7. There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions - in a way that serves the world and you.

~ Sir Richard Branson

8. Follow your passion. Nothing - not wealth, success, accolades or fame - is worth spending a lifetime doing things you don't enjoy.

~ Jonathan Sacks

9. Passion is too important to be without, but too fickle to be guided by. Which is why I', more inclined to say, "Don't Follow your passion, but always bring it with you"

~ Mike Rowe

10. I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the road that I have most passion on because then you can never really blame yourself for making the wrong choices. YOu can always say you're following your passion.

~ Darren Aronofsky

11. Don't do it for the money. Follow the path to do what makes your heartbeat faster. Follow your passion.

~ LYnn Tilton

12. The golden rule I can think of is the fact that you must follow your passion and do something that's close to your heart.

~ Kumar Mangalam Birla

13. Follow your passion. Be yourself, but check yourself before you wreck yourself.

~ Andy Cohen

14. Do not allow others to abort your dreams. Follow your passion. Do so passionately and without apology!

~ Lashan Dia Gray

15. Passion always finds a way. Follow your passion and everything else will work out.

~ Aliza Shlesinger.

Back To School Quotes: Prepare You For A Brand New Year

1. If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers.  

~Edgar W. Howe

2. Being a child at home alone in the summer is a high-risk occupation.  If you call your mother at work thirteen times an hour, she can hurt you.  

~Erma Bombeck

3. Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day.  It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken.  

~Bill Dodds

4. The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.  

~Sydney J. Harris

5. You send your child to the schoolmaster, but 'tis the schoolboys who educate him.  

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

6. Holidays are enticing only for the first week or so.  After that, it is no longer such a novelty to rise late and have little to do.  

~Margaret Laurence

7. The simplest schoolboy is now familiar with truths for which Archimedes would have given his life.  

~Ernest Renan, Souvenirs d'enfance et de jeunesse, 1883

8. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.  

~John Dewey

9. The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. 

~Robert Maynard Hutchins

10. As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools.  

~Author Unknown

11. I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.  

~Lily Tomlin as "Edith Ann"

12. The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.  

~Author Unknown

13. Often, when I am reading a good book, I stop and thank my teacher.  That is, I used to, until she got an unlisted number. 

 ~Author Unknown

14. There are three good reasons to be a teacher - June, July, and August.  

~Author Unknown

15. The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.  

~Ralph W. Sockman

16. What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child. 

 ~George Bernard Shaw

17. The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.  

~Aristotle

18. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.  

~Author unknown, commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin

19. A cross-eyed teacher can keep twice the number of children in order than any other, because the pupils do not know who she's looking at.  

~Four Hundred Laughs: Or, Fun Without Vulgarity, compiled and edited by John R. Kemble, 1902

20. Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed.  

~Robert Gallagher

21. It doesn't make much difference what you study, as long as you don't like it.  

~Finley Peter Dunne

22. You can get all A's and still flunk life.  

~Walker Percy

23. If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.  

~Attributed to both Andy McIntyre and Derek Bok

24. Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.  

~Edward Everett

25. He who opens a school door, closes a prison. 

~Victor Hugo 

26. Why should society feel responsible only for the education of children, and not for the education of all adults of every age?  

~Erich Fromm

27. Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it.  

~William Haley

28. Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog.  

~Doug Larson

29. Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.  

~Malcolm S. Forbes

30. Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught.  

~Oscar Wilde, "The Critic as Artist," 1890

31. Did you know America ranks the lowest in education but the highest in drug use?  It's nice to be number one, but we can fix that.  All we need to do is start the war on education.  If it's anywhere near as successful as our war on drugs, in no time we'll all be hooked on phonics.  

~Leighann Lord

32. Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves.  

~Abbé Dimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928

33. When a subject becomes totally obsolete we make it a required course.  

~Peter Drucker

34. Education is the movement from darkness to light.  

~Allan Bloom

35. Much education today is monumentally ineffective.  All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plants.  

~John W. Gardner