National Careers Week 2015 - The Digital Guide | Page 19

19 ‘SOFT’ SKILLS ARE DEFINITELY THE NEW ‘HARD’! Career coach and Eyes Wide Opened founder Alastair Creamer tells us why… What impact do you have on people? Do you radiate energy, confidence, self-assuredness? Do people look at you and think, “That person makes things happen.” If you’re not sure, read on… Employers tell us that these are just a few of the fundamental qualities and subtleties that make the difference when they sift through hundreds of applicants for a handful of jobs. The obvious need to make a memorable impression and show great ‘soft’ skills might sound like old news, but it remains a persistent issue for recruiters looking to work with people whose attitude and energy is as important as the skills and experience they bring. Let’s define ‘soft’ skills. These are the people skills, communication, ways of working (e.g. time management, team work, application and focus). It also includes social skills and your energy. Your impact is important to you (how do I come across?), and to others (how do they see me?). Here are three skills to have at How  to   dentify  the  right  p the ready iin interview:ath  in  life  and  work                      WHO  AM  I?     WHAT  AM  I   GOOD  AT? What   makes  me   ME?    WHAT  ARE  THE   WORLD’S  NEEDS?       WHAT’S  MY   IMPACT? Know how to tell your story Self awareness and awareness of others Make a list of at least five individuals who’ve made a significant difference to the way you approach life or deal with difficult situations. When you talk about these people and their impact on you, you’re often actually talking about yourself and the qualities that interest you. Do you have succinct stories that bring alive how you’ve reacted in challenging situations and how you’ve learned from them? If not, start preparing now! Some of us find talking about themselves difficult but it is always possible to do this modestly and interestingly. People want to get to know you quickly, so make it easy for them. With your growing awareness about yourself comes an awareness about others. Watch how other people greet each other. Are they listening or looking round the room? How do they entertain a group of people with a story? What’s their body language? Your unique character, your personality and your approach to life are all just as important as the skills you’ve acquired. If you can engage others in the story of ‘you’, you stand a better of chance of staying near the top of the ‘Yes’ or the ‘Maybe’ pile. Know how to give and receive feedback www.ewopened.com Think about how you’re perceived by friends and strangers now and how you’d like to (or need to) be perceived by new people in your search for a satisfying, fulfilling career. Ask 10 people in your network – personal and professional – to share with you how they’d describe you in five words or five short sentences. If the feedback is generously given (which it will be), it’s bound to be true to them and therefore useful to you. Being open to, and acting on, their feedback is a massive contributor to preparing yourself for this new phase of having to engage new people in your ‘story’. Good luck and be yourself!