and decide on their own, how to overcome a simple hurdle in their typical workday. Because of this growing lack of fundamen- tal skills, several human resource profes- sionals advise that persons who are found during interviews to possess excellent soft skills typically find their resume rising to the top of the stack. So, what can you do to begin improving your soft skills? EImprove Your Writing Habits Whether it’s a simple text to a friend, or an email to a teacher/professor about an as- signment, treat each communication as something important that either improves your writing skills, or hinders them. Slow down and think about punctuation, capital- ization, and correct spelling. Most impor- tantly, before you hit the send button, stop and proof read what you wrote. Start pay- ing attention to the proper uses of words like ‘their’ ‘there’, and ‘they’re’. Many high schools and colleges have proofreading services through their libraries. Attempt to use these services, and make note of cor- rections for future use. One of the greatest ways to improve one’s writing skills is to be more observant when reading. If you receive a letter in the mail, take a minute to review how it is laid out and structured. How did they address it, place the date, and introduce the letter within the opening paragraph. When read- ing books for school, read not only to mem- orize information that might be used on a test, but take the time to note other writer’s style, and the unique words or phrases they use that you might find interesting and might use in the future.. EDevelop Better Communication Skills Take note when you are speaking with people throughout the day whether you are maintaining eye contact with them or not. If you typically do not, begin trying to make it a habit. Be aware of your facial expressions while listening to other people. Are you sending a signal that you are lis- tening and engaged, or that your attention is somewhere else. Whatever you do, break the habit of looking at your smartphone while other people are speaking to you. Even if you are naturally shy, look for op- portunities to speak in front of people. Start with very small groups. Find a group of friends willing to work together and take turns standing up and speaking in front of each other. Look for opportunities to speak at school, within clubs, sports, your place of worship, or other locations with poten- tial audiences. Public speaking is as simple as riding a bike. Once you become com- fortable with it, it can truly become some- thing that you enjoy rather than fear. Be willing to do the work, knowing this skill will genuinely pay dividends in your future career and personal life. ELearn to Manage Your Time It was a little check mark you used to get back in elementary school when you didn’t finish your work because you were day- dreaming or had your head down on your desk. But in the business world, it can cost you promotions and even your job. The basic foundation for success begins with knowing how to budget and use your time wisely. An article in Forbes detailed how a recent survey found that an alarming 89% of employees admit to wasting time on the job, with 31% responding they waste well over an hour per day. Time management is a simple process of planning and prioritizing. Many people find creating tomorrow’s schedule before going to bed the night before works well for them. Others find first thing in the morn- ing is their best time. Whatever is most pro- ductive for you, start by listing everything you need to accomplishe that day, week, or further down your schedule. Next, arrange your tasks by priority and note the amount of time you estimate each will take. Then, arrange your day, week, or other time segment in a logical order to complete all of your tasks. Many smart- phones have a feature that allows you to put check marks beside each line when com- pleted. Another great way to use your smartphone is to set an alarm for important tasks each day. If you have a 1:00 p.m. meeting or class, set your alarm for a few minutes beforehand as a reminder and to 20 2026 | Tennessee Career Guide One the greatest assets in your future career will be your ability to lead meetings and speak in front of groups of people. Start with small groups now and begin building your comfort level with public speaking. The Growing Importance of Developing Soft Skills
