The professional front has undergone drastic changes as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Businesses and organizations have attempted to cope with the safety protocols by moving their work online as far as possible. Although this wasn’t an entirely new idea, the pandemic period has witnessed a steady rise in the number of remote work opportunities in almost every part of the world.
And as the world goes digital, the importance of soft skills is bound to increase. In fact, recruiters have agreed that possessing certain soft skills is crucial for employees looking to achieve success while working remotely.
As per a recent survey, recruiters hiring for long-term remote roles are now emphasizing the soft skills of the candidate as crucial criteria. It is therefore imperative that students, employees, and job seekers alike possess the necessary capabilities that would help them thrive even while working from home.
Confused about where to start? Here are the top 4 soft skills you need to train in to prepare yourself for any remote role.
The Top 4 Soft Skills You Need To Learn
1. Effective Communication
No matter where you are working, clear communication is one of the core necessities for all employees. And this becomes all the more important when you are working remotely. Apart from being able to communicate effectively, you also need to be well versed with the various apps and tools used for communication.
A major part of the communication between team members working remotely is through the medium of text, i.e. emails, SMS, messaging apps, etc. You need to ensure that your message is clear and conveys exactly what needs to be done. And in order to minimize chances of miscommunication, you need to ensure that your grammar and writing skills are on point.
2. Time Management And Discipline
While working remotely may give you more freedom, it becomes easier to get distracted from the task at hand. You may feel that you can handle multitasking but could end up with nothing significant done.
For this reason, you need to be disciplined and adept at managing your time. The best way to master this skill is by planning and adhering to a routine. Make a to-do list with the important tasks of the day, and work on them. You will surely achieve more than you would have by juggling different tasks.
3. Adaptability
Working remotely is nothing less than a challenge. You need to be prepared for unexpected issues to arise. Your laptop may run into a problem or the app that you use for communication may temporarily be down, forcing you to stop working.
You need to be ready to adapt to the situation at hand and try to solve it with a calm mind. Having a backup plan ready for such unexpected situations will help you thrive even in a remote role.
4. Collaboration Skills
You may not be working alone even when working from home. You may be required to work in a team to complete a project or task.
You need to know how to effectively utilize project management tools, software, and apps to share information and communicate with other colleagues. Be open to embracing new digital tools and software that your organization uses to get work done.
Summing Up
While the pandemic was directly responsible for transforming office-based work to remote roles, it also showed us that work could be done anywhere just as efficiently. Due to this, the remote work culture is here to stay, even after the pandemic ends.
Therefore, to ensure that you stand out among other competitors, you need to be well equipped with all the soft skills that recruiters are looking for.
About the Author
BCjobs.ca is Western Canada’s largest job board, with majority of the jobs coming from Vancouver. For nearly 20 years, BC Jobs has connected job candidates with companies looking to add talent to their team. If your team is looking to recruit, BCJobs.ca is the right tool for you. Our job board has grown through virtual career fairs, branding, and partnerships. Contact us at community@bcjobs.ca today.
