Five Core Skills To Master To Excel In Your Career

You hear it all the time; employers want a well-rounded candidate. You could be an expert in the industry or have the highest GPA coming out of school and still get turned down from a job. The reason being is that you lack the core skills needed to continue to keep a business afloat. These skills aren’t anything you’ll find offered in a college crash-course. You learn these types of skills as a young adult. The issue is whether you practice them into your adulthood, or if you lost them along the line without even knowing it. Perhaps they still exist but aren’t as defined as some of the other expertise you’ve been working on to be eligible for a job.

Whether you are a student or amid your career, you should master these five core skills to show employers how valuable you are.

Productivity

A productive individual is the one who is desired the most by recruiters and employers. Even your classmates will appreciate working with you on the next group assignment. To master this core skill, you should learn how to focus on one task at a time, time management, and staying healthy. Many times, making hard decisions that tug at the heartstrings can interfere with productivity. Anticipate the decisions that you need to make at the end of a meeting. All meetings should be a time to delegate tasks so that you all can get back to work rather than sit around and risk having off-topic discussions. There are many apps available on the web to help you stay on task like Evernote, FocusBooster, and Wunderlist. All of these apps are free and helpful for professionals and students. As you become a more productive individual, you’ll notice that your mental health improves. You’ll avoid burnout, reduce stress, and feel more comfortable taking a mental health day in the middle of the week. Plus, those around you will respect you more for taking care of yourself.

Being a good communicator

Communication comes in four forms, and you’ll need to become the expert at all to be the individual known for having mastered this skill; verbal, written, visual, and non-verbal. Verbal is what we usually think of when we hear the word “communication.” This is talking to others delivering information accurately and clearly before departing. Written communication is the same; both are crucial when it comes to delegating tasks and completing projects without having to redo any work. Visually, if presented images, graphs, or logos that are confusing or misleading, you can do significant damage. Especially for professionals or business owners, a logo that gets misinterpreted by your customers could ruin your business. Nonverbal cues work similarly that even letting out a sigh while someone is talking can damage your relationship. Look at all four and see which areas you can improve on. A well-rounded and expert communicator is one that companies will value and think of when it comes time for promotions or bonuses. 

Having good organizational skills

Take a look at your desk and analyze what you see. If there are stacks of paperwork, unopened mail, and crumpled up pieces of paper thrown about, you might want to consider a re-org. How clean and organized your workspace says a lot about the way you stay organized. Of course, not all people need filing cabinets and clean workspaces to maintain work order, but it helps to try and have an organized system. The same goes for files on the computer. The faster you can find them, helps increase your productivity and maintain excellent communication with colleagues. Your superiors will take notice and know that you are someone they can rely on for more important projects.

Critical thinking and problem solving

Professionals who are quick to act rationally to a situation are the ones that prove they have the most potential to executives and managers. The best way to display your critical thinking skills is with the following:

• Ask relevant questions to clear up any confusion.
• Systematically gather information.
• Reach conclusions on your own using the evidence you have. If something seems off, reevaluate your information or talk to someone about it.
• Know your limits and when to decline a task. Superiors will respect you more if you are honest with them. If the job they asked you to so is a skill you should be learning, be proactive, and start learning it.

Having strong problem-solving skills starts when you are in school. You can put your abilities to the test when working in a group project. If you have trouble understanding a subject, find out what to do to turn the corner and start understanding it. The effort you put in will not go unnoticed. 

Interpersonal skills

Professionals you have a good character are the ones that will get hired, promoted, and excel in their career overall. Interpersonal skills to include in your already fantastic personality are being a team player, responsible, and dependable. Those with high motivation, patience, and empathy are also in high demand in today’s workforce. These skills work with you in your day-to-day life, first getting you the job, and next helping you succeed in your endeavors. Those that can approach any situation and work through the problem with others have the core skill needed to get you through life.

Other ways to master these five core skills start with taking one of our online courses. Speed reading plays a role in all of these areas helping with productivity, memory, and comprehension. Click to learn about what Iris Reading can do for you!