Don't Neglect Your Soft Skills
Did you know 75 percent of employers consider soft skills just as important as technical skills?
This statistic from a study by the Seattle Jobs Initiative should come as no surprise to those who are great networkers, negotiators and leaders.
What are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are those intangible skills that are often personality driven. They are skills that you’ll see often in team players and those who consider themselves a “people person.” Soft skills help a speaker connect to an audience. In a general sense, they are character traits and personal values. Three types of soft skills include:
1- Communication Skills. The ability to communicate both verbally and in writing – using proper grammar and avoiding slang – is both a learned skill and soft skill. Fluency and being comfortable with communicating are personality driven and can be practiced. You should be able to express your ideas clearly. Good communicators are able to adjust their style to fit the audience they are addressing. Knowing how to appropriately communicate in a number of situations will make you a more valuable candidate in the job market. To improve your communication skills, watch others who you feel communicate well and accept constructive criticism.
2- The ability to collaborate with a group for common goals includes considering other people’s input. You should be able to take direction from a leader or possibly lead the group yourself. Being reliable and maintaining a professional work ethic are personal values that are highly sought by employers.
3- Accepting Feedback. Being open to feedback from employers, co-workers and others without getting defensive is an important part of professional development. Accepting this information is crucial to growing and improving.
Honing your soft skills is as important in career development as is improving your technical abilities related to your profession. Soft skills are especially important for meeting planners who work with a number of personality types. Share your tips on honing soft skills with us in the comment below.
For more information on holding a destination meeting in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, visit our Conventions section.
