Top 5 Skills to Accelerate Your Career

There are MILLIONS of career choices to navigate today. And lots of opinions on what skills are necessary to compete in a tight job market.

As a company that grows leaders, we’ve researched skills for career seekers who want a better job and a meaningful career that offers advancement opportunities.

“We’ve found that specific skill-based experience is less important than the ability to think critically and problem solve,” said Share On Purpose CEO, Terri Maxwell.

“Tomorrow’s leaders must have a passion for personal growth and knowledge, and also develop leadership skills, more so than just specific domain expertise,” Maxwell added.

The Top 5 Skills for Career Seekers:

1. Passion for Knowledge
2. Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
3. Self-Awareness
4. Adaptability
5. Perseverance

Passion for Knowledge:

Knowledge is what you know today as well as what you can learn. Passion is what drives individuals to learn in the first place. Passion and knowledge are fundamental traits associated with success in the next decade. If you want a successful career, you’ll need both knowledge and passion.

“Having a passion to learn new things is the #1 skill because the world and business climate are changing radically. In addition, emerging leaders have tools available to them, such as AI, that previous generations didn’t have,” Maxwell said.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving:

Business today is more complex than at any other time in history. Markets are changing rapidly, industries are being disrupted and virtual work models make communication, collaboration, and learning more challenging.

“Critical thinking and problem-solving help leaders make better decisions because they have evaluated options, understand problems, and can choose an appropriate course of action,” Maxwell noted.

Critical thinking helps emerging leaders trust intuition and think independently. It enables individuals to make logical and well-reasoned decisions based on evidence and objective analysis. It encourages the consideration of all relevant factors and the evaluation of potential consequences, leading to more informed choices.

Self-Awareness:

Self-awareness serves as the cornerstone of leadership because it enables leaders to recognize their strengths and areas for improvement, studies consistently show that leaders with a high degree of self-awareness are more effective, empathetic, and capable of inspiring their teams to achieve more significant results.

“The leaders who have been the most successful in our portfolio of companies develop strong self-awareness. We’ve created a safe space for leaders to grow and evolve, and they maximize opportunities if they are self-aware. They know what they don’t know and where to ask for support,” Maxwell said.

Adaptability:

Uncertainty is an inherent part of business. Markets fluctuate, customer demand changes, and unexpected challenges arise.

Adaptability is a crucial skill for leaders to navigate change and uncertainty, which are commonplace in the economy. Leaders who can navigate uncertainty, embrace change, and pivot when necessary are better positioned to lead their teams and organizations to success.

“My life has taught me that nothing is certain, and even the most challenging of situations can lead to positive outcomes. Change is the only constant in today’s economy. We look for emerging leaders who have the personal drive to face uncertainty with resilience and have the confidence to adapt to changing situations,” Maxwell said.

Perseverance:

Perseverance is a universal trait across all successful leaders, regardless of industry. From sports teams to businesses, and even within local communities, perseverance builds trust, as well as shapes culture.

Famous leaders from all walks of life, many of whom experienced challenges or adversity, have talked about perseverance, and its connection to success. Perseverance allows leaders to navigate setbacks by demonstrating unwavering commitment to a vision, even when faced with adversity.

“Every associate we hire, we hope will grow into a leadership position. That means they will get exposure to many different roles, industries, and challenges. They will get to learn new skills on a regular basis, and that alone takes grit,” Maxwell said.

If you are interested in learning more about a career at Share On Purpose, reach out today.