Communication Skills

Being able to communicate with your peers, your boss, your employees, and the market you work with is extremely important. From verbal to non-verbal, being able to communicate appropriately and efficiently with others will help other people understand you and vice versa. Communication really is key.

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Team Work

There is no I in team. Teamwork is essential, even if you are running your own business as a sole proprietor, you will still be working as a team with your clients and customers. Practice teamwork regularly and be respectful of the people you interact with; This will help you with your communication skills as well as the skills to follow.

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Flexibility/Adaptability

The world never stops turning and every day new and different ways of doing things are coming into play. Without the ability to be adaptable and flexible with how things are done, you might get stuck in a rut by yourself. It’s critical in this day and age to be able to change and adapt as new problems arise and new processes take place.

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Problem Solving/Resourcefulness

The same person can’t solve every problem. Keep your eyes and ears open and try to solve problems with your peers. Confidence comes with this skill. You never know if your small idea might be just the thing to fix the problem at hand. Be confident, speak up.

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Time Management

Knowing how long it takes you to do a task will help you plan your day better and help you finish the job at hand in an efficient manner. Different jobs and different work environments require different types of time management but if you stay aware of your time, you’ll have a positive outcome.

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Accepting Feedback

Learning to accept feedback is the same as learning how to give feedback. Sometimes you will hear things from your mentors, supervisors or managers that might sound like you’re in trouble, but being able to accept this feedback will help you grow, even if you think the person that is giving the feedback is wrong, if you are patient and accepting of the feedback, you will become more self aware of the working environment you are in and it will help you grow in your industry.

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Self-Awareness

This one is tough for a lot of people. Being self-aware doesn’t mean you understand everything that you’re doing. It means that you’re aware of what areas you excel in and what areas you need improvement in. If you are aware that you have bad time management skills, this gives you the opportunity to set a plan in place to try and develop better time management practices.

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Take initiative in your career. Don’t wait for someone to ask you to do something, simply start by asking “What can I do to help?”

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Dependability/Reliability

If your team can’t rely on you to show up on time or bring the presentation when you said you would, it won’t be long before they lose all trust in you.

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Organization

Staying organized will not only keep your work load more feasible, it will also help everyone on the team be on the same page. Take notes, keep a planner and set reminders. With the technology at our fingertips in 2020, organization has never been easier.

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Good Attitude

Last but not least, have a good attitude. Nobody wants to work with a negative nelly. Everyone has their bad days but if you’re attitude is down in the dumps all the time, it might be time to start looking at a new career.

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It is up to you to decide what you want from your career and to go for it. Research your career options, conduct informational interviews and find a mentor, and of course… work on your soft skills.