NAME: TENDO TALIQ

COURSE WORK: INTRODUCTION TO IT

LECTURER’S NAME: MS NAMAYANJA REHEMAH

YEAR: 1ST YEAR

REG NO.23/2/314/D/012
TOP SOFT SKILLS TO KEEP
Communication, teamwork, critical thinking, adaptability, conflict resolution,
flexibility, leadership,time management, empathy as well as problem solving and
enthusiasm are skills you will require to help you become a successful employee
at the workplace, according to a paper entitled Soft Skills: The Competitive Edge.

The paper presented by the US Department of Labour Office of Disability

Employment Policy suggests that most employers view soft skills as more critical
to work readiness than traditional hard skills.

The worrying bit is that of late graduates do not have these critical soft skills, most
employers argue.

A 2015 study of employers around the world by Manpower Group 2013, shows
that lack of soft skills is a contributing factor in the shortage of talent.

Titled "Key Soft skills that Foster Youth Workforce Success", the study indicated
that soft skills are important for human capital development and workforce
success. The authors, Laura H. Lippman, Renee Ryberg, Rachael Carney, Kristin A
and Moore Child Trends, point out that soft skills rival academics and technical
skills in the job market.

Beatrice Munube, a renowned motivational speaker, notes that Uganda's

education system basically focuses on academics.

Though students must learn how to pass exams, not many of them think of what
happens after or when they get employment.

Patty Kasibante, a human resources consultant in Kampala, says that there is a big
gap between what education institutions are offering and what is required in the
job market.

He says that since most employers are more interested in one's abilities, having
soft skills is an added bonus that employers are looking for in addition to one's
academic papers.

Kasibante further says that soft skills are foundation competences because if
students do not have them, their degrees are not sufficient.

"They are 21st century skills that graduates need to acquire before leaving
university," he says, adding that joining the university is an opportunity for one to
sharpen their skills set.

Students of International University of East Africa working as a team to make

concrete building blocks

POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Milton Owor, the chief people and culture officer at National Social Security Fund,
notes that it is critical that employees have the attitude to try out new things.
"Having a positive attitude implies that the employees are eager to learn as
opposed to thinking it all stops at having a degree,"

Owor notes.

GOOD WORK ETHIC

Munube notes that employer’s also look out for reliability when hiring employees.
"Employers want someone who is productive, who will deliver results, one they
can trust, who will go the extra mile, be creative and can solve problems," she
says.

She notes that fresh graduates are expected to know technical aspects of work
and also be cultured people.

Munube notes that even though one is educated, it is difficult to teach them to
have integrity or to serve others.

TEAM PLAYER

Can you work as a team? Do you have a shared vision? Can you work with other
people's ideas?

Francis Kamulegeya, the director of Masaka Technical Institute, notes that

empathy is part of being a good team player. Kamulegeya says one should have
the ability to be considerate to members of the entire team other than just
themselves while they do work.

Additionally, respect is a must-have for the workplace. Are you able to respect
your superiors and juniors?

INNOVATION

What ideas are you bringing to the table? Are you creative and innovative?

Kamulegeya notes that at the end of the day, the organisation is counting on you
for its progress.

He notes that today, it is important for one to be multi-skilled or else be left

behind by technology. He warns that those relying only on traditional jobs, for
example teaching or law may be most affected. Kasibante faults young graduates
for not looking at developing other skills as their careers.

Munube urges employees to multitask, for instance combine two or three soft
skills to create a unique employee.

CREATIVITY

In the Journal of Language and Communication, Bernd Schulz of Polytechnic of

Namibia, says creativity is a soft skill often ignored by many.

"This skill is often misinterpreted as being only useful for artists, whereas in the
science or business arena, only structured logical thinking should be applied.
However, this perception is wrong. Applying creativity results in thinking out of
the box, which means given conventional rules and restrictions are left aside to
find innovative approaches to problem solving.

OTHER SKILLS

/ Other soft skills include accepting