You Will Need To Develop Two Sets Of Skills To Enhance Your

You Will Need To Develop Two Sets Of Skills To Enhance Your Employabil

You will need to develop two sets of skills to enhance your employability—hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills include career-specific techniques, knowledge, and experience related to the tasks you will perform on the job. For example, to become a psychologist, you would need to develop hard skills such as knowledge of counseling theories, the ability to administer psychological tests, and the ability to diagnose mental illnesses. Soft skills, on the other hand, are the skills you need to succeed interpersonally in any job. They are behaviors and attitudes that help you communicate effectively with others, either verbally or nonverbally. These have also been referred to as signs of emotional intelligence, people skills, or interpersonal skills. In 2006, a consortium of four organizations conducted a survey of four hundred employers to determine which skills they most valued in recently hired employees. The employers listed soft skills as more desirable than hard skills. The employers listed the following skills as the most important (Conference Board et al., 2006): "professionalism/work ethic, oral and written communications, and teamwork/collaboration." Click here to view a list of applied skills. Click here to review the key skills most valued by employers.

Note the finding that most college graduates lacked many of these skills. Complete the following: Describe the differences between hard and soft skills. Cite at least one academic source for this description. Analyze the possible reasons for the recent findings that fewer college graduates are employment ready. In other words, explain why they are lacking in hard and soft skills. Back up your ideas and opinions with information cited from this module's required readings or other academic sources. Select at least three hard or soft skills you believe you have demonstrated well in school or at work and provide illustrative examples of situations in which you have demonstrated the skills. Select three hard or soft skills you believe you need to acquire or improve upon. Provide examples of situations in which you might have demonstrated a weakness in those areas. Provide specific details when describing each situation. Cover the following: How do you think you can improve your skills in these three areas? Are there any specific steps you can take to increase your aptitude in those particular areas? Reference : Conference Board, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Corporate Voices for Working Families, & Society for Human Resource Management. (2006). Are they really ready to work? Employers' perspectives on the basic knowledge and applied skills of new entrants to the 21st century U.S. workforce. Retrieved from

Paper For Above instruction

The distinction between hard and soft skills is fundamental to understanding employability and how individuals prepare for the workforce. Hard skills are tangible, teachable abilities specific to a job or industry, such as technical knowledge, procedural skills, or academic qualifications. These skills are acquired through education, training, and hands-on experience. Examples include proficiency in programming languages, data analysis, or counseling techniques. In contrast, soft skills refer to interpersonal and intrapersonal skills that facilitate effective communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability. As articulated by Robles (2012), soft skills are vital for navigating workplace relationships and contributing to a positive organizational environment. The importance of these skills has been emphasized by employers who, through surveys such as those by the Conference Board et al. (2006), have expressed a preference for soft skills like professionalism, communication, and collaboration over technical knowledge alone.

Several factors contribute to the observation that many recent college graduates lack employment readiness in both hard and soft skills. One key reason is the disconnect between higher education curricula and industry needs. Universities often emphasize theoretical knowledge, neglecting practical application and soft skill development. Moreover, the increasing emphasis on standardized testing and coursework may leave students less engaged in experiential learning opportunities that foster skill development. Additionally, the proliferation of digital communication and social media has affected interpersonal skill development, leading to more superficial communication methods that undermine soft skills like active listening or emotional intelligence (Kim & Bonk, 2006).

Furthermore, the changing nature of the workforce, which requires a blend of technical expertise and interpersonal capabilities, may be inadequately addressed in traditional education systems. This results in graduates possessing the necessary hard skills but lacking crucial soft skills, or vice versa. Economic factors, such as limited internship opportunities and labor market saturation, also hinder students' ability to gain real-world experience, further exacerbating skill gaps (Levy & Murnane, 2004).

Personally, I believe I have demonstrated strong communication, teamwork, and time-management skills in both academic and professional settings. For example, in group projects, I regularly coordinated tasks among team members, ensuring deadlines were met and clear communication was maintained. During an internship, I effectively communicated client needs to the team, resulting in a successful project delivery. However, I recognize areas for improvement, such as technical skills in data analysis, adaptability to new digital tools, and conflict resolution. For example, in a previous situation, I struggled to mediate disagreements among team members due to limited conflict management training. To enhance these skills, I plan to undertake targeted online courses in data analytics, participate in workshops on digital literacy, and seek mentorship opportunities focusing on conflict resolution. These steps will help me become more proficient and adaptable to the evolving professional landscape.

In conclusion, a balanced development of hard and soft skills is essential for career success. Educational institutions and individuals must collaborate to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical skills, ensuring graduates are truly workforce-ready. By actively engaging in continuous learning and skill enhancement, individuals can better meet employer expectations and thrive in the competitive job market.

References

• Conference Board, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Corporate Voices for Working Families, & Society for Human Resource Management. (2006). Are they really ready to work? Employers' perspectives on the basic knowledge and applied skills of new entrants to the 21st century U.S. workforce. Retrieved from
• Kim, C., & Bonk, C. J. (2006). The future of online teaching and learning in higher education: The survey says. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 29(4), 22-30.
• Levy, F., & Murnane, R. J. (2004). The new division of labor: How computers are creating the next job economy. Princeton University Press.
• Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in the workplace. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453–465.