In today’s competitive job market, having a strong set of technical skills combined with a high standard of soft skills will give you an edge in your career
ABHISHEK KARMALI
As a young graduate, when I entered the job market I quicky realised that academic success doesn’t necessarily directly translate into job success. My initial experience was when I attended an interview with a friend of mine who graduated from the same MBA programme as I did but who was academically much better than me. In spite of his superior academic record, I was selected for the job over him. What made the company choose me over him was the soft skills I possessed which were superior compared to my friend. From the example I cited above I am in no ways suggesting that academic knowledge is not valued; I am merely stating that academic knowledge if not combined with superior soft skills will potentially frustrate you in your career progression. In fact, in today’s competitive times, having a strong set of technical skills combined with a high standard of soft skills will give you an edge in your career. Soft skills are often referred to as people skills, that enable individuals to work effectively with others, communicate efficiently, and adapt to various situations. Here’s a look at the various soft skills which one should hone in order to put you on a fast mode for career success.
Communication skills
Good communication skills go beyond just reading and writing and includes letter writing skills, public speaking skills, negotiation skills, non-verbal cues like body language and even skills to be a good listener and being able to articulate one’s thoughts into words. Whether it is about drafting a proposal to a clientor simply conveying your thoughts via an email, communication skills are vital. People who communicate well are able to set themselves apart from the rest and are often looked at in future leadership roles by the top management.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to be in touch with one’s own emotions and being able to control it. EQ is also the empathy one has for others, the ability to motivate oneself, and the ability to manage relationships. In a workplace, EQ is vital for building strong interpersonal relationships, resolving conflicts, and creating a positive work environment. Individuals with higher EQ are often better at handling stress especially in challenging situations, are more empathetic to their colleagues, and in general are more adapt at managing their work-life balance which makes them more productive. These individuals are often more suited for managerial roles which requires handling people, hence putting them at an advantage for faster career growth.
Time management
While good communication skills and EQ requires a certain extent of natural skills and personality, effective time management is a skill which anyone can master just by prioritising it and making it a part of your daily habit. Being a good time manager allows you to prioritise tasks, set goals, and manage time more efficiently. From a professional’s point of view, you will always meet your deadlines and achieve the company objectives better than the others. This quality is highly valued in employees, especially the ones who are project leads.
Networking
Networking is a soft skill that involves building and maintaining professional relationships with an eye on creating new opportunities and for career advancement. Individuals who are good at networking are often able to get better connections within their organisation as well as the overall industry they are associated with. This greatly enhances their chances for lead generation especially if they are in sales or for job referrals. In networking, relation building is the key which is not necessarily only with influential people, but it’s also about the relations that you build with your colleagues, juniors, higher-ups, and also with the vendors and customers if you are connected with them. Professionals who possess better networking skills are always at an advantage and can experience faster career advancement.
Teamwork
As easy as it sounds, there is a big difference in working individually for the tasks assigned to you and working on tasks which requires a coordinated effort with other individuals as a part of a team. Teamwork requires a combination of soft skills like, effective communication, EQ, time management, and networking. But more than any of these skills one requires to be a good leader to succeed in a team. Getting individuals in teams together, getting the best out of them and managing their conflicts effectively is the hallmark of a good team leader. Since a majority of large organisations put a lot of emphasis on project management, teamwork is a soft skill which can give you an edge over your colleagues in career advancement.
Critical thinking
The ability to break down complex problems, identify the root of the problems, analyse all the data available, and come up with creative and effective solutions is what good critical thinkers can do. This skill is transferable across any industry and role you may want to fit in but is normally more valued higher up in the corporate hierarchy which automatically gives you an advantage to succeed in your career path.
(The writer has a PhD and is a career counsellor, trainer, and life coach at Career Crafters- Panaji. He has over two decades of experience dealing with students at the higher education level.)