What Are Soft Skills? A little over a decade ago, social psychologist Dr. Daniel Goleman wrote a bestselling book that turned how organizations evaluated their employees upside down. "Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ" established an entirely new means of evaluation and became a popular psychology bestseller. Now, in addition to IQ, standardized tests such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and school grades, individuals could be evaluated for their emotional intelligence. "Soft skills" is a casual reference to the bulky term "emotional intelligence," often shortened to simply EI. Divided into two types—ability emotional intelligence and trait emotional intelligence—emotional intelligence can be defined as the ability to identify, assess and control the emotions of oneself, others and groups. Are Soft Skills Important to Business? According to Arlene Sota's article, "Soft Skills Are Key to All Success," "Studies have shown [that] individuals who scored … [Read more...] about Soft Skills for Hard Times
Archives for 2013
Graduation: “What do I do now?”
Graduation can be a time of mixed emotions for students. On one hand, you’ve graduating after years of hard work and the world of work seems like a welcoming prospect after living on a student loan, but on the other hand, graduation signals the end of an era in your life which can bring up some troubling uncertainties. But it’s important to remember that every graduate’s path is different and that the road to that dream job is never going to be comparable to the paths which other graduates take towards getting their first employed role. If you’ve just graduated or if you’re currently studying towards graduation, here are some tips to stay focused and motivated towards that dream job goal: Don’t be afraid of part-time work Most graduates don’t walk straight into work. It’s a fact of life that you’re going to have to work hard to be employed and this starts the minute you graduate. But don’t be afraid of a part-time or full-time job to keep you going while you search for a job. One … [Read more...] about Graduation: “What do I do now?”
A Leap Into the Real World: What to Do Once You Graduate
For a number of years, you forget everything else. All that is not related to college and your syllabus becomes trivial. Nothing is more important than what you study and nothing has more priority than getting that degree. Well, when the whole journey comes to an end, you gladly take home the degree, proud and satisfied. You think the hard part is finally over. Maybe it is. But the real world’s challenges are just beginning. They are two-fold harder than what a college graduate can imagine and they are definitely more complicated. Irrespective of how good one’s marks are or how well he or she has fared in every challenge put before them, things certainly will change. Life becomes much more compulsive. It becomes much tougher. But there is a silver lining to all this! Once a good job is found, everything will revolve back into normalcy. How to ensure that you get the dream job you want without any convenience and with the maximum benefits possible? Here are a few tips to help you … [Read more...] about A Leap Into the Real World: What to Do Once You Graduate
5 Career-Change Options For 2013
Are you looking to change your career this year? Have you had enough of being an accountant, a lawyer, or a personal assistant? Why not consider one of the five careers below as a great way to break out of the mold: Writer -- Do you have a passion for writing that you haven't been able to explore until now? If so, it may be time to become a writer. There are millions of websites floating around the Internet, and all of them need quality written content. You will find that there are many websites looking to hire writers, and you can turn your skill with the written word into an income. As a trained professional, you have knowledge of a career that you can use to help others that read your writings. Freelance Professional --Do you have a passion to work as a truck accident attorney an accountant, or a paralegal, but it's just your current job that's driving you nuts? If so, why not consider starting your own career as a freelancer? You can market your skills on online job … [Read more...] about 5 Career-Change Options For 2013
Is Your Volunteer Experience Resumé-Worthy?
So you finally graduated college and have the coveted degree you need to find a job. But somehow after those four long years of school, your resumé just looks empty. You can't get a job without experience and you can't get experience without a job—and so begins the endless cycle of job hunting. Although this situation might seem hopeless, there's a way to use other experience to your advantage. Volunteer work is a great way to give back to the community, while also developing experience in your field. Careful, though: not all of your volunteer experience will be a great fit for your resume. The following tips and guidelines can help you discern between what's appropriate and what you might want to leave out. Ask Yourself, "So What?" So you spent five years in Africa building wells so the locals there could have access to clean water. So what? This experience undoubtedly had a major influence on your life and your character, but is it really relevant to the resumé you'll be sending … [Read more...] about Is Your Volunteer Experience Resumé-Worthy?
3 Mistakes by Your Hiring Manager That Are Costing You a Fortune
Employers tend to make a ton of mistakes during the whole recruiting, interviewing and hiring process. Therefore your company's hiring manager needs to evaluate and re-evaluate his/her hiring practices if bad employees are being hired on a regular basis. In the following article we discuss a few mistakes that hiring managers make when hiring new talent... 1. Going too Narrow with Job Specifications Every manager wants to hire the best talent while being in the rush. New employees are usually hired because a project requires the right help or a specific set of skills. But since most hiring managers don’t have the time to cover the training process, they go overly narrow with the job specifications, which is a mistake. What every hiring manager needs to realize is this: When you hire somebody, you’re paying for his abilities, and not for specialized knowledge of a tool or technique. A good hire will almost always learn how to use the tool you hand him or her and if he lacks some … [Read more...] about 3 Mistakes by Your Hiring Manager That Are Costing You a Fortune
The Power of "Just Do It" at Work
Procrastination can be misleading. For instance think of a standard email inbox and instead of getting emails about meeting minutes you are getting 'tasks' to put on your do to list. Before you know it, there are is one thousand unread emails sitting in your inbox. A productive worker would say to themselves, "okay, let's get cracking!" But there is several other characters in this scenario and they are all belong to the procrastination family. There is social media and his younger brother, YouTube and his twin sister, Vimeo. Sure procrastination can be very relaxing and fun; especially you are watching a comedy show on YouTube. But it is not making you productive, now is it? In order to beat your procrastination tendencies, you first of all have to make a conscious decision to beat it, because the power of just doing tasks in and out of work comes from the power of your mind. And ironically it is your mind that is increasing your urge to procrastinate in the long run. Such as, have … [Read more...] about The Power of "Just Do It" at Work
5 Interview Hacks
So, you just landed an interview at the job of your dreams? Here are some 5 interview hacks to get the interview going in your direction front the moment you walk into the office. Say nice things to the front desk administrative assistant - As soon as you walk in the office, the interview has started, even if you are in the waiting room. Make small chat with the front desk administrative assistant. Talk about the weather and compliment them on the office, their outfit, etc. Be genuine. Remember, everyone talks to everyone in the office. If the office admin doesn't like you, chances are no one else will. Get the interviewer immediately talking about something else than the interview - This works when you are walking with the interviewer to the interview office or as you walk into the interview room. This helps you establish rapport with the interviewer as soon as possible. People want to work with fun and interesting people. Your goal for the interview is to have a nice friendly … [Read more...] about 5 Interview Hacks
Seeing Is Believing (Visualization as a Job Search Strategy)
Creative visualization is a technique that can impact job seekers and help them succeed in decision-making, interviewing and other important steps on the career path. Whether you are undecided about a career or stepping closer to victory, these techniques can make your journey an easier and less stressful process. Write Down What You Want Have you ever heard people talk about the power of the written word? Or heard people say that the pen is mightier than the sword? Some people believe that writing down what we want out of life can figuratively send a message to the universe so that those things come to us. The same pattern works when you are searching for a job. If you haven't yet decided what career suits you, making a list of scenarios in your life where you have felt positive and rewarded might help you stumble on the secret to your passion. And if you have already decided on a career path, write down the qualities and virtues that you might offer that particular profession. … [Read more...] about Seeing Is Believing (Visualization as a Job Search Strategy)
A Day in the Life of a Typical Social Worker
The job and responsibilities of a social worker may vary based on the specialty area they work in and the setting that the social worker is working. … [Read more...] about A Day in the Life of a Typical Social Worker