Working life can be hard – we’ll tell you five skills you need to be perfectly positioned in your career.
In order to be successful in your professional life, it is usually not enough to submit a good application letter and an outstanding CV. Often employers want to see that you have some skills that guarantee good job performance. We’ll tell you which things the bosses attach particular importance to and which you might want to learn.
1. Teamwork
Self-confidence hides mental strength, but it should not be confused with selfishness. Only those who act as successful team players are valued and accepted by their work colleagues. Have confidence in your abilities and contribute your ideas. The trick is to find a healthy balance between contribution and restraint, because too much of one thing won’t get you anywhere in your career. Approach the matter with empathy and think about how you can express your suggestion or criticism without hurting your colleagues with your words. The ability to work in a team, accept other opinions and find a solution together can give any career a huge boost and also shows your boss that he can trust you to succeed at work.
2. Communication
Another important skill that you should definitely have is communication skills. And this doesn’t just mean conveying information using text or speech, but also the ability to listen carefully to the person you’re talking to and know when it’s appropriate to be quiet. During every conversation at work, concentrate on the other person, make sure to maintain eye contact for the entire duration of the conversation and nod in agreement every now and then. Of course, you should also actively participate in the conversation, but the rule of friendliness also applies here. Do not interrupt the person you are talking to and avoid unnecessary arguments. Make sure that you are a pleasant conversation partner who can score points with friendliness and objectivity rather than the ability to always be right or at least want to be right.
3. Time management and organization
Time management and the ability to organize things are key professional skills that you should definitely have or acquire. You have to be able to set priorities, write to-do lists, keep track of things and always keep track of time. Strong organizational skills will help you complete all important tasks on time and at the same time reduce your stress level because you won’t be constantly jumping from one appointment to another in your mind, but will have everything organized effectively. Not only will your working day go better, you can also achieve better results and significantly improve your job performance.
4. Openness
Openness towards your superiors and colleagues is another important point. This is not about exchanging personal information, but about being open about ignorance or misconduct. If you don’t know something, ask again before you don’t do it at all or do it wrong. An intelligent and self-confident person admits when they don’t know something, asks a colleague or superior and then gets it right. Sooner or later, your colleagues will also appreciate it, because only with proper training and the necessary knowledge can you achieve the desired performance in your job. According to Steve Jobs, asking for help is the key to success – so dare to ask and be curious!
5. Critical ability and critical questioning
It’s almost impossible to get everything right all the time, so don’t even go to work with that attitude. Your self-confidence should never stand in your way, but on the contrary, ensure that you are successful. It will happen from time to time that you will be criticized. Whether it is constructive criticism or not is irrelevant because you have to show that you can handle it. Don’t fall into the position of defender, but let what is said sink in and be open to criticism. If you still don’t agree with the criticism after sufficient time to think about it, it’s time to question it critically, because this ability is also useful in your professional life. The old and tried and tested does not automatically have to be the right thing. Thinking critically and openly can make you an excellent problem solver.
Editorial team finanzen.net