5 Soft Skills That Make an Employee Invaluable

This is a guest post from Holly McCarthy - guest voice inside Raven’s Brain.

There’s a lot that goes on during the hiring process in any firm – the potential employee knows that the HR people are sizing him/her up not just in terms of the resume that was sent in earlier, but also in terms of the soft skills he or she possesses. In fact, soft skills are more in demand than hard skills which can be imparted to any employee with the right amount of training. The former on the other hand, are innate qualities that are honed with years of experience and a razor-sharp brain that learns quickly to adapt to changing situations. If you are looking to develop your soft skills, here are the top five to concentrate on:

· Team spirit: Most projects are team based, and this is why you must be a great team player in order to become a valued employee. Good team players are appreciative of their teammates when they are accorded the kudos they deserve for work well done; they don’t backbite and cause friction within the team; they are instrumental in soothing ruffled feathers and getting team members to focus on the work at hand rather than on petty differences; they are the first to give credit where it’s due; and they don’t take credit for their teammates’ work. They realize that the achievement of the goal must be a consolidated team effort, and that every member of the team must pull their weight in order to get things done well within the deadline.
· Amiability: Companies prefer employees who are friendly with their coworkers and superiors. They don’t get into frequent arguments or cause friction among their colleagues. They are able to get along with colleagues, both old and new, and work well with them.
· Maturity: Employees who are mature do not let petty quarrels get in the way of work. They know that personal differences must not affect work at any cost. They’re able to take it in their stride even if they’re raked over the coals by their supervisors or bosses or if their work is criticized by others. And they’re able to handle rumors and backbiting by ignoring them and concentrating on work.
· The ability to compartmentalize: Employees who are able to keep their work life and personal life separate are always in demand. Organizations are not too keen on hiring people who tend to take time off for one too many personal emergencies or who are depressed and lifeless at work because of a personal crisis. This attitude has a negative effect on their work and on their teammates and colleagues.
· Integrity: An employee who is conscientious, who works to the best of his ability even when unsupervised, and who has integrity, is valued for these qualities. He or she will not fake accounts when spending company money; they will regard company property as their own and care for it accordingly; and they will not take time off when the company really needs their services.

One thing that most organizations would do well to remember is that what goes around comes around. If they treat their employees well, their employees in turn will be motivated to give their best and improve on their hard and soft skills. But if they indulge in underhand tactics and favoritism, then they’re likely to be faced with employees who are demoralized and who feel cheated. It’s a two-way aspect that works only when both hands come together – and then you can hear the applause!

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By-line:
This guest post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of the best universities. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com