We often hear employers and business say they are looking for the 'right person for their team', what they mean is someone with the qualities to fit into the culture of the organisation and the demand of the work.
Soft skills are not 'soft' at all, they underpin who you are as a person and how useful you can be in the workplace. It is your ability to get along with other people and do your work well. Employers value your soft skills because they can improve the performance, productivity, and the culture of their workplace.
Think of of this way... They are not about what you know, but how you act and behave, and quite often be considered your character or attitude.
Some of the soft skills employers are looking for, include:
- Being polite and respectful to others
- Listening carefully and asking questions
- Sharing your ideas and opinions
- Working well in a team or group
- Solving problems and making decisions
- Being responsible and reliable
- Learning from your mistakes and improving yourself
Focussing on developing the above can help you make a good impression, build trust and positive relationships. They also make you more adaptable and flexible to different situations and challenges.
If you take time to work on this list, you will certainly come across as a someone with a good character and positive attitude, and that could be enough to get you the job!
Here's some tips:
Join a club, team, or group that interests you and participate actively. This will help you practice your communication, teamwork, and leadership skills..
Volunteer for a cause that you care about and help others. This will help you practice your empathy, compassion, and social responsibility skills..
Take on a project or challenge that requires you to use your creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. This will help you practice your innovation, analysis, and decision-making skills.
Get feedback from your teachers, mentors, peers, or family members on your strengths and areas for improvement. Taking feedback and learning from it, is a great quality, it will help you practice your self-awareness, self-regulation, and growth mindset skills. It'll help narrow your focus to areas to start improving, too.
Not only is this a list of some of the ways to practice your soft skills, but if you were to participate in these suggestions, it'll give you some great examples and talking points when it comes to interview and talking to potential employers.
Get started
Watch our YouTube playlist of the best tutorials, we've gathered the best videos on soft skills and how to apply and develop them. This will help you practice your curiosity, learning, and self-improvement skills too.
Remember that soft skills are not something that you either have or don’t have. They are something that you can always learn and improve.
You've got this 😎✌️
Gem Hallett, miFuture Founder.
www.miFuture.co.uk | @miFutureSkills
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