by Lynette Correa
I have career coached a couple of thousand individuals for the past decade from all walks of life. From the young high school student looking for their first job to the college student needing assistance on how to navigate their campus’s Internship fair, to the new madre getting back into the workforce after having her family, and even to the lawyer looking for a career change (and there’s LOTS of those!).
It all boils down to 1 question. It is:
- Do you know what your emotional intelligence is?
In order to answer that question, you have to find clarity on what you bring to the table. And I’m not just talking about your professional work experience and/or your educational background or credentials.
I am talking about your soft skills!
Here are the top 7 soft skills to have for work and life (and questions to ask yourself!) starting from number 7-1. They are:
#7. Political Savviness
This goes beyond the “ are you charismatic?” question but rather “ Do you know how to work a networking event and even make connections with people who need to get to know each other for professional reasons?”
#6. Flexibility
Do you snarl every time your boss asks you to do another assignment while you are working on an existing assignment?
#5. Conflict Resolution
Do you stay upset at your co-worker or do you have the ability to work things out as a team?
#4. Collaboration
Can you share wisdom and resources with others in the office? How well do you work with others from different departments?
#3. Positive Attitude
Do you see the glass half full or half empty? Are you an optimist or pessimist?
#2. Communication
Do you make sure logistics are communicated not only via email but also face to face? Can you anticipate challenges and express your concerns in a timely manner.
#1. Integrity
Are you a mujer of your word? Do you say what you do and do what you say? Transparency in character is always the best policy!
Lynette Correa is a Career Coach and Founder of Chameleon Career Coaching. You may find her on Twitter at @cc4kidz.