Beyond Great Credentials, it’s Soft Skills that get you the edge.

Soft skills are essential at all times in one’s life. On the career front, beyond solid credentials like a degree, work experience, and professional references, it’s your soft skills that ultimately help you get your foot in the door at your dream job.

Here are 10 effective strategies to improve your communication, collaboration and other soft skills to make you indispensable.

1. Good Communication

Both written and verbal communication skills are of utmost importance. They set the tone for how people perceive you and help you build great relationships with co-workers.  Good communicators articulate their ideas well and win over the approval of other people.

How I can improve:

• Always speak with confidence
• Write clear and compelling emails
• Articulate with clarity to coworkers and clients
• Pitch an idea to your boss, create a persuasive presentation

2. Problem Solving

A problem solver helps to promote a healthy, collaborative workplace. Good problem solvers are able to analyze challenges and work toward solutions, either alone or in a group. That’s why companies rely on problem solvers to navigate unexpected challenges.

How I can improve:

• Discuss a problem calmly and objectively with a team
• Examine how a problem affects different constituents
• Come up with possible solutions and evaluate each idea
• Make a plan to carry out the solution

3. Pro-active Attitude

The speed of change in any given workplace is so rapid. Consequently, employers need workers who can adapt to industry shifts and keep the company current. Individuals who demonstrate a strong pro-active streak are able to strategize, organize and deliver results.

How I can improve:

• Push yourself to be an early adopter of change.
• Stay focused on deadlines and stay ahead of trends
• Balance simultaneous projects and shifting priorities
• Develop a project plan that includes goals, resources, and a timeline

4. Teamwork

A company’s success is rarely dependent on one person doing something all by himself/herself. Success is the result of many people working as a team toward a common goal. When employees can synthesize their varied talents, everyone wins.

How I can improve:

• Be a team player who helps to build a friendly office culture
• Collaborate well with your co-workers and strengthen the quality of their work
• Generate goodwill by lending a hand when you see a co-worker in need
• Offer to share ideas and train new people

5. Digital Awareness

Digital proficiency is the ability to navigate 21st century technology to accomplish a task.  When you have digital and social media awareness, you know how to use the right technology for the job, so you can work as effectively and efficiently as possible.

How I can improve:

• Empower your projects with a rich social media strategy.
• Identify social media platforms that fit your job
• Create engaging two-way conversations with online audiences.
• Maximize productivity at your workplace

6. Creativity

Creative people enjoy playing with possibilities. They can think outside the box to generate original ideas and solutions. Creativity always enables you to learn new things on the job.

How I can improve:

• Brainstorm groundbreaking ideas and solutions, either alone or in a group
• Ask questions to uncover new ideas
• Keep an open mind as you evaluate possible solutions
• Solve problems that at first glance seem unsolvable

7. Agility

When you’re agile, you’re able to adapt to a changing work environment. Mental agility allows you to go with the flow, embrace complexity, and stay curious. Interpersonal agility helps you stay open-minded with others, which brings out the best in everyone.

How I can improve:

• Adapt to new or unfamiliar work situations
• Meet deadlines and other expectations, even when conditions aren’t ideal
• Make quick decisions with confidence
• Focus on a project, even when outside factors threaten to distract you