Communication
Almost no skill is more important than good communication. You can be a great problem solver and have amazing initiative, but none of that matters if you can’t effectively express your thoughts and ideas. Communication isn’t just in what you say, its in how you say it and how you hold yourself. Try to develop these skills by making oral presentations, getting involved in any local organizations or clubs, being aware of your body language, practicing your writing skills, and even by engaging more on social media. Once you develop good communication, job searching and work in general becomes more streamlined. In the new digital age of work, communication skills are becoming invaluable as most people are communicating long distance or via email.
Self-Management
This skill can be boiled down to developing discipline. Employers want employees who don’t need to be micromanaged and who can be trusted to complete their tasks without having to be checked on. There is no job where good self-management isn’t important. Everything from running a company to flipping burgers takes a level of discipline, and each position you work should be approached with the intent to stay focused on the task at hand. You can foster this skill by creating a schedule for your day and sticking to it, asking for new responsibilities at the job you currently have, and even something as simple as keeping your room tidy.
Initiative
Initiative is a well sought after skill in the workplace, and it is the practice of seeing something that needs to be done and doing it without be asked to. Employers want to see their workers contributing to the company as a whole and picking up any slack that they notice. It not only demonstrates a high level of character, but it helps the business stay afloat and fix small problems before they become big ones. In short: if you see a need, fill it. Developing this skill can be done by examining a group or company you work with for any issues and seeking to resolve them, and by going out of your way to help others or do tasks that normally aren’t yours to do. This will quickly be noticed by the leaders of your business.
Time Management
Time management is critical to being an effective member of any team, let alone an employee of a business. If your job is part of a chain, with someone else’s work being dependent on yours, then you HAVE to make sure that you complete your tasks in a timely manner. Time management can be difficult, especially in fast paced environments, and it takes a good deal of discipline. You may find it helpful to make yourself reminders, set alarms, and keep a daily planner handy to make sure you organize your tasks in the most time-effective manner.
Problem Solving
Some of us are born problem solvers, others have to put more work into it, but everyone has the ability to develop this skill. All of us will encounter problems, both professionally and personally, and the processes we use to solve those problems are crucial to being an effective employee. Many people think they have to be especially creative or intelligent to be good problem solvers, but often the best problem solvers are those who can stand back and look at the whole picture. Unfortunately, the best way to be a better problem solver is to experience and solve more problems; though some studies have shown that doing activities like word searches, cross-word and Sudoku puzzles can help you foster this skill.
Self-Confidence
There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and it’s important not to let yourself cross that line. Good self-confidence is crucial to maintaining effective work performance, as second-guessing yourself can lead to added stress and contribute to slower work schedules. However, you don’t want to become so self-confident that you think you can do no wrong and dismiss the constructive criticisms of colleagues. Arrogance and teamwork don’t typically mix well. Practice humility and always remain open to the suggestions of others, but also foster your own abilities to maintain a good level of confidence in the workplace.
Teamwork
This is where we take everything you’ve read so far and roll them into one. Good teamwork is about every member combining all of the skills we’ve listed in order to complete a task. While some may say good teamwork is built around complimentary personalities, in reality, any team can be effective if each member practices good communication, self-management, initiative, time-management, and confidence in their abilities. It’s all about understanding that the team is dependent on each other and that they should play to each other’s strengths and compensate for each other’s weaknesses. At the end of the day, you all put your name on the work you complete and you should finish each task with a sense of pride.