A. People Skills
These skills are very valuable and a sure-fire way to make yourself valuable at the workplace. Here are some people skills that you need to brush up on
1) Improve Public Speaking Skills
Many people have stage fright and they are mortified at the thought of going on the stage and saying something. If you cannot speak or present yourself, it is going to be hard to drive the business. Start by speaking in front of small groups. Attend elocution classes. Be confident and learn the rules of public speaking and make an attempt to master this art.
2) Resolving Tense Situations
There are going to be tense situations at the work place every day. You should have the ability to handle them effectively and constructively. When dealing with people who hold opposing views or are demanding answers that are not easily available, use your tact and diplomacy in tackling them. See them as reasonable, rational and decent human beings. When they feel that they are being respected they behave less aggressively and will be willing to understand your point of view if you are willing to understand theirs and give them a fair hearing.
3) Value The Significance Of Teamwork
New grads often think that they are always right and do not give the requisite respect and attention to those with opposing views. If you show an inclination of not being able to work with a team, not only will you become extremely unpopular, the others will constantly find fault with you, which could even lead to your termination. Inability to work with a team is taken very seriously by managements.
4) Adopt A Professional Attitude
Professionalism is something that cannot be taught. It is something that needs to be inculcated and instilled. It is an attitude that you need to develop and evolve along with your day to day work. Your professionalism will reflect in how interact with people at the workplace, be they clients, colleagues or senior workers. It will reflect in your level of commitment towards your work and your projects. Your professionalism will seep from every act that you do. It is something that no college can teach you, you will have to grow into it.
B. Career-Management Skills
Career Management skills, as the name suggests are skills that help you manage your career and ensure advancement and promotion at your workplace. Here are some career management skills that can help you grow and develop.
1) Stick To The Truth, However Uncomfortable, It Always Pays
Understand upfront, exaggerating and lying will get you nowhere so never exaggerate the outcomes or lie to get a work done. Once you develop a reputation of not always being truthful, people will become selective about the information they give you. Your credibility will take a nosedive and even the truth that you speak will be looked at with doubt and suspicion.
2) Modesty, Patience And Tolerance
It is seen that supervisors and managers are more inclined to promoting and boosting persons who let their work do the talking and willing to show that they have it in them to progress. There is a marked disinclination on the part of managers towards those who want things handed to them on a platter, however, deserving they may be. Hoping for a bigger salary, a better designation or asking for that promotion or raise to soon can get you a reputation of being too pushy and insistent.
Be patient, if you have it in you your time will come. Be modest, arrogance never pays. Its betters that others sing your praises rather than you trumpet your own qualities and be tolerant, don't fret if your colleague gets a raise and you don't. Analyze why it was him and not you - you may be next in the line, provided you have learnt from your mistakes. Just prove yourself like everyone else.
3) Stay Abreast About Current Events
A worker who can speak knowledgably about the news and has the ability to relate current events to the workplace or their impact on the industry can be a valuable asset to the company and is looked up with respect and wonderment. Emailing important news stories or putting up newspaper articles on the workplace notice board, that impact workers, will be a surefire way of creating a reputation that goes beyond impressive and extraordinary. Make reading such business publications as The Wall Street Journal, a habit.
4) Manage Your Time Well
In an attempt to create a good impression and telling your boss that you are game for everything, you say 'yes' to everything he asks you do. You find yourself hard pressed to manage your time and even though you are willing to do the work, you just don't have the time to do it. You could end up neglecting core work or even stretch yourself to the impairment of your health. Time management is very important, if not one of the most important skills that you need to imbibe.
5) Know When To Say No
Set your priorities and your goals for the week and accordingly adjust your times. It does not serve any purpose to commit yourself to doing something that will not enhances your chances of a promotion or advance your professional skills.
No one should stop learning; there is so much to learn. Observe other people you admire and see what skills they have that make them so admirable. Ask them to what skills they think you should build to be even more successful.
This is not to say that a college education is not important, the worth and importance of a good business education cannot be stressed enough but workplace experience also teaches a lot. A combination of the two can have far-reaching consequences for you hence make the most of your experiences, to grow and enhance your opportunities at your workplace, by leveraging your education. Remember your college education stops at the end of four years, but your workplace learning endures forever.
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