10 Quick Must-Have-Skills to be Career Fit

Develop Leaders2There are necessary must-have-skills that will support you in any career. They determine your ability to be promoted and ready for future career opportunities, and, they impact your side gigs and entrepreneurial interests as well. If you become too comfortable and fail to develop your skills, there is a greater risk of being sidelined in your career.

Instead of expecting your employer to help you develop these skills, take program(s) (on-line and in workshops), hire a coach and raise your hand when opportunities appear at work.

Remember, no one was born possessing these skills … it takes time and commitment to be ready when career options appear.

Career Fitness!

Regardless of your career choice(s) the following 10 skills are required to succeed in any position.

    1. Communication. Possessing and developing good verbal, non-verbal and written skills are critical. Become aware of how your choice of words, gestures and stories impact others.
    2. Decision-making. The ability to create, negotiate and follow-through on agreements is key to making good decisions with win-win outcomes. Remember, someone may forget the details, but, they won’t forget whether your attitude was helpful or hurtful.
    3. Project Management. Many studies have shown that accountability and responsibility are required to brainstorm an idea with a positive ROI, design a viable system and execute the plan to achieve intended results. Work with your coach when team conflicts, withdrawal of funds or other project stopping situations occur; otherwise, they will take the project (and your career) off course!
    4. Resiliency. The key is, when mistakes or failures happen, and they will, learn how to responsibly resolve the matter and move on. Use it as a teaching moment for you and the team…and keep moving forward.
    5. Business Basics. There will be skills that you enjoy learning and others that you won’t. It’s important to use a qualified assessment to understand “why.” This awareness helps you develop the needed mindset required to learn all of them. For example, if you don’t have an interest in financial management, becoming an accountant is not the best idea. However, it is important to learn basic accounting skills, read a P&L and develop good money practices.
    6. Sales and Customer Service. In almost any position within a company (or as a business owner), you impact the customer! Take responsibility for ensuring you’re a positive contributor in the sales cycle (e.g., prospecting, uncovering needs, presenting and winning the sale) and delivering the results.
    7. Follow-up and Follow-through. In the current survey I’m conducting, one of the most common challenges many express is the failure of people to return calls or provide promised information. Listen and deliver. Do NOT rely on your brochure or website to answer a prospective customer’s questions or current customer’s interest in learning more. This can be one of the most important skills you learn, and the reason opportunities disappear.
    8. Manage Your Time. Good habits are developed through positive practices. Return all calls. Be on time for everything. And, fulfill your promises.
    9. Bragging. Self-promotion is important today. If you’re not aware of your achievements, neither is anyone else. You will be overlooked for promotions, pay increases, and new business and other lucrative opportunities. Learn how to brag in a business savvy manner. You cannot rely on your boss, customers or business associates to do it for you!
    10. Hire, Manage and Coach. Every boss needs to learn these critical ingredients for business success … it starts with hiring the right person for the right job. Only then can you effectively manage and coach. Engaged workforces, satisfied customers and profitable performance don’t happen by accident!

If you are willing to learn and practice these 10 must-have-skills, you will succeed in your career!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly has been recognized as a catalyst for the past 25 years. As an executive coach, speaker and author, she provides straight talk with dynamic results. Remember, it’s up to you to learn and perfect the necessary career skills so you can have a great career, start your own business and/or become a self-employed! Don’t wait! Step up now! Check out her website, or contact Jeannette for a preliminary confidential conversation.

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