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What is your career, and which soft skill has been the most important in your career journey?
This is part of our professionals series where we ask professionals what they think students should know
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31 answers
Ryan Curry
Techreative | Vetrepreneur | Culturategist
84
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Ryan’s Answer
My career is in Technology Management. Not sure why we call them soft skills when they take decades of practice and awareness to master. When I hire someone I always look for Emotional Intelligence (EQ) first because it takes much longer to train that skillset than the technical or hard skills required. Soft skills are also difficult to measure, they aren't as quantifiable, more subjective, and involve a complex interplay of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
Someone with high EQ typically has the capacity to recognize, understand, and manage their emotions and empathize with others, which is essential for navigating interpersonal relationships and handling conflicts at work. Individuals with high EQ can effectively convey their thoughts and ideas verbally and in writing, facilitating smooth communication within the team and with external stakeholders.
High EQ enables people to build and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, clients, and customers, fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment. Employees with good EQ can understand and relate to other's feelings and perspectives, which helps them anticipate needs, address concerns, and resolve conflicts constructively.
High EQ allows individuals to work well with diverse teams, adapt to different communication styles, and appreciate various perspectives, leading to better collaboration and overall team performance. Employees with high EQ are more likely to be successful leaders, as they can inspire, motivate, and influence others while managing their emotions and demonstrating empathy and understanding.
Research has shown that high EQ is linked to better job performance and increased productivity, as emotionally intelligent employees can manage stress, stay focused, and work well with others.
There are other "soft" skills that are important (communication, active listening, adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, leadership, creativity, and resilience). Still, I feel the gateway to mastering these is through EQ.
Someone with high EQ typically has the capacity to recognize, understand, and manage their emotions and empathize with others, which is essential for navigating interpersonal relationships and handling conflicts at work. Individuals with high EQ can effectively convey their thoughts and ideas verbally and in writing, facilitating smooth communication within the team and with external stakeholders.
High EQ enables people to build and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, clients, and customers, fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment. Employees with good EQ can understand and relate to other's feelings and perspectives, which helps them anticipate needs, address concerns, and resolve conflicts constructively.
High EQ allows individuals to work well with diverse teams, adapt to different communication styles, and appreciate various perspectives, leading to better collaboration and overall team performance. Employees with high EQ are more likely to be successful leaders, as they can inspire, motivate, and influence others while managing their emotions and demonstrating empathy and understanding.
Research has shown that high EQ is linked to better job performance and increased productivity, as emotionally intelligent employees can manage stress, stay focused, and work well with others.
There are other "soft" skills that are important (communication, active listening, adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, leadership, creativity, and resilience). Still, I feel the gateway to mastering these is through EQ.
Amanda (Lynch) Edenfield, MBA
Director, Enterprise Solutioning & Consulting
3
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Amanda’s Answer
My career is in management consulting which provides clients with advice, solutions, and strategies to improve their organization.
I appreciate the question about soft skills. Each year I mentor a class of college interns who ask similar questions. So much attention is given to hard skills (specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured) because they are table stakes - minimum entry requirements - for obtaining a job. Soft skills, on the other hand, are those behaviors and work styles that enable you to work successfully as part of an organization. They are personally driven and relate to how you work with others. While hard skills will open opportunities, soft skills will enable your success and career trajectory.
It's difficult to narrow down soft skills to a single "most important" skill. To succeed in the workplace, you need to be able to work well with others at any level, collaborate with others to get things done, facilitate and participate in meetings and/or client visits, resolve conflicts, build relationships, accept criticism, communicate your message, and change perspectives (aka influence). Each of these is a critical soft skill.
Perhaps we should define "most important" as the soft skills that will give you an edge. Recent surveys show hiring managers think critical thinking (i.e., independent thinking and problem-solving), adaptability, and attention to detail are some of the largest gaps in graduates looking for employment. Personally, I have seen a gap in the art of asking questions - perhaps from fear of looking unknowledgeable.
Question-asking is a necessary soft skill that helps you foster curiosity, engage in critical thinking, understand expectations, obtain information, express empathy, generate conversations, and develop relationships. In my role as a consultant, I have to fully understand a client's issue in order to provide advice or craft a viable solution. While listening is most certainly a crucial skill in accomplishing this task, asking great questions is of primary importance. Why? Because many times, the issue is a symptom of a bigger need. Thoughtful questions help to dig deeper than the symptom to find the root cause.
Read https://hbr.org/2022/05/the-art-of-asking-great-questions
Read https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/questioning-techniques
I appreciate the question about soft skills. Each year I mentor a class of college interns who ask similar questions. So much attention is given to hard skills (specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured) because they are table stakes - minimum entry requirements - for obtaining a job. Soft skills, on the other hand, are those behaviors and work styles that enable you to work successfully as part of an organization. They are personally driven and relate to how you work with others. While hard skills will open opportunities, soft skills will enable your success and career trajectory.
It's difficult to narrow down soft skills to a single "most important" skill. To succeed in the workplace, you need to be able to work well with others at any level, collaborate with others to get things done, facilitate and participate in meetings and/or client visits, resolve conflicts, build relationships, accept criticism, communicate your message, and change perspectives (aka influence). Each of these is a critical soft skill.
Perhaps we should define "most important" as the soft skills that will give you an edge. Recent surveys show hiring managers think critical thinking (i.e., independent thinking and problem-solving), adaptability, and attention to detail are some of the largest gaps in graduates looking for employment. Personally, I have seen a gap in the art of asking questions - perhaps from fear of looking unknowledgeable.
Question-asking is a necessary soft skill that helps you foster curiosity, engage in critical thinking, understand expectations, obtain information, express empathy, generate conversations, and develop relationships. In my role as a consultant, I have to fully understand a client's issue in order to provide advice or craft a viable solution. While listening is most certainly a crucial skill in accomplishing this task, asking great questions is of primary importance. Why? Because many times, the issue is a symptom of a bigger need. Thoughtful questions help to dig deeper than the symptom to find the root cause.
Amanda recommends the following next steps:
Stephanie Hamilton
Educational Consulting
89
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Stephanie’s Answer
Hello,
I am a teacher. I was a classroom teacher grades K - 8 and now a university professor. Listening is a skill I continue to work on and master. We have to listen carefully, process what we hear, and then respond. Sometimes we think we're listening, but we are actually thinking of our next response.
I had a class once that gave me a great comparison of "hearing" and "listening". Here's a good example I found on the Internet:
We use hear for sounds that come to our ears, without us necessarily trying to hear them! For example, 'They heard a strange noise in the middle of the night.'
Listen is used to describe paying attention to sounds that are going on. For example, 'Last night, I listened to my new Mariah Carey CD.'
So, you can hear something without wanting to, but you can only listen to something intentionally.
Bottom line - be intentional when you listen!
I am a teacher. I was a classroom teacher grades K - 8 and now a university professor. Listening is a skill I continue to work on and master. We have to listen carefully, process what we hear, and then respond. Sometimes we think we're listening, but we are actually thinking of our next response.
I had a class once that gave me a great comparison of "hearing" and "listening". Here's a good example I found on the Internet:
We use hear for sounds that come to our ears, without us necessarily trying to hear them! For example, 'They heard a strange noise in the middle of the night.'
Listen is used to describe paying attention to sounds that are going on. For example, 'Last night, I listened to my new Mariah Carey CD.'
So, you can hear something without wanting to, but you can only listen to something intentionally.
Bottom line - be intentional when you listen!
ShaRon Bynum
Program Manager
31
Answers
Charlotte, North Carolina
Updated
ShaRon’s Answer
I am a Lean Six Sigma Certified Master Black Belt that works as a Program Manager and without a doubt the most important soft skill for me has been to excel at ACTIVE LISTENING! Many times when people are speaking to you people listen to respond. They make a point and you want to express your knowledge and feelings about what they are saying. In doing so, you lose sight of their message.
When you possess active listening skills, you are listening for understanding. You are making sure that you actually HEAR what others are saying. This is done by nodding your head, maintaining direct eye contact and leaning in physically to the other speaker. You reinforce this by saying things like, "so what you are saying is FILL IN THE BLANK, is that correct?" or "let me get this straight, you are saying X."
When you engage in discussions with your primary objective is to hear others, versus responding to others, you win on so many levels. The other person walks away feeling heard and valued. If you don't understand what they are trying to say, THEY can correct you on the spot. That leaves no chance of misunderstanding or confusion. And you are clear in what is needed of you based on clearly understanding what they said and you can act accordingly. So its a WIN-WIN situation for everyone involved.
Good Luck!
When you possess active listening skills, you are listening for understanding. You are making sure that you actually HEAR what others are saying. This is done by nodding your head, maintaining direct eye contact and leaning in physically to the other speaker. You reinforce this by saying things like, "so what you are saying is FILL IN THE BLANK, is that correct?" or "let me get this straight, you are saying X."
When you engage in discussions with your primary objective is to hear others, versus responding to others, you win on so many levels. The other person walks away feeling heard and valued. If you don't understand what they are trying to say, THEY can correct you on the spot. That leaves no chance of misunderstanding or confusion. And you are clear in what is needed of you based on clearly understanding what they said and you can act accordingly. So its a WIN-WIN situation for everyone involved.
Good Luck!
Amber Harr
Credit Specialist
1
Answer
Gray, TN
Updated
Amber’s Answer
I am a communications professional that works in the banking industry. Right now the specific soft skill that I find myself constantly circling back to is empathy. Considering the world pandemic is still actively affecting lives around the world and causing hardship on countless people, this is imperative to have as a quality so you can relate to the customer yet stay focused on the goal of the outcome. They will immediately feel a connection between themselves and you, the company’s representative.
Richard J (Rich) Tedesco
Program Management
37
Answers
Rolesville
Updated
Richard J (Rich)’s Answer
The best soft skill I can think of is to be confident (without being arrogant) in your capabilities - but also be humble to realize that you don't know everything - you are always willing to learn (either to be taught or self-taught) - and that you value others skills to do any job as a team.
Amy Lloyd
Contract Management
28
Answers
Woodbine, Maryland
Updated
Amy’s Answer
Hello!
I see many people chose communication or active listening. I agree that these are critical skills to being successful. Listen to understand, not to respond. However, I also think collaboration and relationship building are important skills. In any job you will need to rely on others and they will need to rely on you to get work done. When you effectively collaborate and seek out win-win solutions you build stronger networks of people invested in shared success. These relationships become so important to advancing your career. These positive relationships can determine what is said about you when you are not in the room and can mean the difference between getting the job or being stuck.
I have hired thousands of people in my career, and I would choose a good team player who is willing to work with others to share success, over an individual who is only focused on what they need.
Great question! Good luck
I see many people chose communication or active listening. I agree that these are critical skills to being successful. Listen to understand, not to respond. However, I also think collaboration and relationship building are important skills. In any job you will need to rely on others and they will need to rely on you to get work done. When you effectively collaborate and seek out win-win solutions you build stronger networks of people invested in shared success. These relationships become so important to advancing your career. These positive relationships can determine what is said about you when you are not in the room and can mean the difference between getting the job or being stuck.
I have hired thousands of people in my career, and I would choose a good team player who is willing to work with others to share success, over an individual who is only focused on what they need.
Great question! Good luck
Radha Sharma
1
Answer
Fremont, California
Updated
Radha’s Answer
Great question!
Engineering Director here, leading a team of approximately 50+ employees.
Top Soft Skills I look for:
1. Communication, understand how to communicate with others, and be receptive to others feedback;
2. Teamwork: be known as someone who can be relied upon, and also someone who knows how to be part of a team;
3. Time Management: understand the responsibilities you have to complete and the time it will be take for them to be completed.
Engineering Director here, leading a team of approximately 50+ employees.
Top Soft Skills I look for:
1. Communication, understand how to communicate with others, and be receptive to others feedback;
2. Teamwork: be known as someone who can be relied upon, and also someone who knows how to be part of a team;
3. Time Management: understand the responsibilities you have to complete and the time it will be take for them to be completed.
Shanti Lall
Senior Manager
4
Answers
Indianapolis, Indiana
Updated
Shanti’s Answer
I am currently a Senior Manager in a training department for a software company. I've been hiring and interviewing people for approximately 30 years.
Soft skills are very important and I'm glad this question came up. I agree that good communication is a big deal. It's also a huge, general term that has a lot of subtle nuances around what "good" communication means for different types of roles. Your communication style needs to be able to shift depending on your responsibilities and who you are speaking with. Some people understand and respond positively to a blunt, no grey areas, just the facts, type of communication. Some people simply must talk about their family or the weather before they can discuss any work-related topics. You have to be able to shift and be flexible in order to best connect and truly communicate with someone.
Which leads me to say flexibility and curiosity are my top 2 soft skills. The world changes quickly. Work changes quickly. You may be working on a project and, half way through, find out that your budget was expanded and you have WAY more options to work with than originally planned. Will a change in course throw you off or can you look at it with curiosity and see potential options?
The other practice that I see others have mentioned and I will tie to the soft skill of curiosity is offering ideas for a solution. It's great to be able to spot issues. You have to see issues in order to fix them. The person who spots an issue AND provides a couple of potential solutions is the person I'm going to promote. You have to be curious about how things work, why current processes are in place, what the main purpose is, before you can really provide solutions. You have to be curious enough to ask the questions to help get you to an answer.
Soft skills are very important and I'm glad this question came up. I agree that good communication is a big deal. It's also a huge, general term that has a lot of subtle nuances around what "good" communication means for different types of roles. Your communication style needs to be able to shift depending on your responsibilities and who you are speaking with. Some people understand and respond positively to a blunt, no grey areas, just the facts, type of communication. Some people simply must talk about their family or the weather before they can discuss any work-related topics. You have to be able to shift and be flexible in order to best connect and truly communicate with someone.
Which leads me to say flexibility and curiosity are my top 2 soft skills. The world changes quickly. Work changes quickly. You may be working on a project and, half way through, find out that your budget was expanded and you have WAY more options to work with than originally planned. Will a change in course throw you off or can you look at it with curiosity and see potential options?
The other practice that I see others have mentioned and I will tie to the soft skill of curiosity is offering ideas for a solution. It's great to be able to spot issues. You have to see issues in order to fix them. The person who spots an issue AND provides a couple of potential solutions is the person I'm going to promote. You have to be curious about how things work, why current processes are in place, what the main purpose is, before you can really provide solutions. You have to be curious enough to ask the questions to help get you to an answer.
Andrea Osorio Cedeno
Sales
5
Answers
Saint Petersburg, Florida
Updated
Andrea’s Answer
I work as a Software Sales Consultant. Working on my Emotional Intelligence has been the biggest transferable skill I’ve developed. Being willing to understand and empathize with those you work with (co-workers, customers, clients, etc.) Putting yourself in other shoes, in order to learn a new perspective. No matter the career, having high emotional intelligence will take you a long way. Highly recommend reading Emotional Intelligence 2.0, easy read and helpful for any career you decide to get into.
Gennie A Barr
Sr Mgr Network Operations
10
Answers
San Ramon, California
Updated
Gennie A’s Answer
In one word? Varied. I didn't land in my current field out of the gate and it does....a little, relate to what I got my degree in. That's okay, my degree taught me how to learn and patience, you need that in every job. I'm in Telecommunications, management now. Listening is huge, you may have your opinions or answers but listening to the requestor, making sure you have all the facts first? Then answer, is key. I have worked all over the world, 10 countries and every state except one. People are people, respect, listening, clear and concise answers and then follow up to make sure everyone understands and pivoting if not. Best of luck.
Michael Cogar
Engineering Director
7
Answers
Chandler, Arizona
Updated
Michael’s Answer
As a leader of people and something that can easily be overlooked but also improved upon is empathy. My career has been technical and empathy has helped me to progress. When dealing with technology, the problems are often logical. When we look up from our projects and begin dealing with others, it can be difficult to remember that we are rational beings. Throughout my career I have been a part of larger teams. To be a successful contributor to those teams, it has been important to seek to understand others' points of view.
Sid Samanduyev
Software Engineer
2
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Sid’s Answer
Software Engineering
- Communication
- Listening Skills
- Knowing you target audience. Sharing the information that is relevant to your audience. For example, communicating deadline and risks to managers and implementation details to your team/ fellow engineers
- Adaptability
- Empathy +1 +2
- Communication
- Listening Skills
- Knowing you target audience. Sharing the information that is relevant to your audience. For example, communicating deadline and risks to managers and implementation details to your team/ fellow engineers
- Adaptability
- Empathy +1 +2
Patty Gossler
Director - Network
2
Answers
Auburn, Washington
Updated
Patty’s Answer
Hi! I am currently a Director - Network Engineering in the Telecommunications Industry.
I'm not sure there is only 1 most important soft skill
I feel that soft skills are equal to technical experience/knowledge if not more important for soft skills are harder to teach.
Soft Skills to me relates to HOW you do the job.
Are you able to communicate effectively? Being able to communicate clearly and across all levels of leadership is critical.
Are you able to get along with others? Collaboration, teamwork.
Are you able to shift with priorities? Flexibility, Adaptability, Resiliency.
Are you engaged during meetings? Feeling comfortable enough to ask questions, offer your ideas, expand on others ideas
Do you get projects/assignments done on time? Project Management, Time Management
I'm not sure there is only 1 most important soft skill
I feel that soft skills are equal to technical experience/knowledge if not more important for soft skills are harder to teach.
Soft Skills to me relates to HOW you do the job.
Are you able to communicate effectively? Being able to communicate clearly and across all levels of leadership is critical.
Are you able to get along with others? Collaboration, teamwork.
Are you able to shift with priorities? Flexibility, Adaptability, Resiliency.
Are you engaged during meetings? Feeling comfortable enough to ask questions, offer your ideas, expand on others ideas
Do you get projects/assignments done on time? Project Management, Time Management
barry barker
Customer Service Rep
1
Answer
Marietta, Georgia
Updated
barry’s Answer
As a customer service rep I suggest building good rapport with your clientele. Speak clearly with confidence match their pace to make sure your reflect your empathy towards the situation. Use the clients name when addressing them shows your professionalism. Make sure they understand you are there to assist. Answer questions promptly and keep a professional tone at all times. It will go a long way with your clientele.
Aya Tanaka
Recruiter
12
Answers
San Diego, California
Updated
Aya’s Answer
I work in Human Resources so I work with all kinds of people internally and externally. If I were to name one important soft skill, it would be empathy. If you have empathy, I believe you can tackle any situation.
William Phelps
Computer solutions consulting
8
Answers
Danville, Virginia
Updated
William’s Answer
"Soft skills" are definitely more subjective than other readily quantifiable skills.
Crafting clear communication comprises better than three-fourths of my working day. If it's not actually talking, it's composing emails, or conveying technical details, or writing documentation for "the next person".
Some soft skills come naturally to some people, for example, public speaking. If you've ever taken a public-speaking course in college, the spectrum of all other disciplines come together into this one funnel. It's really surprising when the people that you'd think would be great at speaking fail miserably, while others who do not seem like they'd be very good actually are quite good.
That aside, first and foremost, put yourself in someone else's shoes. How would you want the other person(s) to treat you or interact with you? If you show the same level of respect shown to you, it's a great starting point.
There is always going to be some kind of language, accent, and other dialogue challenges. Bridge that gap with good, concise writing skills. Realize though that sometimes a phone call will be more efficient than multiple texts, emails, and IMs.
Finally, realize that NO ONE has all of the answers. Listening and considering other, often opposing, points of view may not be in vogue today, but you will gain perspective and you'll probably learn something new along the way.
Crafting clear communication comprises better than three-fourths of my working day. If it's not actually talking, it's composing emails, or conveying technical details, or writing documentation for "the next person".
Some soft skills come naturally to some people, for example, public speaking. If you've ever taken a public-speaking course in college, the spectrum of all other disciplines come together into this one funnel. It's really surprising when the people that you'd think would be great at speaking fail miserably, while others who do not seem like they'd be very good actually are quite good.
That aside, first and foremost, put yourself in someone else's shoes. How would you want the other person(s) to treat you or interact with you? If you show the same level of respect shown to you, it's a great starting point.
There is always going to be some kind of language, accent, and other dialogue challenges. Bridge that gap with good, concise writing skills. Realize though that sometimes a phone call will be more efficient than multiple texts, emails, and IMs.
Finally, realize that NO ONE has all of the answers. Listening and considering other, often opposing, points of view may not be in vogue today, but you will gain perspective and you'll probably learn something new along the way.
Amritjot Singh Nagi
Analyst
4
Answers
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Updated
Amritjot Singh’s Answer
Tech Consulting:
- Time Management
- Client Management
- Being Proactive
- Communication
- Listening Skills
- Time Management
- Client Management
- Being Proactive
- Communication
- Listening Skills
Nina Gundlach
Sr Engr Spec-Ntwk Reg/RE
2
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Nina’s Answer
Wonderful question! Amazing responses listed already. I'm a Senior Engineer in Real Estate/Regulatory. Some of the top soft skills are listed below. But I wanted to share the soft skills that have helped me tremendously in my career, which is Time Management, Communication, Problem-Solving and Attention to Detail. These have really helped me handle my workload and getting through difficult situations while establishing processes and maintaining them as well.
Time management
Communication
Adaptability
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Creativity
Leadership
Interpersonal skills
Work ethic
Attention to detail
Time management
Communication
Adaptability
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Creativity
Leadership
Interpersonal skills
Work ethic
Attention to detail
Jenny Weaver
Community outreach
5
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Jenny’s Answer
I work in technology, but started my career working for a non-profit doing marketing and communication. From there, I went to a marketing firm and then made the move to do in-house corporate communications at Verizon. I then made the move within Verizon to a role on our Network team in community outreach and business development.
As a professional communicator, I have to say that communication is the most critical soft skill you can have.
You might be thinking that communication is all about the words we say (and by the way, that is critical), but really EVERYTHING communicates. Here are a few examples:
--Your actions every day, especially when no one is watching
--Non-verbal (eye contact, posture, gestures, etc.)
--Do you listen, not just hear
--The ability to take feedback
--The ability to pause before responding
--Focus
--Engaging and working with others on a team
--Kindness (trust me, that goes a long way)
Remember, everything communicates your personal brand. Be mindful to that and it will take you a long way in your career!
As a professional communicator, I have to say that communication is the most critical soft skill you can have.
You might be thinking that communication is all about the words we say (and by the way, that is critical), but really EVERYTHING communicates. Here are a few examples:
--Your actions every day, especially when no one is watching
--Non-verbal (eye contact, posture, gestures, etc.)
--Do you listen, not just hear
--The ability to take feedback
--The ability to pause before responding
--Focus
--Engaging and working with others on a team
--Kindness (trust me, that goes a long way)
Remember, everything communicates your personal brand. Be mindful to that and it will take you a long way in your career!
Michelle Evans-Massey
Sr. Manager - Construction
4
Answers
Mesa, Arizona
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hi there!
For some background, I have worked many Sr. Manager positions in the field of network engineering. Regardless of my title at the time, the most valuable soft skill has been my emotional intelligence. The ability to monitor your own feelings to situations and/or conflicts helps you better hone your reaction to them and ability to empathize with the feelings and/or reactions of others. By sensing how a situation may impact your peers, direct reports and/or leaders then allows you to tailor your communication strategies with those parties to enhance collaboration without unnecessary conflict and confusion. Knowing and understanding how and why you are wired helps you navigate the intricacies of the corporate world.
For some background, I have worked many Sr. Manager positions in the field of network engineering. Regardless of my title at the time, the most valuable soft skill has been my emotional intelligence. The ability to monitor your own feelings to situations and/or conflicts helps you better hone your reaction to them and ability to empathize with the feelings and/or reactions of others. By sensing how a situation may impact your peers, direct reports and/or leaders then allows you to tailor your communication strategies with those parties to enhance collaboration without unnecessary conflict and confusion. Knowing and understanding how and why you are wired helps you navigate the intricacies of the corporate world.
Jo-Anna Gallegos
Project Manager
3
Answers
Sacramento, California
Updated
Jo-Anna’s Answer
I am a Technical Project Manager (front-end). Strong communication and information organization are key soft skills to thrive in the field. Oftentimes as a Project/Program Project Manager you are responsible for understanding the necessary steps/millstones and the overall Process flow to determine timelines and delivery. In addition I would also keep in mind on the relationships between people and disciplines have throughout the process and how you can support developing those relationships. This can help foster collaboration and synergy within the project and between staff members.
Gunjan Thakkar
Director - Network Performance
4
Answers
Bellevue, Washington
Updated
Gunjan’s Answer
I am a Director of Network Performance for Verizon. What have helped me in my career are Adaptability, communication, and active listening. Be open to change and quick to adapt. "change is the only constant" so be open. communication is critical to bridge a gap and lack of communication can be detrimental and creates wrong perceptions.
Naz Zehra
Learning & Development Consultant
1
Answer
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Naz’s Answer
Hi there!
My current career is in Performance Consulting at Dell Canada, but I started off in Sales and have been with the company for almost 10 years.
Having onboarded and developed a number of individuals as a Sales Coach in my previous role, and having conducted hiring interviews I believe there are 3 key skills one must possess (and articulate during the interview process) to be successful at any firm:
1. Growth Mindset -
This means being okay with not having all the answers and asking for help. Knowing that you are constantly learning, finding people and opportunities to learn from, and continuing to challenge yourself.
2. Being Coachable -
Being able to take feedback and apply it to your day-to-day is a key skill. This means not being offended or taking things personally when feedback is provided and truly appreciating the opportunity to improve your skills. Asking more questions and details on how you can effectively improve.
3. Optimism -
Bringing a positive attitude to work. Knowing that you an internal locus of control and THIS is what determines how you perform and not external factors.
Hope this helps.
My current career is in Performance Consulting at Dell Canada, but I started off in Sales and have been with the company for almost 10 years.
Having onboarded and developed a number of individuals as a Sales Coach in my previous role, and having conducted hiring interviews I believe there are 3 key skills one must possess (and articulate during the interview process) to be successful at any firm:
1. Growth Mindset -
This means being okay with not having all the answers and asking for help. Knowing that you are constantly learning, finding people and opportunities to learn from, and continuing to challenge yourself.
2. Being Coachable -
Being able to take feedback and apply it to your day-to-day is a key skill. This means not being offended or taking things personally when feedback is provided and truly appreciating the opportunity to improve your skills. Asking more questions and details on how you can effectively improve.
3. Optimism -
Bringing a positive attitude to work. Knowing that you an internal locus of control and THIS is what determines how you perform and not external factors.
Hope this helps.
Vicente Newcomb
Operations specialists
3
Answers
Punta Gorda, Florida
Updated
Vicente’s Answer
I've been in the U.S. Navy for over 8 years now. It's a high stress job that requires at lot of attention to detail and a balance of work and personal life. We interact with many nations so communication and cooperation is central to success. This job has taught me alot about communication which has helped me feel confident about my ability to lead and help others.
Dana Oredson
Principal Software Engineer
9
Answers
Des Moines, Iowa
Updated
Dana’s Answer
I have been working in the field of product development (computer science).
Team-work skills are very important for software and product development. Almost all software development is done as a team, not as individuals. So getting used to breaking tasks down in such a way that multiple people can work on them together is a skill that can't be overstated.
Team-work skills are very important for software and product development. Almost all software development is done as a team, not as individuals. So getting used to breaking tasks down in such a way that multiple people can work on them together is a skill that can't be overstated.
Jessica Gegner
Change Partner Senior
75
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Jessica’s Answer
Great question! I am currently a Senior [Organizational & People] Change Partner and my greatest soft skill to get me here revolves around emotional intelligence. I actually started my career ten years ago as a Graphic Designer. A huge reason why emotional intelligence and empathy are important as a Graphic Designer is that you need to know what your client needs and what your audience wants. The more often I was able to be successful in this, the more I was even able to anticipate the needs of my clients to become their "go-to" person for advice. After seven years as a Graphic Designer, I was promoted to a Business Advisor where my role was to advise our Strategic Change Management team on our audience's needs and develop solutions to address them to adopt new processes and behaviors to be successful in their role. I often had to listen to our audience, compile survey results, and understand the full array of our audience's sentiments to develop the best solutions to meet their needs with human-centered design. Through my empathy and emotional intelligence, I was also able to build trust and key relationships with people to network and ultimately land a job as a Senior Change Partner focused on understanding, planning, managing, and sustaining behavioral changes in our employees to ensure greater organizational change for corporations transforming for the future. This career field is based in psychology but is often practiced by folks whose careers have been non-linear but focused on people, including Marketing, Communications, Human Resources, and Project Management.
Michael Haar
Senior Training Consultant
21
Answers
Spring Lake, Michigan
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Great question! I want to choose more than one...........but I am going to go with communication. I am currently in the Learning and Development space, with a background in public education, HR, and Retail Management. In each of these spaces communication can make or break the ability to be successful. Being intentional about your communication and spcifically communicating with your audience rather than assuming your initial plan of attack is the best. Once you understand your audience you will have a better idea how to best impact the outcome. Create a unique gameplan for that space/team and execute at a high level. Be sure to circle back and confirm mesasge sent is message received. Going back to the drawing board and adjusting the initial message or game plan is expected. If you can be adaptible and quickly make adjustments your communication can be next level.
Karen Kalich
Recreation Therapist
1
Answer
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Karen’s Answer
I am a Recreation Therapist at a large hospital in Florida. I have done this career for 40 years and love every aspect of it. My advice would be that if you are an upbeat positive person, love people, and want to help others, recreation therapy is a good career. The personal satisfaction you get at the end of the day is very rewarding. I work with adults however, you can work with children or seniors as well with the baby boomers getting older. You should be many opportunities in this field.
Check different colleges in different states for recreational therapy degrees.
Check different colleges in different states for recreational therapy degrees.
Greta Knappenberger
Product Marketing Manager
3
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Greta’s Answer
I work as a Product Marketing Manager at Verizon. There are many soft skills that have been important for me in my career journey. However, one that stands out as particularly important is communication.
Effective communication has been essential in building relationships with coworkers and customers, presenting ideas in meetings, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. As a product marketing manager, I need to communicate with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, sales teams, product teams, and more. So it's crucial to be able to communicate clearly and concisely.
Good communication skills also involve active listening, which means paying attention to feedback and responding appropriately. It is very easy to get distracted, especially since I work remotely from home. By staying focused and listening to feedback from customers and stakeholders, it helps me adjust my strategies and messaging to better meet their needs.
Strengthening your communication skills early on will help you build relationships, present ideas effectively, and help drive success in your career!
Effective communication has been essential in building relationships with coworkers and customers, presenting ideas in meetings, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. As a product marketing manager, I need to communicate with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, sales teams, product teams, and more. So it's crucial to be able to communicate clearly and concisely.
Good communication skills also involve active listening, which means paying attention to feedback and responding appropriately. It is very easy to get distracted, especially since I work remotely from home. By staying focused and listening to feedback from customers and stakeholders, it helps me adjust my strategies and messaging to better meet their needs.
Strengthening your communication skills early on will help you build relationships, present ideas effectively, and help drive success in your career!
Alex Belot
Project Manager
26
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Alex’s Answer
As a Project Manager soft skills could not be more important as they are integral to this type of job. Soft skills take a long time to master, I am still working on my soft skills because I believe there is always room for improvements.
Soft skills are for the most part non-technical skills that impact your performance at the job. You likely already have soft skills from your school. For example, if your friend confide in you for an issue they are dealing with, you would most likely empathize with them and listen to their concerns. You can also develop soft skills at work, school, volunteer activities, and by participating in training programs and classes. Most great leaders have a great deal of soft skills and that's what makes them successful in what they do.
Bottom line is Soft skills are personality traits and behaviors that will help you as a candidate to get hired and succeed at your job no matter what you choose to do. Unlike technical skills or“hard” skills, soft skills are interpersonal and behavioral skills that help you to work well with other people and develop your career.
Best of luck!
Soft skills are for the most part non-technical skills that impact your performance at the job. You likely already have soft skills from your school. For example, if your friend confide in you for an issue they are dealing with, you would most likely empathize with them and listen to their concerns. You can also develop soft skills at work, school, volunteer activities, and by participating in training programs and classes. Most great leaders have a great deal of soft skills and that's what makes them successful in what they do.
Bottom line is Soft skills are personality traits and behaviors that will help you as a candidate to get hired and succeed at your job no matter what you choose to do. Unlike technical skills or“hard” skills, soft skills are interpersonal and behavioral skills that help you to work well with other people and develop your career.
Best of luck!