Are a new graduate trying to figure out how to get a leg up in your career, or a mid-career professional looking to secure your next promotion, you might be wondering what the 10 most important skills you need to get where you want to go in the business world.

Here are the 10 essential skills that you need to succeed in the world of business

1.     Learnability

We’ll begin with learnability because it is arguably the most important 21st-century skill you will need to succeed. Alvin Toffler said, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” That’s because, in an environment where new skills emerge as fast as others fade, success is less about what you already know and more about adapting your skills by growing and expanding your knowledge base, so you can use new information and skills to respond to whatever is happening.

2.     Resilience

Setbacks and failures are a part of life, but how you choose to deal with those roadblocks is what is critical to your success. Resilience is the ability to bounce back in the face of obstacles and failures. When you are resilient, you don’t focus on the ups and downs. Instead, you stay focused on your long-term goals, and you never lose confidence in your ability to prevail. By helping you face challenges and difficulties, resilience also enables you to handle stress more positively.

3.    Negotiation

Whether you’re in salary discussions, finalizing a deal with a client, or trying to find common ground with your teammates during a project, having strong and effective negotiation skills are extremely important. Being a good negotiator allows you to get to reach goals while you build relationships, which is a significant part of being successful in your career.

 4.     Collaboration

In our increasingly hyper-connected world, we’re no longer expected to work just as individuals or only in silos. Our projects have become more complex, so the ability to work effectively as part of a team has also grown in importance. Given the increasingly global nature of work, your ability to collaborate, share knowledge and contribute to teams that can capitalize on a diversity of thinking and perspective in ways that everyone can benefit and drive to the shared outcomes is critical. 

5.     Verbal communication

Advancing in your career is not just based on what you do. There’s a good chance that at some point in your career you’ll have to use strong verbal communication skills so you can sell others on your ideas, products, or services. Whether you’re needing to explain your value when you are being considered for a promotion, presenting as part of a team project, or speaking on stage, you need to be able to communicate well and convey strong, persuasive ideas.

6.     Written communication

We live in an era of tweets and sound bites, but good written communication skills still matter when it comes to your career. Whether you are sending professional emails, communicating with a client, trying to deliver a coherent business plan, or anything in between, you should be able to communicate quickly, accurately and effectively.

7.     Empathy

The ability to empathize with others or see things from their perspective by understanding their emotions and reactions, is a fundamental part of how we interact with one another. Communicating genuinely and authentically with others is vital because even in instances when you disagree with your coworkers on elements of a work project, for example, empathy allows you to demonstrate to others that they are seen and heard.

8.     Creativity

Creativity is a crucial skill we all need because, in our fast-changing times, employers value employees who can look beyond the present and imagine future possibilities for their company. Creative workers are the ones who ask why. They question, they are curious, and in so doing, they develop new ideas and solutions.

9. Problem-solving

How often do you go beyond your immediate job as assigned and instead, use more knowledge, facts, and data to see gaps and solve problems? Being a good problem solver is essential because employers value people who can work through challenges on their own or as an effective member of a team by defining the issues, brainstorming alternatives, sharing thoughts, and then making sound decisions.

10. Leadership

The importance of building the right culture at companies cannot be overstated, so having the skills to be able to coach and empower others, and to motivate those around you do their best work, is highly valued for success.

Technical Competence

Questions to ask yourself

• Do you have the necessary skillset to succeed now?
• Do you have skills in more than one area?
• In which category do you have the most skills?
• What are the skills needed for the jobs that you are interested in?
• Do the skills you have match the skills needed for those jobs?
• Are there some skills that you would like to have but don’t have right now?
• What education and/or training might you need to develop those skills?

Regardless of your chosen career path, building your skills is critical so you can set yourself apart from others in a competitive landscape. Investing in these skills not only helps your career survive short-term challenges but also sets the foundation for long-term success.

By Natalia Peart writing for forbes.com©

America is facing a worker shortage crisis: There are too many open jobs without people to fill them. The interactive map below shows which states are suffering the most from a labor shortage by comparing their Worker Shortage Index ratios.

The 13 states most affected by labor shortages, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are Alabama, Arkansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Vermont.

Contrast this with Texas, Texas has 89 available workers for every 100 open jobs, with 846,000 job openings and 609,845 unemployed workers. It falls into the “Least Severe” category in the Worker Shortage Index.

Other states, while growing, are losing out on the scarce labor resource to the states where the opportunities are easier and more plentiful.

Source: newsweek.com©

Is there anyone in a senior role who – if they were being totally honest – would deny having ever experienced “imposter syndrome”. That feeling of being a fraud or a phoney, not worthy of a job title or status, and about to be “found out’, is very prevalent.

Originally thought of as a phenomenon only associated with high-achieving women, research now suggests it affects both men and women almost equally, with at least 70pc of us experiencing imposter syndrome at some point in our lives. In my experience, women just talk about it more.

The pitfalls of it

It doesn’t matter how great our actual achievements are, the self-doubt can be crippling to the point where feelings of inadequacy become self-fulfilling. Imposter syndrome causes us to downplay good results, obsess over our mistakes and work extra-long hours to prove ourselves – risking burnout and a low-esteem spiral.

I know the feeling well. I felt the very definition of an imposter when promoted to chief executive aged 35, with no business management experience or specific training.

One minute I was a successful fund manager, the next I was in charge of a business employing hundreds of people and managing £20bn of other people’s money. (In case you’re wondering, I took the job because I loved the company and recognized it was a great opportunity.) I figured, in that split-second moment of decision, at least I could learn fast.

Little did I know how difficult the first year would be – and how close I came to self-sabotaging that wonderful opportunity.

The reality

Since my appointment was unexpected, it’s perhaps unsurprising that I felt I really needed to earn credibility. I also felt constantly judged, with the harshest judging going on inside my own head.

The hardest thing was not to panic. But there was a moment I remember very clearly, sitting alone in my office, when I made a conscious decision that I was going to live up to the title and prove my doubters wrong (including myself).

The plan

The first step was to make a plan and list priorities. Second was to find supporters. I asked my allies for their thoughts and shut out the many siren voices who were suggesting the company change course. I believed in what the company offered: a distinct approach to investing that our clients valued and that needed nurturing, not changing.

I started to lead rather than look over my shoulder, and the business began to thrive. We were achieving strong investment performance, and more clients were trusting us with their money – quantifiable indicators that things were going well.

The fact is that people in all walks of life sometimes doubt their abilities and are concerned about being “found out”. This is part of the human condition. It becomes a problem when this feeling becomes debilitating, preventing us from getting on with things or leading us to focus merely on avoiding failure, rather than achieving success.

The focus

While I felt daunted as a new and unprepared chief executive, after that initial panic I didn’t allow those feelings to subsume me. I consciously focused my time and energy on the tasks immediately ahead rather than the vague goal of “being credible”.

Over time (and it can take time) the sense of being an imposter came to seem irrelevant – foolish, even.

My approach was to focus on the process, the day-to-day, rather than on some distant proof point. It’s a good mantra to have: the process not the goal. If you follow this, you will find that constructive daily actions ultimately lead to a strong performance – and you’ll achieve the goal.

But we are all different. There are other strategies that can also help:

Celebrate your “wins”, but accept that we all make mistakes

In fact, these so-called mistakes are often what help us grow and achieve more. When something goes wrong immediately ask yourself: what can I learn from this? How can I use the setback to improve?

Don’t allow negative thoughts to take hold

These unhelpful thoughts will inevitably arise, especially in moments of stress.

They have to be actively pushed out of your mind – tell yourself they are lies. Then counteract and replace them with positive assertions. Acknowledge the triumphs of reality over fear. You are good enough.

Make a decision ‘not to do’ imposter syndrome

Lorraine Candy, author of best-selling books including What’s Wrong with Me? says in Unravelling to Reinvention: A Midlife Memoir that she has “no time” for imposter syndrome and thinks we do ourselves a disservice by even letting it rear its head.

Candy describes imposter syndrome as “a stone in the shoe of smart women… because even if you don’t feel like an imposter, you think you should because this daft phrase exists”.

She hopes we can stamp out the expression before her two teenage daughters enter the workplace.

Consider sharing feelings of inadequacy with others

It can help you to realise we are not alone and that many people have the same experience however senior their job title or apparent high level of confidence.

Keep track of your actual performance

Write down achievements, tasks completed, lessons learned, struggles overcome.

I’m a big fan of Reformer Pilates, which is challenging even though I’ve been going to classes for over a decade. If there is an exercise that I find impossible one day, I work for improvement rather than seeing myself as failing.

Each new challenging position is how we progress. It is how we grow and gain flexibility (both mentally and physically).

And finally, remember that overcoming imposter syndrome is an ongoing process. Life provides us with plenty of challenges and opportunities. How we use these is what matters, and is the key to having a more successful, happier life – and career.

Story by Helena Morrissey for thetelegraph©

Job hunting and interviewing, dating, or just meeting people can leave a wrong impression by doing one thing that implies mistrust or insecurity.

Doing This with Your Hands Makes People Not Trust You, Experts Say

Especially with face masks covering our mouths these days, body language is a huge factor in how we come across. Whether you’re sitting straight up, slouched over, or fidgeting with your pen, people are quick to make judgements based on the little things you do. In fact, experts say that making one common gesture with your hands makes people less likely to trust you. Read on to find out what it is, and for more on why people may be doubting you.

Putting your hands in your pockets makes people not trust you.

If you want to come off as inviting and trustworthy, keep your hands where people can see them, says Susan Trombetti, a relationship expert and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking. “When people keep their hands in their pockets, it appears they are hiding something. And someone is more likely to be lying because they are hiding their hands,” she explains. Concealing your hands comes across as more controlled, which can be interpreted as “deceitful and untrustworthy,” she notes. “People generally consider individuals with their hands in their pockets to be insecure,” explains Girish Shukla, a mental health and psychology expert.

Keeping open body language makes you seem more trustworthy.

According to Trombetti, someone who is telling the truth—or at least, seems to be—is more likely to keep their hands open and palms up. When your hands are visible, “the physical openness of your body language invites trust,” says Lauren Levy, a sales expert who teaches people in the industry how to appear trustworthy.

“Keeping open hands while talking can give others the idea that you can be trusted and that you know what you are talking about,” Shukla says. “Whenever you expose your palms it means that you are not hiding anything.”

Article and photos provided by Best Life.

Source: Doing This With Your Hands Makes People Not Trust You, Experts Say (msn.com)

Are you preparing a resume? It’s natural to want to tell prospective employers all about yourself — but some things are better left unsaid.

Remember, you have only a limited amount of space to convince someone you would be a good hire. So, avoid including anything that might offend, or cause an employer to question your abilities.

Following are some key things to avoid on your resume.

Criticism of past employers

A sure way to put off a potential employer is to waste space on your resume criticizing past employers or supervisors. You may feel perfectly justified in your criticism, but the purpose of a resume is to showcase talents and abilities, not to air grievances.

Don’t give prospective employers the impression that you are disloyal or generally disgruntled. Instead, write about your positive relationships and accomplishments. Tell people about the good things you can bring to their business if they give you the opportunity.

Excuses for past problems

If you have been laid off or dismissed from a job, you may feel the need to explain the situation in your resume. It’s natural to want to tell your side of the story, especially if you feel that you were not at fault.

However, it’s easy to spend too much time discussing disappointments and missed opportunities. You may give the impression you aren’t taking responsibility for your own mistakes.

A better approach is to write about past successes. If you are called upon to explain a layoff or dismissal in an interview, be honest, but brief. Let people know that your focus is on the future.

Irrelevant skills

When a job applicant lists skills unrelated to job performance, it can appear that he or she has no valuable skills to showcase. Instead, describe things that you’ve learned that have improved your performance on the job. For example:

• Do you have great internet skills?
• Did you pursue special training to enhance your contribution in past jobs?
• Are you attending school to earn an advanced degree or certificate?

Old achievements

Focus on recent achievements in your resume. If something happened 10 or 15 years ago, prospective employers may get the impression your successes are behind you.

So, leave out that Cub Scout merit badge.

Poor grammar and spelling

If you submit a resume with misspellings, typos or grammatical errors, you are unlikely to score a job interview. Even if you are in a field where the proper use of language seems unimportant, most employers want to know that their hires have good communication skills.

Grammatical mistakes on your resume can signal you’re careless and possibly unreliable. A resume free of errors lets recruiters know you’re serious about the job.

Too much information

Recruiters have a limited amount of time to sort through applications. So, keep it brief.

When screening applicants, recruiters look for experience, training and past employment. If you write in great detail about every job you’ve ever had, you may overwhelm. Worse, the information that makes you stand out as an applicant might get overlooked.

In most cases, submitting one or two pages worth of information is adequate. You can expand on your qualifications once you get to the interview stage.

Anything that isn’t true

You may be tempted to exaggerate skills, training or accomplishments. However, doing so always is a mistake. Once you put something in writing, you can’t take it back. Even if it helps you land a job, the lie may resurface years later and damage your reputation or career.

So don’t exaggerate qualifications. If you don’t have a college degree, describe the training you’ve received on the job. The best way to get a resume filled with accomplishments is to do work that you’re proud of.

Article written by Emmet Pierce for moneytalksnews©

Photo credit: ©stock-Asso / Shutterstock.com

Source: Never Put These 7 Things on Your Resume (msn.com)