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No matter where you are in your career, there is always the next step! Continuous career development ensures that you won’t get bored and you’ll get ahead just by riding that positivity.
When career development is at the forefront of your intentions, there is always a reason to work harder, because you are also working on yourself.
Take each of these office skills to heart. They are the qualifications that 9 out of 10 recruiters will be looking for and expect from you.
Career Development Starts with Being Familiar With Technology
There’s no excuse to not be tech-savvy at this point. The internet has now been around for over 40 years. Know the industry that you are in and cater your skills to what is up and coming.
Good companies should be at the leading edge of what’s popular in technology. That means that you will be expected to be familiar with it too. Everything is digital now. Salesmen no longer open a phone book to stake out a neighborhood, they access their territory through an iPad and a google map pops up. It’s a terrible shock to someone whose been out of the workforce for a while.
When you’re faced with new technology, look at it optimistically. Everything is designed to be user-friendly, it just might take some practice before you become comfortable.
There will always be a new program, a new application, a new way to do something. If you don’t give yourself the opportunity to grow and learn, you will be left in the dust and you will be viewed as a potential employee who is stagnant.
If you haven’t used the specifically desired technology, the most important thing is to be open and willing to learn. Huge red flags go off for managers when employees are unwilling to move forward with technologically based company objectives.
Flexibility in Your Attitude
When you learn to remain quiet and listen in a group, you will quickly realize that other people are willing to ask all the questions that you have in your mind. Let other people be the target and do the complaining, you need to focus on getting ahead with your career.
It’s important to roll with the punches. Your management teams wants and needs to be able to depend on you to get the job done. They don’t want to wonder if you are going to breakdown in the middle of a project.
Everybody has bad days, but try to be the light in the office. Your manager will notice and appreciate it.
Microsoft Office Experience
I have never worked for a company that didn’t use Microsoft Office in one capacity or another. Recently, Microsoft joined forces with Skype. They have created a package of office products so strong that any corporation with a bank account will more than likely use it.
Microsoft office is used for email, this is also tied to their scheduling tool. The multifunctional access gives you the ability to contact, email, and schedule for anyone in the company given your account settings.
Get familiar with Microsoft Office, you will use it in your future I guarantee it. Word, Excel, Powerpoint.
Stress Management and Maintaining Your Cool
Everyone hear me, everyone has a breaking point. If you are on the verge of losing it, start to create an exit plan. You will need good references and frankly, it’s not worth the repercussions of losing your cool. You will feel like a bigger person if you can control yourself.
Identify your triggers and work through them. If it’s not possible to work through them, your management team should always be supportive of you trying to better a situation. Remember when stress gets bad you can always:
- Take deep meditative breaths
- Leave the situation
- Go on a walk
- Talk to management
- Plan a vacation
Recognize your stress, and don’t devalue someone else’s because it’s subjective. This will help you create better work relationships. If worse does come to worse, make sure you check out my Must Do’s Before Quitting Your Job.
Math
Percentages and fractions. We all have calculators, cell phones or an excel spreadsheet to do the math for us. However, being comfortable with some math is always going to be advantageous to your career.
Remember when you work for large corporations they often times have funds set aside specifically for career development. Reach out to your HR Department and see what’s available. Industry training and even tuition reimbursement is possible.
My favorite training resource online is 360Training. It was the most affordable option when a company I worked for got everyone OSHA trained. You can learn anything from IT, Software, Safety, Computer Skills, State Regulations and Real Estate amongst 100’s of other career-boosting programs. Use my link for a discount.
Networking for Career Development and New Opportunities
Every job that you have experienced has the potential to open doors for you in the future. The same goes for every relationship that you foster while you’re at that office.
Most people will move on from a job. When you leave a job, chances are you are leaving for a better one (people generally don’t job search when they’re happy).
Whether it’s your opportunity or coworkers, the more people you know equals the greater chance of a referral for a great opportunity in the future. A lot of promotions go to friends. It seems unfair until it’s your turn and someone gets you in the door.
The better your work ethic and your networking skills, the more opportunities you will have in the future.
Email Etiquette
Often times the only way you will interact with a coworker is through email. That means your writing is what is representing you as an employee and person. For that reason, always be sure to reread important emails before sending…check for grammar and spelling errors.
Even more important than grammar is tone. I’ll say it again your tone comes out via email. I have seen coworkers get in full-blown arguments that end up in HR mediation without ever having physically spoken a word to each other up until mediation. Never, ever send an email when you are angry and always sleep on emails that would result in you “telling someone what’s up”. I guarantee, that in the morning, you will be happy you didn’t send the email in the heat of the moment.
Remember, a phone call is just as easy as an email and you hear the emotions directly. You’ve been warned.
Common Courtesy
Maybe I’ve just had some terrible coworkers but there is a couple of HUGE no-no’s in the office environment.
-
- Don’t clip your nails in public.
- Avoid warming up food that smells. Fish, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts … leave them at home. If you really want to be healthy eat it raw and don’t torture your coworkers.
- Ask Before Taking – Most people will share the world with you. A tissue, a pen… anything. Others though, watch out! People consider their desks to be their private space. Don’t treat it as common ground. Even if it’s a company-issued item, your coworker could feel like they own it.
- Use inside voices – You’re in an office. You might be on your break but not everyone else is.
Be respectful of those around you and they will be respectful of you. Keep people on your side instead of encroaching on their space.
Time Management / Prioritize
Does it take you half a day to read your emails? Don’t waste time with meaningless tasks before getting your main job done. It’s easier to get the tough stuff out of the way in the morning.
No? In the morning, you’re tired and sluggish and why not put it off? Well…just don’t.
Resenting the hard tasks is worse than completing them. Why spend an hour worrying about something when that hour could have been spent doing it?
Day to day your job is going to change. Your manager is going to need you to stop a project and pick something else up. Your positive attitude during tough times will be remembered.
Phone Skills
Ya, ya, ya we all talk on the phone.
This is important because even if you aren’t on the phone daily at work, chances are that your job interview started with a phone interview.
The way you present yourself on the phone speaks to your experience, education, and confidence. It’s a good skill to practice.
Never say “ya” always say “yes”.
Avoid saying “um” and replace it with “one moment while I check into that for you”.
If you are taking a call for an interview, make sure that you don’t have morning voice and that your brain is alert. Also, remember to take the call in a comfortable setting where you can be as relaxed as possible. Pacing around your house or being outside with potential car noise is a no-no when avoidable.
Empowering Others
When you have the confidence to empower others you will be lifting yourself up as well as your teammates. Good management will notice. You will be seen as a positive force for change. Take time to appreciate the work you do and the hard work your coworkers do also.
These career development skills will ensure you have a spot at any business table. Without them you risk getting left in the dust.
Show your future boss that you can make a positive impact on profits and productivity and your boss appreciate you. This will open up the door for future opportunities.
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