Most often these are thought of soft skills, someone may have all of the technical skills or hard qualifications needed to get the job, but most often the employer will select the person who has all of the required soft skills instead.
Ever wonder why? During one of my one-on-one coffee chats with a vice president of one of the longest standing and top technology companies in the world answered this very question. She said that all of the technical skills can be taught, soft skills are much more difficult to teach because it has a lot to do with a person’s character traits.
As a communication specialist soft skills are crucial to your success. I have gathered this list from speaking to top hiring managers, networking, and personal experience.
Lets go through them one by one.
- Demonstrated ability to work well with others
The ability to work as a team member is one of the traits that is most commonly looked for in communication specialists. This is true because of the coordination between not only the communication team but also the collaboration needed between internal organizational departments and also external teams that you will need to work with in order to bring the campaigns to life.
- Keen attention to detail
This is very important. This will help you in the long run.
- Effective scheduling and prioritizing workflow
As a communication specialist you will need to manage your own calendar as a collaborating member of your team but should also know where all of the moving pieces of the project lie at any given moment. By keeping and maintaining an effective schedule and prioritizing the workflow your organization will have the ability to count on you as the system grows more complex.
- Ability to analyze data of a confidential and/or sensitive nature
Your role within the company allows you to wear many hats. You are the communication specialist which means you must also practice sound judgement when it comes to sensitive information. This goes for any regulated information or personal information of your client/employer. The ability to analyze data is extremely important in order for you to be able to measure your key performance indicators to show your client/employer the results you have been able to attain for them in a quantifiable way.
- Understanding and application of communication principles
As a communication specialist this is a must. The communication principles are things that you must know and operate by. The best book I have read that gives a practical approach to the communication principles is Public Relations Management: A Team Based Approach – Third Edition – by Diane F. Witmer, Douglas J. Swanson.
- Strong verbal communications and writing
Are you able to communicate eloquently and get your point across to multiple audiences? This is something that is a MUST for all communication specialists. Having grammar mistakes or unable to deliver a presentation can lead your audiences to believe you are unprofessional or worse, not good at your job!
- Familiarity with video production
Video has become the most effective way to communicate with audiences. Familiarize yourself with video production basics and build off of that. PRO TIP: video production isn’t something that you make up as you go, you must plan exactly what you want your audience to see and the messages they should take away from once they see your video.
- Demonstrated interest in social media platforms
This does not mean having an account and being an observer. Have you taken the time to build a presence? Have you demonstrated your personal brand within these platforms? What this tells employers your level of not only interest but ability to share relative content and engagement with followers. Establishing a two-way symmetrical communication with your audience. This means having communication sent back and forth from both parties, the audience and the original sender.
- Ability to work with various business units and executives
This skill is also very important. Are you a person who gets things done? Does your work style match or adjust to others who are high functioning team members? These people might have different work styles or have different objectives in mind. It is important for you to be aware and communicate with them to make sure you are creating win-win collaborations.