 No matter the state of the economy, the employment marketplace is always competitive. You’re always competing with somebody for the job you want. Nobody has ever been the only person interviewed for an open position.
So how do you get the edge you need to make sure that you’re the person who gets hired? More and more, the answer to that question is social skills. Helping to validate that statement is a recent article on the Time.com website: “People Skills Matter More Than Ever Now” by Gina Belli. Drawing upon that article, below are three ways that developing and sharpening your social skills could help you to gain an employment edge: #1—Robots don’t have people skills. Sure, everywhere you look, more and more processes are becoming automated. Robots are seemingly taking over the world. (Insert your own Skynet joke here.) However, robots can’t do everything, and one of the things they can’t do is interact with a human being just like another human being can. The argument can be made that robots will never be able to do that . . . which might very well be a good thing for the human race. #2—Social skills make you more “hireable.” Putting aside the fact for a moment that “hireable” might not even be a word, employers are always in need of individuals who possess solid communication and people skills. Despite the increase in the use of robots and automated processes, people still rule the employment landscape. As a result, those who are skilled in the art of dealing with people can typically find a job more quickly than an equally talented and experienced person who lacks such social skills. #3—The potential for career growth (and wage growth) exists. An employment edge goes beyond just getting hired. It extends to career growth, as well, and that includes moving up the ladder within your current employer. In fact, the Time.com article alludes to the fact that social skills may very well help women close the wage gender gap. However, it doesn’t matter what your gender is; those with solid people skills are more likely to enjoy the kind of growth they’re seeking, both for their wages and for their careers. How would you assess your social skills? Are they adequate? Exemplary? Poor? What do you need to do in order to improve them? After all, your career might just depend upon them. Looking for a new job . . . and an employment edge? Search our jobs and apply online today! Comments are closed.
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