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Soft Skills eLearning series aids job seeker, employers

Published on: 12/09/2016

Employers or managers recruiting new talent likely have a laundry list of hard skills and attributes wanted in their next employee. However, employers need to look beyond “hard skills” such as education and years of experience.

The business services team at Capital Area Michigan Works! encourages employers to evaluate potential talent for soft skills, which offer insight as to whether or not someone will succeed at a company.

Hard and technical skills are job-specific skills, and they can often be defined and measured. These include typing, using software programs, writing, medical expertise, roofing and more. Soft skills, often referred to as people skills, speak to an individual’s personal attributes that would make him or her a good fit for a company.

For both employers looking for talent and job seekers, Pure Michigan Talent Connect offers free training videos for Michiganders to brush up on their soft skills. The Lifelong Soft Skills eLearning series helps raise awareness for soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace. This is a valuable tool for training employees and identifies the skills employers should be aware of when interviewing candidates.

Four key pillars are the foundations of the 14 eLearning modules. These include communication, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity:

Communication

• Job seekers need to be approachable, authentic and have strong communication skills. These qualities allow individuals to develop strong relationships, increase efficiency in the workplace and improve employee morale.
• Modules include humility, communication and conflict.

Critical thinking

• Being a problem-solver, having good judgment and good time management skills all make for a strong employee. An employee who is able to speak to how they are solution-oriented or about a time when they used their judgment to remedy a situation can give you a glimpse of whether or not they would be a good employee.
• Modules in the critical thinking section include ethical character, personal judgment, problem solving and time management.

Collaboration

• Working as a team, fostering an inclusive workplace and accountability are just a few of the many aspects that make a successful workplace. Looking for employees who value these aspects helps ensure they will be a good fit for your company.
• Modules include diversity and inclusion, self-confidence and teamwork.

Creativity

• A candidate who has a positive attitude, is proactive, tolerant for change and has a work ethic that aligns with your organization can be an indicator of whether or not they will fulfill your needs. Ask smart questions to learn more about their work style.
• Modules include positive attitude, initiative, flexibility and work ethic.

If you would like to learn more about the Lifelong Soft Skills eLearning series, visit mitalent.org. Capital Area Michigan Works! offers services in Ingham, Clinton and Eaton counties at our Lansing, St. Johns and Charlotte American Job Centers.