10 Tips To Improve Your Interpersonal Skills - EmployeeConnect HRIS
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interpersonal skills

10 Tips To Improve Your Interpersonal Skills

When we list our skills on our CV, we always tend to focus on the core skills that we learnt from the various degrees, certifications, and diplomas. Quite often forget to jot down the core skills that we possess as an individual. One such core skill that we miss is interpersonal skills. Did you know that this skill can even land you your dream job? The interpersonal skills that we possess relate to our emotional intelligence, as it is a sum total of our social graces, personality traits, language, personal habits, communication, optimism, and friendliness which defines our relationships with others.

Today’s job market does not only look out for technical skills in an individual. It looks out for a candidate who has the potential to go beyond the call of duty and display that he or she has what it takes to fit seamlessly within an organisation’s culture. Recruiters these days conduct pre-screening tests which helps them to weed out candidates before they reach the interview stage. They conduct various types of assessments and personality tests which help them to gauge between two candidates who may possess similar experience and qualifications.

Recruiters identify interpersonal skills within candidates which can complement the technical skills that he or she possesses. Let’s take a look at a couple of interpersonal skills that the recruiters look out for:

  1.  Positive Attitude

A large part of your overall wellbeing stems from your mental wellbeing. If you have a positive bent of mind and carry that attitude to your workplace, it provides you with the motivation to give your best. Having a positive attitude urges you to perform even better. During an interview, in order to display your positive attitude, just stay calm and positive from within during the entire process. Project this attitude within you right from the time you write your cover letter, till the time you appear for the interview, and bag that job. It is not that difficult if you breathe positivity by habit.

  1. Communication

Possessing this basic skill is quite significant. Communication entails the ability to read, write, and speak clearly. For instance, when you are writing a personalised letter for job openings, you should be able to highlight your interests and relevant work experience in the most effective manner. You need to keep it balanced by infusing your personality and being professional at the same time. Always remember to end the draft with a robust closing line.

  1. Self Confidence

Is there a way that you can feel confident that you are “the candidate” for this position? It is not at all difficult. Look up the internet and research the position and the company that you are applying for. Once you have done your homework, you will automatically start feeling a lot more confident than going to the interview like a blank slate. During an interview, if the interviewer asks you a tricky question and you do not know the appropriate answer, instead of struggling if you hold your head high and politely yet diplomatically know how to state your inability to answer that particular question, it may impress your recruiter instead of being disappointed in you. Nobody expects you to know everything; however, if you fail to leave a good first impression, it conveys your prospective employer that you are not confident and will not be able to carry out your duties well. In fact, an interview is the right place to prove to your recruiter using your self-confidence that you have what it takes in you to deliver.

  1. Being a Team Player

Recruiters always look out for candidates with this particular skill. Since today’s working environment is culturally diverse, it is very important for a candidate to get along fairly well with people from different nationalities, states, regions, and cultures.

  1. Time Management

It is quite important that you know how to develop effective strategies to manage your time well at work. You should practice time management to master it into an art form. You should know when and what to prioritise and what and when to let go. Multi-tasking and time management are much sought after skills by recruiters.

  1. Handling Pressure

Most of the jobs these days demand a high level of pressure tolerance. An employer always prefers a candidate if they come to know that you have the niche trait of crisis management and staying calm and putting up your best foot forward in times of pressure. You may corroborate this skill of yours with past experience/experiences where you have worked under pressure and how you managed to handle the pressure. Bring that experience to light may just work in your favour.

  1. Problem Solving

Are you someone who is known to be a resourceful person at work? While you may not have all the answers, it is perfectly fine if you are at least able to look for them and know what to do in challenging situations. Recruiters look out for people who can take ownership and project an attitude of accountability.

  1. Flexibility

Recruiters always look out for individuals who display an attitude of flexibility. A candidate who is adaptable and flexible puts their best foot forward even in challenging circumstances and is certainly an asset for an organisation. Flexibility should be mutually beneficial to both the employee and the employer and produce superior outcomes.

  1. Acceptance of Constructive Feedback

Employers do not prefer individuals who cannot take any form of criticism personally. Candidates who are coachable and open to feedback or advice are preferred by organisations. Even during an interview if your interviewer points out some mistake and suggests something, you need to have an attitude to thank them. Accepting negative feedback gracefully speaks volumes about your character and makes you a potential pick in the eyes of your recruiters.

  1. Strong Work Ethics

Work ethics is a self-belief within an individual that any kind of work has a moral responsibility attached to it. Work ethics speaks volumes about an individual’s innate strength of moral character. Organisations these days are finding it harder to find reliable, punctual, honest, and dependable workers with strong work ethics.

What to do if you lack any of these Interpersonal Skills?

All these interpersonal skills are quite important to land you the job of your dreams. But in case you are lacking in some of these areas, what should you do? Here are some of the ways in which you can probe into yourself and think of how to imbibe these interpersonal skills:

  • Develop a skills inventory and identify areas of self-improvement. Seek the support of family and friends to help you out.
  • Try and be more active in team activities, especially if you always quite used to working independently and prefer making your own decisions.
  • Ponder upon how you spend your time, both at home and at work.
  • Analyse yourself as to how do you react to criticism.
  • Think about what you think your life purpose is and how your career fits into your life purpose.

 

Byron Conway
byron@employeeconnect.com

Content Coordinator at EmployeeConnect