For every top professional, soft skills are just as important as technical knowledge
To get, and keep, a job you typically need a repertoire of technical skills. An accountant needs to know how to balance the books and a marketer needs to know how to create a marketing strategy. However, beyond technical skills, if you were to visit a bank, which accountant would you rather approach, the one who seems pleasant and takes time to resolve your issues or the one who treats you like he/she is doing you a favour? The one who has a great work ethic and encourages his colleagues is the one who will, most likely, excel in his position and organization.
In these situations and all the others like them, it’s the soft skills that matter.
Many people choose to list soft skills on their CV but a simple personality test will reveal how strong your soft skills are. With the right set of soft skills, you can succeed wherever you work – your presence will be felt no matter what.
Some people might think these traits come naturally but here’s the thing – they can be learnt and understood. Jobberman Nigeria is currently running a FREE soft skills training course to help jobseekers out there become more employable and employee’s become more retainable. Thousands of young Nigerians have been trained and certified already, take a look at how it has opened doors for them –
Communication and collaboration skills- A leader needs to be able to “lead”. Successful people in business are those who possess excellent people management skills; they know how to work with people, how to lead, control and motivate teams. Top American real estate guru, Barbara Ann Corcoran once said “People want to do business with someone they like. If people like you they are going to do business with you. And if they don’t, you’re going to have an almost insurmountable obstacle to overcome”. Being a people person in the world of business is crucial to your success.
Creativity/Critical thinking skills – For executives, creativity might be more recognizable as thinking outside the box. Right now, everybody must get creative to keep their business afloat, and there’s some great leadership going on in this space right now. You must think creatively when making decisions, solving problems and ideating. Top executives need to always think on their feet which is why they tend to recruit people that can do the same, they’ll ask “Can you work under pressure?”. With critical thinking, you assess a problem and then offer a productive solution. Critical thinkers also have a high degree of flexibility. You’re not in a fixed mindset but prepared to accept solutions that may be outside the norm.
Empathy – Being in business is about solving problems and you can’t solve a problem unless you understand the user’s pain. The worst products are ones where it’s clear that producers have no real understanding of the users or their daily lives. You don’t only need to empathize with external stakeholders but internal as well. Are you aware and do you understand your staff needs and wants? Are empathetic towards their situations? The biggest companies with the best retention rates aren’t the ones that pay well but the one’s that treat their employees well.
American psychiatrist and best-selling author, M. Scott Peck once said, “What people get admired and appreciated for are their soft skills; their sense of humour and timing, their ability to listen, their courage and honesty, their capacity for empathy.”
Leadership skill – This is a crucial skill for every executive and professional, without a doubt. Although this skill might seem obvious, it’s important to remind ourselves to remain “a leader” while under intense pressure — something easier said than done, particularly if this skill doesn’t come naturally. Being a leader requires a mix of every soft skill and technical skill, some leaders may not even possess all the right technical skills but they always seem to get the job done.
Soft skills cover up when hard skills are lacking. In good times and bad, employees look to executives for strong leadership, honest communication and an action plan that directly ties to their ability to make an impact.
Popular businessman, Stephen Covey stated that “True leadership is moral authority not formal. Leadership is a choice, not a position. The choice is to follow universal timeless principles, which will build trust and respect from the entire organization. Those with formal authority alone will lose this trust and respect.”
You can acquire skills that will make you a leader in your workplace, no matter your position, no matter your industry. These skills will also open doors for you wherever you go and get you that dream job you’ve always wanted.
We’re offering you these skills for FREE!!! Simply click this link to enrol for the soft skills training course and you’ll get a certificate too. Now you can show employers that you are a qualified and certified leader by including it in your CV.
You also stand a chance to win a Macbook this easter if you finish the course between now and Monday 16th of April. Hurry up!
