soft skills

Presented by Career Services Soft Skills "Soft Skills refer to a cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes and social graces that make someone a good employee and compatible to work with" Soft Skills Defined Hard skills will get you the interview. Soft skills will get you the JOB. Interpersonal Abilities Empathy Leadership Communication Teamwork Good Manners Ability to teach Works well with diversity Self-confidence Soft Skills Examples Personal Attributes Positive Attitude Responsibility Sense of humor Integrity Time Management Motivation We live in a society that measures intelligence (IQ) through quantifiable metrics. You complete the assignments, come to class, learn the concepts, and you get an IQ A In the workplace, most compliments will deal more with the use of EQ or SOFT SKILLS than IQ or hard skills EQ Customers appreciate a "willingness to help" or that you "listened to my complaint." According to diligent research! The Top Soft Skills Leadership Potential Even if you are not in a supervisory position, the traits that are involved in leadership are desirable Demonstrated persistence, self-motivation, and showing an effort to improve performance Good Manners/Polite Considerate Behavior Thank you notes Courtesy Do you know how to work effectively in groups? Do you understand the value of diverse thought? Can you manage conflict? Team Skills Do you know how to prioritize tasks and work on many projects at once? Will you use your time wisely? Time Management Are you resourceful and able to creatively solve problems that will inevitably arise? Will you take ownership of problems or leave them for someone else? Problem Solving Skills If you have great skills but a negative attitude, will the skills be enough??? Positive Work Ethic & Attitude Know what’s going on Even Yahoo! News is better than no news Get connected, know what others are doing. Understand What the World is About Can you make your case and express your needs in a way that builds bridges with colleagues, customers, and vendors? Are you a good listener? Telephone line…don’t count on it working! Communication Skills Sound practical judgment based on “experience” rather than theory Common Sense Visual aspect of a person with regards to personal cleanliness and neatness of clothing Personal Appearance Connection with people Water cooler talk Team Activities Able to Relate to co-workers in a close environment Facebook Blogging Linkedin Social Media Professional Organizations Join! AHIMA ($35) AAMA ($31) ASPT ($35) Volunteer Opportunities Non-Profit Organizations Hospitals Memberships & Volunteering Pick one skill…work on it….PRACTICE! One of the most difficult things to teach And…the most common reason for not hiring, not promoting, & poor performance evaluation Soft Skills "We don't hire resumes or grade point averages - we hire people. Technical skills can qualify someone for a position but soft skills and dedication to the patients and families we care for helps land a position." EV - Spectrum Health Medical Group "Soft skills are more critical than technical skills for most employers in today's world. In healthcare, for instance, I may have a Registered Nurse who is the best at starting IVs and the overall best technical nurse on the unit. However, she is frequently tardy for work, lacks critical thinking skills, and is continually negative towards new team members and others on the unit. On the other hand, there is a new graduate nurse, who lacks the experience, but is eager to learn, joins multiple committees, and is always positive and friendly towards her patients and co-workers. Who would you rather have on your team? A strong work ethic, positive attitude and teamwork are what most employers are seeking. Training programs are designed to train for technical performance, but soft skills are the main ingredient for success." - RB with Lakeland Health