Top 3 Skills to Have at Work
While each job has a unique set of skills one needs, every job requires a few professional skills. These are skills you’re introduced to these at a young age and as you become a young adult it is essential that you hone into these.
1) Initiative
If there is one thing to take away from this, it is that initiative is the only thing that will get you where you want to go. You cannot have anything or get anywhere in life without this. According to Google, Initiative is the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do. There are several ways to hone into this skills. For starters, do your assignments and more before your boss asks you to. Taking initiative to work is a big win for your boss and shows them you can handle more responsibility. Secondly, ask to take on extra work. If there is a project announced, be one of the first to jump on it. Again, this shows you’re ready for more and are invested in your work. If you want to grow in your career it is essential to have initiative. No one will hand you a promotion - you gotta earn that.
On the flip side, if you’re looking for a job, you will not get one without initiative. You obviously have to take action to apply, but going the extra step to build a network, reach out to companies you want to work for, etc. is a great way to show initiative to perspective companies.
2) Deliverability
Once you’ve raised your hand and taken action to do your tasks and others, make sure you complete them on time. This is deliverability. If you cannot deliver on your job roles, that most likely sets you up for a difficult conversation down the road. If you have a job, the number one thing you must do every day is do your job, which means delivering on your tasks and completing them to the best of your ability. Do not overlook this simple skill. I’ve known a few people that have struggled on deliverability and it’s hurt their growth and future career. If you find yourself struggling, that may mean the job isn’t for you. But that’s a different story for another time.
3) Communication
In the professional world, even if you are not in a communication forward role, you must be able to communicate. You must be able to share your ideas in a clear manner. You must be able to persuade to a certain extent. You must be able to speak clearly and professionally. Communication is something we do everyday, but it’s a unique skill in the workplace. You can improve communication by focusing on your word choice, such as yes instead of yeah. You can also practice with friends and family, take a speaking class, or spend time with a mentor. The best way to develop communication is by listening. Listen to your mentor speak - what is their tone like? How do they phrase things? Listening also involves paying attention to their body language. 90% of what we say is not through our words - it’s tone and body language. The more you listen, the more you will begin to pick up things from your mentor.
There are tons of other skills needed in the work place, however, these are the most essential. You can build off of these and hone into them, but without these three, you will have a tough time assimilating into the work force. This is probably the most tough love article I’ve written so far, but it needed to be said.
Got more career questions? Email me - camilikeatanktop@gmail.com.