Never Underestimate the Importance of "People Skills"

​We addressed in a previous blog post the importance of accumulating experience, even if that experience is the result of a temporary work assignment. That's because experience can add value to your candidacy, and the more valuable you are, the more likely an employer will be to hire you.
 
As we've mentioned, an employer will hire you for two main reasons:
 

1. Your experience
2. Your skills

 
We've talked about your experience. Now let's discuss your skills, especially your "people skills." There are two main categories of skills - hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills refer to the work that you do. Soft skills deal with how you interact with people.
 
In other words, these are your "people skills."
 
Now, perhaps you do not consider yourself to be a "people person." After all, not everybody can be such a person naturally. Some people are extroverts, while others are more shy or introverted. It's a safe assumption that an extrovert is more of a "people person" than an introvert. (While that is not always the case, it's usually the case.)
 
Even if you are an introvert by nature and even if you do not consider yourself to be a "people person," you should strive to improve your "people skills." That's because you should never underestimate the importance of "people skills."
 
There are three main reasons why this is the case:
 
#1 - It gives you an edge over other people in the job market.
 
If you have the same skills and experience as another job seeker, but you have better "people skills," then an employer will want to hire you. This is essentially the tiebreaker in situations where a hiring manager can't decide between two candidates.
 
#2 - It can help you to do your job better once you're hired.
 
Let's face it: you work with other people. It's unavoidable. The better that you're able to deal with other people, the better that you'll be able to do your job. The better that you're able to do your job, the more value you will provide to your employer. And the more value that you provide to your employer, the more likely it is that you will receive a raise and/or bonus.
 
#3 - Networking is a crucial component of a person's career.
 
You've probably heard the phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Well, it's both what you know and who you know. So it's a good idea to know as many people as you possibly can in your quest to both grow and enjoy your career.
 
With all of this in mind, if you're not confident in your "people skills," then you should take steps to remedy that. There are training materials available that will help you, and keep in mind that the more you do something, the better you become at doing it.
 
So push yourself out of your comfort zone. Interact with more people and do it more frequently. Ultimately, the person you will help the most is YOU.
 
Are you currently engaged in a job search? Then Time Staffing can help!
 
Contact us today to find out about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field.