𝘼 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝟴𝟱% 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨?
These interpersonal skills, such as your attitude, communication, professionalism, teamwork, time management, work ethic, and diversity & cultural awareness, are transferable skills and attributes you’ll need to have and/or develop to achieve your career goals.
So, how does one develop these essential soft skills?
1. Start by identifying your areas for improvement through self-reflection.
Honestly reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, and identify the soft skills that need the most attention.
2. Seek feedback.
Ask for feedback from your friends, family, and colleagues – which of my soft skills are areas for improvement?
3. Step outside your comfort zone.
Challenge yourself with new activities and situations that help you practice your soft skills.
3. Take advantage of free or low-cost courses.
Take a look at soft skills courses offered by LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and Udemy.
4. Practice active listening.
Give others your full attention, show empathy, and ask clarifying questions to improve communication.
5. Improve your writing skills.
Practice writing clearly and concisely, and actively seek opportunities where you can improve your written communication.
6. Develop a growth and learning mindset.
This means you should take on new challenges and never quit on your professional development!
7. Emphasize teamwork.
Learn to collaborate effectively by participating in team projects and group work.
8. Engage in extracurricular activities.
Participate in clubs, sports, and other activities to further develop your teamwork, leadership, and communication skills.
9. Be adaptable.
Be flexible in the face of change and embrace challenges as new opportunities for growth.
10. Practice makes perfect.
It can take at least two months to establish a new habit, so don’t get frustrated if you aren’t seeing immediate results!
Remember, mastery of these soft skills is both an asset AND a necessity, comprising 85% of your career success. So, invest in yourself, nurture these abilities, and watch as they pave the way for your professional success!
Shelley Maley, PHR, GCDF
Dreamcatcher Career Coaching, LLC
www.dreamcatchercareercoaching.com
(610) 663-0585
Communications Chairperson – Pennsylvania Career Development Association (PACDA)
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