If you wish to withstand the tough competition in the talent-hungry market scenario and gain a respectable position that does justice to your degree or qualification, then you’ve got to master certain skills which can take you to places.

Irrespective of whichever field you choose, be it medical, legal, political or the business world; hiring and promotions are carried out largely on the basis of communication and interpersonal skills rather than on the degree or technical expertise.

Here are 9 skills you need to develop to be a professional:

1. Communication

There is hardly any job that does not require a worker to have communication skills, Communication could be verbal or written though this would also include listening skills. Having communication skills allows you to put forward your point succinctly. When at a job, you will need to communicate with different kind of people about various issues. The slightest of miscommunication can prove to be highly disastrous.

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins

2. Presentation skills

This skill is closely related to communication skills, however it deserves separate attention because of the fact that effectively presenting your idea or a business success story formally to an audience that grabs their attention and keeps them engrossed is an achievement in itself.  Effective presentation is like motivating your audience to the extent that they start giving valuable input and start to act in accordance with your desired outcome. The more effectively you market yourself or your company the more positively publicity you gain, coming into limelight.

3. Reasoning

This is yet another skill of the highest importance. When you come across a problem, you obviously have to address it, and it is a challenge to handle problems efficiently. You will prove to be an asset to the company if you have logic skills and are good in this area.

4. Technical literacy

Most of the businesses require this of their workers. Some businesses are completely based on technology while others require it, more or less, for managing their work; but virtually every business uses computers. Considering this, it is very important that you have a basic know how of computers and technology without which you will hardly find any job in a business environment.

5. Analytical

 Analytical skills are required for you to be able to evaluate a situation and thus act accordingly. These research skills help you to look at the situation from various angles, find out more about the problem and see how you can solve it. In short, you are able to recognize, analyze, improve and simplify the matter at hand.

6. Leadership

This may not be a requirement for every job, but it surely adds to your personality. Having leadership skills helps you to manage your colleagues. Leadership skills ensure a productive environment which is important for motivating and guiding employees in order that they fulfill the organizational goals.

7. Flexibility

Being adaptable means you can manage various work environments and can deal with different tasks and/or conditions. Being flexible means you can handle it if your responsibilities are changed or increased.

8. Interpersonal

Even if your job does not require dealing with clients, you should be having interpersonal skills as these help you relate with your colleagues. It is important to build healthy relationships at your workplace and be able to work around conflicts among your colleagues.

9. Anger management

 You need to be able to control your anger for your own sake if not for the company and your colleagues, though that is important too. Suppose one worker gets on your nerves by coming short on their work, or maybe disrupting the workplace discipline or any other reason. You do not want to stress out or yell at them. It is not good for your heart, for one. Secondly, you would then be responsible for ruining the environment, which no one wants.

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” – Buddha

Conclusion

A number of these skills are actually interlinked with each other. For instance, while it is apparent that you would need leadership skills to lead a team, interpersonal skills are also required if you want to be able to relate to your team members. Communication skills are essential if you wish to convey your point across your team. Analytical and problem solving skills are required to address any conflict your project or team meets.

Any investment in enhancing or bettering your  skills set is a worthwhile one. These may range from improving upon your verbal communication skills, working positively in the work environment or learning to work in collaboration as a team. The best part about mastering these skills is that they are ‘transferable’ from industry to industry and jobs as well. These skills will help you explore new avenues and build a strong professional career.

Which skill do you need to develop? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!