According to ADP’s People at Work 2024 report, work ethic is the top skill employers want in new hires. They understand hard skills can be taught but soft skills like a strong work ethic are harder to find. Those with strong work ethic tend to produce higher-quality work and have more job satisfaction.
I practice this soft skill by carefully considering each assigned project and task.
There’s often a way to do the minimum work and get the job done. While there’s a time and place for this (sometimes tasks need to be prioritized), I often look for a way to complete the task by going above and beyond.
That can involve doing extra research or design work for a slide presentation or pulling additional insights and analytics after a social media campaign.
Whatever it may be, it will signal to your manager that you take your work seriously and consider you for more growth opportunities.
Additional Soft Skills to Nurture
While the seven soft skills listed above are pivotal to growth in any career, the list doesn’t end there. Read on for more soft skills I’ve found incredibly valuable in my current and past roles.
8. Strong Communication
Communication is an extension of several soft skills listed above.
For instance, being a great team player typically involves communicating well with everyone. Good communication can benefit emotional intelligence and empathy.
However, communication skills can have even more depth.
Consider verbal versus written communication. Of course, I’m a freelance writer, so written communication is essential to my role. But, even in non-writing roles, communicating eloquently, respectfully, and concisely in emails and over chat is imperative.
