Transcript The Hard Facts about the Importance of Soft Skills in Your Career

The Hard Facts about the Importance of
Soft Skills in Your Career
Irene Castañeda
Director, Workforce Partnerships, College to Careers
August 21, 2014
Presentation Overview
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What are Soft Skills?
How do I learn Soft Skills?
Why are Soft Skills Important?
What are Soft Skills?
• The character traits and interpersonal skills
that characterize a person's relationships with
other people resulting in improved outcomes.
In the workplace, soft skills are considered a
complement to hard skills, which refer to a
person's knowledge and occupational skills.
Soft skills are a critical factor for success
in your life & career, regardless of the
industry.
Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills
• Soft skills are a part of
the emotional quotient
(EQ)
• Hard skills are a part of
the intelligence quotient
(IQ)
• Soft skills are “who we
are”
• Hard skills are “what we
know”
List of Soft Skills (10 most common)
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Strong Work Ethic
Positive Attitude
Good Communication Skills
Time Management Abilities
Problem-Solving Skills
Acting as a Team Player
Self-Confidence
Ability to Accept and Learn From Criticism
Flexibility/Adaptability
Working Well Under Pressure
How Important are Soft Skills in your
Career?
Within the context of your career, soft skills are necessary
for:
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Developing relationships
Obtaining an interview
Interviewing well
Gaining employment
Sustaining employment
How Important are Soft Skills in your
Life?
Within the context of your non-professional/personal life,
soft skills are necessary for:
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Developing relationships
Creating support networks
Building a reputation
Maintaining a reputation
Being a productive member of society
Are Soft Skills Really that Important?
• Research tracked 20,000 new hires, 46% of
them failed within 18 months
• When new hires failed, 89% of the time it was for
attitudinal reasons and only 11% of the time for
a lack of skill
• “The attitudinal deficits that doomed these failed
hires included a lack of coachability, low levels
of emotional intelligence, motivation and
temperament.” -Forbes, 2013
Videos
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0voPl
W2pSs
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnilMf3
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How Can One Learn to Master Soft
Skills?
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Visit College to
Practice! Practice! Practice!
Careers in 1140
Develop communication skills
Practice active listening skills
Attend networking events
Step out of your comfort zone
Find a mentor
Sign up for soft skills courses (ESSP)
Build relationships
Practice leading on campus or at your job
Take initiative
Conclusion
• Soft skills are a critical success factor in your
career and your life
• Soft skills are not learned in a book; they are
learned through engagement and practice
• Soft skills are not learned once; they are
observed, imitated and applied over time,
constantly improving with practice
Soft Skills+ Hard Skills = Success
Q&A