Social Media & Communications Lauren Taylor – Dardanelle High School Skills To Pay The Bills Social Media & Communications Lauren Taylor – Dardanelle High School

How many times have you asked a teacher, “Why do I need to learn this material?” or “Why is this important to my future?”

Developing Skills It doesn’t matter which career you go into, you will need some of the same skills for all careers to be an effective employee. Being a high school student gives you a wide range of skills which can transfer over to college, the work force, and eventually your career. Think about the skills you have learned in your high school career, not the material, but skills.

Soft Skills Workforce Readiness Skills Interpersonal and Professional Definition: Personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people

6 Key Skills Areas Communication Enthusiasm & Attitude Teamwork Networking Problem Solving & Critical Thinking Professionalism

Communication Involves give and take Can be learned and strengthened over time How we give and receive information and convey ideas with those around us Essential to employers Rated at the top of the list for potential employees

Forms of Communication Verbal (sounds, language, and tone of voice) Aural (listening and hearing) Non-Verbal (facial expressions, body language, and posture) Written (journals, emails, blogs, and text messages) Visual (signs, symbols, and pictures)

Enthusiasm & Attitude Can be the difference between getting a job or not Will help an employee succeed and advance in their career Critical component of workplace success

Examples of Enthusiasm & Attitude In a job interview – SMILE, sit straight up, make eye contact, discuss work history in an upbeat manner Show up to work on time, show interest in your job, be willing to listen, try new things Approach customers proactively and offer assistance, find work that needs to be done in your down time

Teamwork Essential part of workplace success Compare to basketball team – the player who shoots gets credit, but everyone helped score When everyone works together, everyone achieves more Team members plan ahead, work together to assign tasks, assess progress, and deliver on time Have professional discussions with teammates

Skills and Habits of TEAMWORK Working cooperatively Contributing to groups with ideas, suggestions, and effort Communication (giving and receiving) Sense of responsibility Healthy respect for different opinions, customs, and individual preference Ability to participate in group decision-making

Networking “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Networking is a strategy for career development and exploration. A personal network is the group of people you interact with every day. Family, friends, parents of friends, neighbors, teachers, bosses, coaches Networking occurs every time you participate in a school or social event. Most people learn about job openings through friends, family members, or acquaintances Networking is an important skill and should be taught, but rarely is.

Effective Networking Networking is a two-way street Evaluate Your Contacts Meet and Mingle Always Get a Second Date Spend Time Social Networking Nurture & Maintain Strategic Relationships https://www.forbes.com/sites/drewhendricks/2014/08/21/6-ways-to-network-more-effectively/#70a97660648e

Problem Solving & Critical Thinking The workplace presents ongoing challenges on a daily basis Having skills to identify solutions to problems is one skill employers look for Problem solving and critical thinking refer to the ability to use knowledge, facts, and data to effectively solve problems This does not mean you need an immediate answer, but you should be able to think on your feet and come up with a solution

Professionalism All jobs have one thing in common – in order to move ahead you need to have professionalism. Professionalism means conducting yourself with responsibility, integrity, accountability, and excellence. Communicating effectively and appropriately and always finding a way to be productive are also part of professionalism. This is not one skill, rather a combination of qualities. Professionalism is easy to spot on any job by any employer.

Soft Skills Activities Over the next few days we will participate in a series of activities to help build your soft skills. Most of the activities require you to participate in a group. You will receive a “Performance Evaluation” by your class at the end of the activities. Pay attention to these skills and how you are using them in your group work.

Sources and Presentation Follow-Up Follow up this information with activities from: https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/youth/softskills/