1. Critical Soft Skills In the Workplace
“ How to Play Nice in the Sandbox”
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilites Florida Relay 711

2. What are Soft Skills ?
Cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes and social graces that make someone a good employee and compatible to work with
Personal attributes that enhance an individual’s interactions, job performance and career prospects

3. Soft Skills ….
Are often described by using terms often associated with personality traits, such as:
Optimism
Common Sense
Responsibility
A sense of humor
Integrity

4. Empathy Teamwork Leadership Communication Good Manners Negotiation
And abilities that can be practiced
but require the individual to genuinely like other people) such as:
Empathy
Teamwork
Leadership
Communication
Good Manners
Negotiation
Sociability
The ability to teach

5. Hard skills will get you an interview but you need soft skills to get AND KEEP the job.

6. With business being done at an increasingly fast pace, employers also want people who are;
Agile
Adaptable
Creative
at solving problems NOT creating them

7. Common soft skills employers are looking for and will be assessing
STRONG WORK ETHIC
Are you motivated and dedicated to getting the job done, no matter what?
Will you be conscientious and do your bet work?

8. Are you optimistic and upbeat?
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Are you optimistic and upbeat?
Will you generate good energy and good will?

9. GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Are you both verbally articulate and a good listener?
Can you make your case and express your needs in a way that builds bridges with colleagues, customers and vendors?

10. TIME MANAGEMENT ABILITIES
Do you know how to prioritize tasks and work on a number of different projects at once?
Will you use your time on the job wisely?

11. PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS
Are you resourceful and able to creatively solve problems that will inevitably arise?
Will you take ownership of problems or leave them for someone else?

12. ACTING AS A TEAM PLAYER Will you work well in groups and teams?
Will you be cooperative and take a leadership role when appropriate?

13. SELF- CONFIDENCE Do you truly believe you can do the job?
Will you project a sense of calm and inspire confidence in others?
Will you have the courage to ask questions that need to be asked and to freely contribute your ideas?

14. ABILITY TO ACCEPT
AND LEARN FROM CRITICISM
Will you be able to handle criticism?
Are you coachable and open to learning and growing as a person and as a professional?

15. FLEXIBILITY/ADAPTABILITY
Are you able to adapt to new situations and challenges?
Will you embrace change and be open to new ideas?

16. WORKING WELL UNDER PRESSURE
Can you handle the stress that accompanies deadlines and crises?
Will you be able to do your best work and come through in a pinch?

17. Three Major Employer Expectations
Dependable. Employers expect employees to show up for work on time and be honest and reliable
Professionally dressed and groomed. Employers expect employees to be clean, neat, and professional in their appearance and follow dress codes
Skilled. Employers expect employees to have the necessary, training, experience, skills, and credentials to do the job.

18. WHY PEOPLE GET FIRED
Another way to think about how to succeed comes from thinking about why people DON’T succeed.
People lose their jobs because they:
Are unreliable and absent or late too many days
Cannot get along with other workers or their supervisors
Refuse to follow orders
Lie on their resumes or applications or while on the job

19. WHY PEOPLE GET FIRED Steal from their employers
Have unacceptable grooming or clothes
Use work time for personal business
Cannot do the work, work too slowly, or make too many mistakes.
Do not follow safety rules

20. WHY PEOPLE GET FIRED
Ask yourself, Would your former supervisors use any of those reasons to describe your employment history?

21. A 2011 survey by CareerBuilder
A 2011 survey by CareerBuilder.com showed that 27 percent of the workers surveyed were late at least once a month. The most common reasons they gave included being held up by traffic(31%), oversleeping(18%), dealing with bad weather(11%), and taking children to school or daycare(8%).
Other reasons included delays in public transportation, pets, spouses, and television and Internet usage. About a third of the employers surveyed said they have had to fire employees for being late.

22. Meet employer expectations
Be Honest
Pay Attention to How You Look
Monitor Your Progress
Report to Work on Time
Solve Your Scheduling Problems
Make a Plan for Your life Outside of Work

23. Ideally, all employers would be clear about what they expect from employees and would provide the necessary training, guidance, and feedback to help employees meet those expectations. Ultimately it is the employee’s responsibility to make sure that they are doing their job well.

24. Have a positive attitude every day
To succeed, you have to work smart. Attitude is a major part of why people are let go. Whether you are looking for a job, starting a new one, or wanting to improve your performance on your current job, other people– your boss, coworkers, and your customers will be looking at you, judging you. They’re trying to make up their minds whether you fit into their workplace. Your words, gestures, and actions will tell them everything they need to know.

25. YOUR ATTITUDE CHECK LIST
Arrive early and stay late
Ask for more responsibility
Smile and be friendly
Volunteer to help others
Learn on your own time
Encourage others’ ideas
Ask for more training
Accept new assignments willingly
Accept help from others

26. Your attitude check list
Respond defensively
Interrupt others
Complain
Make unrealistic promises
Ignore others
Gossip
Act like a know-it-all
Blame others
Put tasks off to the last minute .

27. Look for ways to Enjoy your Work
Be positive
Let your supervisor know you care about your performance within the organization
Volunteer for new assignments
Transfer to a new job at the same organization
Teach or mentor others
Ask for what you want

28. Learn your job and do it well
Identify skills you need to improve
Take advantage of on the job training
Connect with others
Keep learning

29. Get along with others
Don’t underestimate the importance of getting to know the people in your workplace. Not getting along is one of the main reasons for being unhappy with a job and one of the top reasons people are fired.

30. Getting along with others includes:
Respecting your supervisor
Being a team player
Take direction with an open mind
Respect others’ work areas
Pay attention to how you communicate with others
Resolve conflicts quickly
Respect others by listening to them
Learn how to handle difficult coworkers
Think about the customer

31. Manage time & technology well while on the job
It’s easy to abuse technology. The phone is right there. The computer is right there. You’re not hurting anyone by using them for personal contact right? WRONG This is another form of theft from the employer if you spend your time managing your personal life on the cell phone, computer or by texting throughout the day

32. Workplace phone etiquette
Limit personal calls while at work 9incoming and outgoing). Schedule contacts during your break or lunch hour. If you must take a call keep it short.
Phones should be on vibrate so as not to bother others
Never use a phone: When driving a car, operating potentially dangerous machinery, in the company bathroom, when waiting on a customer and during a meeting

33. Dos and don’ts of computers at work
Protect your password
Use the computer as you have been trained to do
Route computer messages to only the people who need them
Follow procedures to avoid introducing viruses to the internal computer network
Clean out your inbox regularly
Follow policies and report security issues

34. Dos and don’ts of computers at work
Use your work to forward jokes, video clips, pictures or other non work related items.
Spend work time surfing the web for pleasure
Use to gripe about co workers
Visit any inappropriate sites
Access information that does not apply to your job
Complain about your workplace on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media sites

35. Be a professional
Start building your professional reputation- You can build on your reputation by making a few simple additions to what is typically expected of you.
Think like a supervisor- progress from thinking about only yourself to thinking like a supervisor who sees the big picture
Develop your network
Reach out to work your way up
Expand your network on line
Choose a mentor