Top 5 Soft Skills You Need For Your Career

Adulting refers to individuals carrying out responsibilities that are expected of a fully developed adult. In this case, it is commonly referred to acquiring the necessary skills that allow individuals to excel professionally at workplaces. Adulting requires a lot of preparation, from how you present yourself to having the actual skills. Success does not simply come from flipping a coin, as hard work is needed in order for you to adult right in the real world. If you are in your mid-twenties, it’s time to act on improving yourself - you either make it or break it! Don’t fret, this article contains a non-exhaustive list of the top skills you need to have before you turn 30!

5 Skills You Need For Your Career

1. Effective leadership Skills

You must have heard a thousand times in school on how having leadership roles are important, whether in schools or at workplaces. As cliche as it sounds, your past leadership roles could actually be a stepping stone for you to excel in life. Leadership skills are highly sought after by many companies, as it shows a sense of good interpersonal skills, and the ability to coordinate and motivate a team.

Effective leadership skills are demonstrated through a sense of initiative to make changes and pro-activeness. Initiatives are exhibited as leaders tend to be forward-thinking and more prepared to solve problems than others. Moreover, leaders have the ability to revamp common practices and processes, which would benefit the company. Effective leaders do not just ‘lead’, but they ‘do’ what is required of the other team members as well. This enables leaders to be identified as the most reliable and productive member of the team, showing that they are able to take control of situations.

Don’t fret if you have none or limited leadership experience! If you are still in your last few years of studies, try to increase your leadership experience at clubs or councils. If you are already hustling and bustling at work, take initiatives to be in charge of people. It can simply be managing a group of interns or newcomers for on-boarding purposes. For all you know, you may be on your way to a management role if your boss acknowledges the potential in your leadership skills!

2. People Skills

Humans are social creatures by nature. People skills are defined as the ability to listen and communicate on a personal level. People skills should be nurtured and developed since young through opportunities such as making friends, doing project works and part-time employment. People skills determine how you maintain your relationships with others and present yourself. People skills are extremely important as companies (or you!) depend on it to succeed. People skills build a relationship of trust and productive interactions, which ensures the smooth functioning of an organization. It helps to resolve issues at the workplace and enable individuals to effectively communicate and understand each other. Hence, one’s ability to work effectively with others can have a positive impact on your company. This means that even if you are an introvert, it shouldn’t be an excuse for you not to have strong people skills!

To improve your current people skills, identify areas that you may need to improve on. Seek feedback from your close friends, family members and colleagues if you were unsure on which areas to focus on. Improving one’s emotional intelligence would also help in enhancing your interpersonal skills. Communication is key, but communication is not limited to speaking well but also listening well.

3. Socializing Skills

Similar to how your phone would need a good connection to work, it is the same for human connections! In this article, human connections refer to building professional networks with others. Networking is more than expanding your list of Facebook friends but developing and maintaining good relations with them. Networking is carried out through various opportunities such as formal networking events, social gatherings and seminars. Although networking sounds easy, it is more than just a simple “hello” and exchange of name cards. You are making connections with people who may add value to your company.

Essentially, a high level of social skill can lead to an increase in value one can add to their company. For high-achieving professionals who hold business development roles in their company, this could mean attaining more clients. Eventually, this may lead to promotion due to high performance. For those seeking to improve socializing skills, one should put more effort into their outfits. By dressing appropriately in a professional setting, it helps to boost one’s confidence level and create a professional image.

Looking For Flexible Ways To Earn Extra Money? Sign Up Now!

4. Resilience

Failures are part and parcel of life. Failures are so common that you shouldn’t feel incapable or demoralized. Resilience refers to one’s capacity to respond to demands and pressures in the work setting. Resilience is a skill that enables us to bounce back when we are faced with setbacks. When you feel like giving up, resilience comes into play to maintain balance in your life. Furthermore, resilience is an essential component of effective leadership. A good worker is not how they excel during the good times, but how they display resilience, courage and professionalism during difficult times. Instead of giving up, why not embrace adversity and use it to strengthen your leadership and resilience abilities?

Resilient people are likely to deal with work demands that require them to be constantly adapting to changing priorities and heavy workload. Resilience allows individuals to perform well even under pressure. In companies where such limiting circumstances are frequent, resilience is a good skill to have. Although some individuals seem to be born with more resilience, it is possible to build resilience. This could be done by treating pressure and uncertainties as a learning process. Most importantly, stay calm and do not panic during a crisis. Pressure and change are part and parcel of work life. Use these challenges as opportunities to practice resilience.

5. Creativity

As more companies are adopting more new technologies, it is essential to stay creative. Creativity is not limited to fancy art designs, but two main ways - creative thinking and creative problem-solving. Creative people will be in demand to apply the new technology to implement new products, services and processes in the workplace.

A creative thinker comes up with concepts that are unique and innovative. Individuals could use their creative brain cells to develop new ways to interpret and solve problems. Creative individuals have the ability to look at different sides of issues, which allow them to come up with solutions that are innovative. A company can benefit from creative problem solving as it brings the company in a whole new direction.

Remember, creativity is needed in every industry, including ‘boring’ ones like accounting. Keep yourself updated with new technologies and brainstorm of new ways to innovate in your company! Not only does it help with your personal creative skills, but it also adds value to your company. Step out of your comfort zone and embrace the fear of failure. You will be surprised that you are more creative than you think you are!

How Many of These Important Skills Do You Own Now?

Now that you have come to the end of the list, how many of these skills do you own? It is never too late to start working on it, just stop procrastinating! Remember, “Improvement begins with an “I”. If you are not sure where to start, take small baby steps, and bigger steps once you are more ready. All the best, you got this!

Interested To Look For Online Jobs To Work From Home? Sign Up Now!