Soft Skills for Career Success
10th Grade
Informed Career Decisions #1
(Microsoft, 2011)
Pre-Test
1. What are two soft skills employers
mention most often?
2. What are three steps to manage a
conflict?
3. ______________ diversity is an
important soft skill for most employers.
Soft Skills Survey
Tabulate Soft Skills Survey
• Add scores for eight items
– 36 and Above: Excellent Soft Skills
– 30 to 35: Good Soft Skills
– 29 and Below: Need to Improve Soft Skills
Objectives
• Learn more about the importance of soft skills
o Communication
o Teamwork
o Work well with diverse
populations
o Empathy
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Positive Attitude
Growth Mindset
Self-Control
Out-of-School Activities
Communication and Teamwork
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The soft skills employers reference most often is
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Communication
Teamwork
These 2 skills are becoming increasingly in the workplace
Watch The Power of Soft Skills Video
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Is a Canadian IT program video but outlines soft skills well
Pay close attention to communication, teamwork & points about
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Good attitude
Verbal and written presentations
Working well in a diverse workforce
Important Communication Skills
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Speak clearly and succinctly
– Provide a compelling message
– Deliver essential details while monitoring number of words
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Provide specific details with concrete examples
– People like to hear short stories
– Examples raise understanding and support for your ideas
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Be a good listener
– Helps build strong relationships
– Team members often have good ideas
Important Teamwork Skills
1. Do Your Part
– Avoid not doing enough and taking over projects
2. Compromise at appropriate times
– Balance compromising and supporting your good ideas
3. Get along well with team members
– Focus on the positive traits of co-workers
– Make time to have fun and laugh together
– Manage conflicts well
1. Talk it out effectively
2. Know when to ignore small things
3. Get help when the first two steps do not work
Groups: Pick 3 Most Important Skills
and Explain Why
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Speak clearly and succinctly
Make time to have fun and laugh together
Provide specific details with concrete examples
Focus on the positive traits of co-workers
Be a good listener
Do your part on projects
Compromise at appropriate times
Get along well with team members
Manage conflicts well
Work Well with Diverse Populations
• The workplace is becoming increasingly diverse
• Most employers want workers who work well with
diverse populations
– Race, sexual orientation, gender, disabilities, religion, age,
geographic area, educational level, etc.
• Watch the Embracing Diversity video
– Pay special attention to how this center embraces diversity
Group Activity: Answer 2 Questions
• The last line of the video is
– As long as you are a person, you are invited to the
Howard Thurman Center
• Why do you think that this attitude is important to
most employers?
• How might this attitude help increase production
at the workplace?
Positive Attitude
• Some things that people might believe with a
positive attitude
– Mother Teresa quote: Every time you smile at person, it
is an action of love and a gift to that person
– I see opportunities in every problem
– I am grateful for all my gifts
• Watch the Employee Career Tip Video
– Notice how a positive attitude helps in this business
Growth Mindset
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People with a growth mindset believe that
– Intelligence is something that you become through strong
effort and persistence
• People with a growth mindset & optimistic attitude tend to
– Have a more positive self-image
– Look at others in a more positive light
– Show more tenacity in complex group tasks
Empathy
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Empathy: the ability to see another person’s point of view
Empathy is helpful on the job because it helps create a
positive work environment
Most employers want someone who can see others’ point
of view and uses that ability to gain more understanding
Watch the No Empathy Video
– Do not do this
Self-Control
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Watch The Hard Facts Behind Soft Skills Video
– Students with high amounts of self-control tend to practice
more habits of success
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3 Ramp-Up Habits of Success are
1. Use a planner and binder
2. Take notes
3. Have a set study time every night
• Students that have low self-control are more likely to drink
and do drugs in college
– This is too often a main factor when students have academic and
personal problems in college
Out-of-School Activities
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Watch the Alcohol: True Stories video
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What is more common is when alcohol and drug abuse
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Results in students not reaching their academic & personal goals
Positive out-of-school activities in college
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Video details very bad stories about alcohol abuse
First select friends who are a positive influence
Join clubs in your areas of interest
Participate in intermural activities/Stay physically active
Balance these activities with your daily study time
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You will have just a few classes and a lot of free time
Group Activity: Pick Individual 3 Strengths
Explain How You Demonstrate These Soft Skills
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Good communicator
Valuable team member
Work well with diverse groups of people
Participate in positive after-school activities
Have positive attitude
Have a growth mindset
Show empathy toward others
Practice habits of success
Others
Sample Student:
Update Postsecondary Plan
Update Your Postsecondary Plan
• Update the Strengths section
– Write 3 Soft Skills strengths
Post-Test
1. What are two soft skills employers
mention most often?
2. What are three steps to manage a
conflict?
3. ______________ diversity is an
important soft skill for most employers.
Review
• Two soft skills employers mention most often
– Good communicator and team player
• Three steps to manage a conflict
1. Talk it out effectively
2. Know when to ignore small things
3. Get help when the first two steps do not work
• ______________ diversity is an important soft
skill for most employers.
– Embracing