Career progression has shifted on its head in recent years. Nowadays, the typical career path seems more squiggly than straight up. The realisation that careers can be flexible, approachable, and satisfying is now at the forefront for both employees and employers. Squiggly careers mean moving frequently and fluidly between roles, industries, locations, and careers and is becoming the new normal. The ways we work now, the kinds of roles we have, and the rate of change in the workplace have all contributed to this shift.

As a result, the need for transferable soft skills and people skills has never been more important. Soft skills are “a combination of interpersonal (people) skills and personal (career) attributes’. According to research, “85% of job success comes from having well-developed soft skills & people skills with 15% of job success comes from technical skills & knowledge (hard skills)”.

Communication

Communication skills are felt to be one of the most valued skills in the workplace, but it is thought that the development of these skills can be often overlooked in favour of technical trainings. Workers are more productive when they know how to communicate with their peers. If one can clearly express the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a project, that is clearly a hot ticket. Effective communication skills can give you the edge needed to progress in your role, and lead to great opportunities that hugely benefit both the employee and the employer.

Empathy

Empathy can be defined as an ‘other-focused’ emotional response that allows one person to effectively connect with one another, often through feelings of sympathy, compassion, tenderness, and concern. Within the workplace, empathy helps with management and collaboration by helping to understand other people’s perspectives. The idea of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes can make it easier to find a compromise between two points of view which leads to a quick resolution and better workplace morale.

Sustainable skills

Sustainability has become a real concern with end consumers in all industrial sectors, especially in combating the social, economic, and environmental challenges we all face. It is recommended that there must be a consideration of how to advise and provide the necessary sustainability skills to new employees to allow them to become more environmentally aware and sustainable as they progress to the next step in their career ladders. Action plans like the UN Sustainable Development Goals can aid both the employee and employer at large to create targets to achieve these global goals.

Flexibility

Flexibility and resilience are associated with greater job satisfaction, work happiness, role commitment, and employee engagement. Prof Carol Dweck at Stanford University found that are two types of mindsets: a fixed mindset and a growth (flexible) mindset. In a fixed mindset, intelligence is static whereas with a growth mindset intelligence can be developed. According to UCC researcher Dr Eithne Hunt, we are not born with a fixed level of intelligence, and everyone can develop their abilities through hard work, effective strategies, seeking support from others, and seeing setbacks as opportunities to build new skills.

Creativity

Being a creator is hugely significant in solving problems and generating opportunities in our fast-paced workplaces. Creativity is contagious and inspirational, encouraging teamwork and collaboration. Creative workplaces keep employees motivated, develop a sense of ownership, and as a result attract and retain employees.

Soft skills are something that we develop every day, both consciously and unconsciously, and in many parts of our lives. These include personal relationships, hobbies, volunteering, education, and work. In saying this, it is very important to invest time in upskilling in these top five skills and you’ll be sure to flourish in your squiggly career and personal and growth mindset.

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