COMM1010: The 10 Employability Skills

1. Introduction to the 10 Skills

The jobs of today look very different from the jobs our parents had. Whether you work in a cubicle or on a construction site, technology has changed - and is continuing to change - the ways we connect, communicate, and create in our careers.

In the past, a college degree was enough to set you up for professional success. Today, employers want job candidates who also have the right skills to succeed. That‘s why we’ve partnered with top employers, business leaders, and recruiters to identify 10 skills that are critical to performing your best— not just in one field, but across all industries.

These are skills that will prepare you for the needs of any future employer and set you up for success in a world that is constantly evolving:

1. Self and social awareness
2. Technology
3. Productivity
4. Initiative
5. Results driven
6. Communication
7. Relationship building
8. Problem solving
9. Innovation
10. Agility

The chart below further explains the meaning and relevance of these skills in the workplace:

Skill	Description	Why It Matters for the Future of Work
Self & Social Awareness	Understanding your personal strengths and limitations; recognizing your thoughts, emotions, and intentions; being open to receiving feedback; and identifying how your behaviors impact others.	Self awareness can help you find the right career for you, know when it's time to leave your current job, and make you a stronger leader. (Swerdlow, 5).
Technology	Being able to confidently and effectively use technology to be productive, complete goals and tasks, and maintain a competitive advantage.	78% of today's jobs require familiarity with technology, and digitally intensive jobs are growing faster and pay more than non-digital roles. (Southern New Hampshire University, 6).
Productivity	Strategizing, organizing, and effectively managing your time and priorities.	High performers can be up to 800 percent more productive than other workers, drastically cutting down the time and money needed to complete large tasks – something managers always value. (Keller, 7)
Initiative	Thinking independently, seeing what needs to be done, and taking action without being prompted.	Initiative has become more important in modern workplaces, as employers rely on people who have the courage to push their teams forward. (Mind Tools, 8)
Results Driven	Acting with a sense of urgency and focus to reach goals, without compromising integrity or quality.	As companies use more freelancers, they need those works to be results-driven so projects stay on track. (Do, 9).
Communication	Actively seeking and delivering information, clearly articulating ideas, effectively listening, and confidently connecting to various audiences, settings, and situations.	Communication is one of the top five skills that will be important in the future across all industries...and that employers currently find lacking. (Gilchrist, 10).
Relationship Building	Effectively working with others and establishing, cultivating, and leveraging networks over time.	85% of all open job positions are filled through personal connections. (Adler, 11)
Problem Solving	Identifying and framing problems, exploring ideas, and creating effective, ethical, and evidence-based solutions.	Problem solving is important in every industry, and this skill gives an especially notable edge in management positions. (CareerBuilder, 12).
Innovation	Creatively thinking and coming up with new ideas and solutions to solve old problems.	84% of business executives believe that innovation is important, but only 6% are satisfied with their company's performance in that area. (McKinsey & Company, 13)
Agility	Embracing change and effectively adapting when things around you are constantly in motion.	In one survey, 79% of executives said that the future of work will be based on specific projects instead of roles, meaning that having the agility to adapt quickly will be extremely important. (Lyons, 14)

As you work through this and other courses, consider how you can use these 10 skills to achieve your personal, academic, and professional goals.

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2. Skills in This Course

think about it

Every day you use communication to share your ideas with the world around you. You chat with strangers at the supermarket, text your friends about dinner plans, and engage with your classmates and coworkers. Your communication helps you form connections, build relationships, and get things done. And, the better you are at communicating your ideas, the more successful you’ll be at home, school, and work.

We’re the only species on this planet that uses complex communication to share our ideas with the world. Not only does communication allow us to connect with others and reach our goals, but it’s also the reason we’re able to record our history, maintain our culture, and create new innovation.

And when it comes to the workplace, being an effective communicator is absolutely essential for career success. Strong communicators can easily share ideas, collaborate, give and receive feedback, address obstacles, resolve conflict, and accomplish essential tasks. That’s why this course is so important!

In this course, you’ll practice four essential employability skills that will help you become a master communicator. They are:

• Productivity to organize your communication in the best way possible.
• Technology to use digital tools to improve your communication no matter what career you pursue.
• Self and social awareness to understand yourself and how you relate to others so you can modify your communication to any situation or audience.
• Communication to connect to the world around you by speaking, listening, and writing.

Together, these four skills will help you deliver information, articulate ideas, effectively listen, and connect to audiences in different settings so you can achieve your career dreams.

terms to know

Productivity Skill

A skill that helps you organize your communication in the best way possible.

Technology Skill

A skill that helps you use digital tools to improve your communication no matter what career you pursue.

Self and Social Awareness Skill

A skill that helps you understand yourself and how you relate to others so you can modify your communication to any situation or audience.

Communication Skill

A skill that helps you connect to the world around you by speaking, listening, and writing.

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3. Skills in This Unit

As you begin with this first unit, you will explore these skills in relation to oral, written, and nonverbal communication. You will begin to understand how you can use these skills to better communicate your ideas and to better listen to others. You will look deeper at how improving your skills can help you combat bias and see things from other points of view.

In particular, we will focus on the following:

Productivity

• Being a responsible communicator means having good time management skills.

Self and Social Awareness

• Audience and receiver matter when communicating in any form.
• Culture and language can influence your communication.
• Being aware of your own bias can help you improve your communication.

Throughout the course, be on the lookout for various call-outs to help you better see the connections between the skills and the course content.

watch

To officially start your journey in Communication at Work, the video below will help you better understand the importance of these skills. No matter where you work or what your career path, these skills matter.