Essential Skills
Hard Skills, Soft Skills
Hard skills refers to the technical knowledge necessary for a particular job. Examples of hard skills would be Adobe Suite for a graphic designer or budgeting for a financial planner.
Soft skills--also called essential skills--are necessary for success in any job. Communication, creativity, dependability, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, relationship-building, customer service, and project management represent a few of the skills that employers value.
High school provides great opportunities for practicing essential skills for your future career. While solving algebraic equations and writing research papers, you are learning dependability and problem-solving skills. You are developing skills for communicating clearly and working well with others.
School to Work: Are You Ready?
Adaptibility
Are you flexible when circumstances change? Do you make the best of a challenging situation? Are you willing to try a different way of doing things?
Communication
Do you contribute to class discussion? Do you both listen and share ideas? Do you know how to interact with others in a social setting? Do you look people in the eye when you speak? Do you carry yourself with confidence?
Dependability
Do you submit assignments on time? In a small group, do you do your fair share of the work?
Leadership
Do you lead by example in your personal life--making healthy choices and doing the right thing? Do you step up when leadership is needed in your club, sports team, small group, or class? Do you set a positive direction for others to follow?
Relationship-Building
Do you treat everyone with kindness, respect, and fairness? Do you take time to talk with others and get to know them? Do you express appreciation to those who serve you?