7 People Skills to Help You Succeed at Work

Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, having people skills can help you be more successful at work. While “hard skills” acquired through training is one way to get ahead, not having the “soft skills” and social prowess to connect with coworkers can put you one step behind.

Why People Skills Matter

Since you won’t always be working independently, being able to build and maintain work relationships is an essential part of the gig. Soft skills like communication or self-awareness are critical to seamless collaboration.

Skill #1: Communication

Getting your point across in writing and conversations with your coworkers is the most valuable skill of all. Being able to articulate your message for varying audiences will not only help you sell your ideas, but it will increase your value as a candidate.

“Improve your value by 50 percent just by learning communication skills like public speaking.” —Waren Buffet

Skill #2: Charisma

Having a positive mindset while conducting business is infectious. It’s a certain energy that’s described as being charismatic. According to Vanessa Van Edwards, charisma is a blend of two personality traits: warmth and competence.

Skill #3: Awareness

Reading the room for social cues is a critical soft skill in business that helps you determine how to approach your coworkers. Not only should you be aware of their actions, but you can work to self-regulate and be mindful of your body language when entering a room.

Skill #4: Listening

Being an active listener shows you are listening to figure out how to respond with the intent of asking more questions. Absorb more details to avoid miscommunications that hinder your workflow. Another surprise? As a result, you may bond with another amazing human!

Skill #5: Empathy

When a challenge arises, put yourself in your coworker’s shoes so you can respond with compassion. Supporting your coworkers is a form of emotional return, also known as “corporate karma.” Don’t forget to also demonstrate empathy when interviewing for a job.

Skill #6: Assertiveness

Assertion is a great way to protect yourself in the workplace. When taking on new tasks, it’s important to know when to say no and how to say it confidently. Without social assertiveness, you can risk being a people pleaser and have difficulty in earning respect.

Skill #7: Problem Solving

Be the one who can solve problems at work with a strategic, creative, and organized mindset. Stay calm to find the best solution so projects can run more efficiently with less stress. While being able to solve problems is a necessity, so is adding this skill to your resume. To impress your future employer with your soft skills, browse our open jobs now.

Did you gain value from this article? For more career tips, check out these articles: showing soft skills in an interview, supporting employee mental health, and how to fight time blindness.