Employee Skills and Qualities

What Employers Want Effective Oral and Written Communication Skills89% Critical Thinking & Analytic Reasoning Skills81% Apply Knowledge & Skills to Real World Settings79% Analytic Skill & Complex Problem Solving75% Connect Choices & Actions to Ethical Decisions75% Source: USA Today, Thursday, January 21, 2010, p. D7

Skill Developed or acquired ability Developed or acquired ability

Quality Characteristic/distinguishable attribute Characteristic/distinguishable attribute

Skills Keyboarding Keyboarding 10-key 10-key Following directions Following directions Listening Listening Communication Communication Computer Computer Prioritizing/delegating /interruptions Prioritizing/delegating /interruptions Telephone Proofreading Organization Math Time Management Stress Management Leadership

Skills Goal Setting Goal Setting Multi-tasking Multi-tasking Filing Filing Critical Thinking Critical Thinking Creative Thinking Creative Thinking Interpersonal Interpersonal Decision-Making Equipment  Typewriter, copier, fax, postage meter Troubleshooting

Listening Skills We spend about 80% of our waking hours communicating with at least 45% of that being listening. We spend about 80% of our waking hours communicating with at least 45% of that being listening. Listening versus Hearing Listening versus Hearing Bly, Amy and Robert. “Improving your Listening Skills.

Four Steps to Listening 1. Hearing 2. Interpretation  Nonverbal cues provide the majority (60/40) of the meaning exchanged in any interaction. 3. Evaluation  Sales pitch? 4. Respond

Three levels to Listening Active listening Active listening Passive listening Passive listening Nonlistening Nonlistening

Active Listener Full attention--stop and listen Full attention--stop and listen Frequent feedback Frequent feedback  Wait 3-5 sec. Eye contact Eye contact Body language Body language Expressions Expressions Listen with CARE Listen with CARE  Concentrate  Acknowledge  Restate  Empathi ze

Passive Listener Selective hearing Selective hearing More focused on responding More focused on responding Gets anxious and often interrupts Gets anxious and often interrupts Doesn’t hear entire message Doesn’t hear entire message Allows distractions to affect listening Allows distractions to affect listening

Nonlistener Makes no effort to hear or understand message Makes no effort to hear or understand message Allows external inputs to affect attention Allows external inputs to affect attention Answers inappropriately Answers inappropriately

Listening Skills Do you have an open mind? Do you have an open mind? Do you listen only to criticize? Do you listen only to criticize? Do you multitask while listening? Do you multitask while listening? Do you avoid distractions? Do you avoid distractions? Do you interrupt or jump to conclusions? Do you interrupt or jump to conclusions? Are you aware of your body language? Are you aware of your body language? Remember, you can think four times faster than the speaker can talk. Remember, you can think four times faster than the speaker can talk.

Listening An average teacher can talk at a rate of words per minute, but many students are only capable of taking notes at a rate of only 20 words per minute. An average teacher can talk at a rate of words per minute, but many students are only capable of taking notes at a rate of only 20 words per minute. People listen at a 25% efficiency rate, or less, and the average person remembers only about half of what’s said during a 10-minute conversation and forgets half of that within 48 hours. People listen at a 25% efficiency rate, or less, and the average person remembers only about half of what’s said during a 10-minute conversation and forgets half of that within 48 hours. Ruhl, Hughes, Schloss. "Using the Pause Procedure to Enhance Lecture Recall,” 10, 14-18

Following Directions Read/hear all directions before starting Read/hear all directions before starting Use listening skills Use listening skills Clarify, repeat if oral Clarify, repeat if oral Take good notes Take good notes

Giving Directions Cover key points Cover key points Think about sequence of instruction Think about sequence of instruction Reinforce with examples Reinforce with examples Ask for confirmation—check-in Ask for confirmation—check-in Don’t overwhelm the listener Don’t overwhelm the listener

Communication Skills Two-way communication (at least) Two-way communication (at least) Formal and Informal Formal and Informal Verbal and Written Verbal and Written Know topic Know topic Know audience Know audience Use appropriate vocabulary Use appropriate vocabulary Never assume Never assume

Communication Skills Practice “active” listening Practice “active” listening Use humor when appropriate Use humor when appropriate 4 C’s 4 C’s  Complete (who, what, when, where, why)  Concise  Courteous  Correct

Letter Style Guide 234 Main Street Modesto, CA January 8, 2007 Mr. James Brown Office Administration Instructor Majority Junior College 235 West Carpenter Road Modesto, CA Dear Mr. Brown: It has been very enjoyable having your students volunteer in our organization this semester. I have interviewed each of them, and they said that they were glad that they had the opportunity to gain experience in our office and that they learned a great deal. Will you be offering this program again next semester? If so, we would be eager to participate again. You may contact Alice Herald to set up any future positions. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to service the college students in this manner. Sincerely, Jennifer Sturdt, Student

Memo Style Guide TO:Alice Herald, Office Manager TO:Alice Herald, Office Manager FROM:Jennifer Sturdt, President DATE:January 8, 2001 SUBJECT:Majority Junior College Volunteers I feel that using the student volunteers from Majority College was very beneficial to the organization and to the students. I have informed James Brown that we would be willing to participate again. He will contact you next semester if they need us. If you have any comments that we have not already discussed about the program, please contact me.

Computer Skills Software/utilization Software/utilization  Word processing  Database  Spreadsheet  Presentation  Information Manager Troubleshooter Troubleshooter

Handling Interruptions 1,000 people interviewed—interrupted an average of 24 times daily 1,000 people interviewed—interrupted an average of 24 times daily Find a quiet place Find a quiet place Communicate need (high-priority job) Communicate need (high-priority job) “Can we talk about this later?” “Can we talk about this later?” Be polite, but truthful Be polite, but truthful Use markers to return to spot Use markers to return to spot Work during “best” time for you Work during “best” time for you

Delegating ASK (don’t assume it’s okay) ASK (don’t assume it’s okay) Initiate support Initiate support Delegate to capable workers Delegate to capable workers Offer assistance to others when they need it Offer assistance to others when they need it

Filing Ten basic rules to alphabetic filing Ten basic rules to alphabetic filing Filing Methods Filing Methods  Alphabetic  Numeric  Geographic  Subject Supplies Supplies

Personality Tests True Colors— True Colors—