This document discusses soft skills that employers find important. It defines soft skills as skills like ethics, dependability, time management, and flexibility. The document notes that employers especially value skills like professionalism, teamwork, communication, and leadership. It encourages readers to take an inventory to assess their strengths and areas to improve in soft skills like emotional intelligence and leadership. Finally, it provides ideas for practicing and developing soft skills through student activities, internships, and career services.

1. THE SOFT SKILLS
E M P L O Y E R S A R E L O O K I N G F O R

2. TODAY’S AGENDA
•Defining Soft Skills. Why are they important?
•Taking inventory
•Ideas to further develop and practice your soft
skills

3. WHAT ARE “SOFT SKILLS”?

4. WHAT ARE “SOFT SKILLS”?

5. WHAT ARE “SOFT SKILLS”?
Ethics Dependability Time Management
Self-Motivation Flexibility

6. WHAT SKILLS ARE EMPLOYERS
LOOKING FOR?
• Professionalism/Work Ethic
• Teamwork
• Oral/Written Communication
• Leadership
• Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2016 Employer
Survey

7. TAKING
INVENTORY
E M O T I O N A L LY I N T E L L I G E N T
L E A D E R S H I P ( E I L )

8. HOW CAN YOU ASSESS YOUR SOFT
SKILLS?
• Consciousness of Self
– Awareness of YOUR abilities, emotions, and perceptions
• Consciousness of Others
– Awareness of abilities, emotions, and perceptions of OTHERS
• Consciousness of Context
– Awareness of setting and situation

9. EIL INVENTORY FOR STUDENTS
•Leadership is available to all of us
•Leadership can be learned
•Leadership is art and science
•Leadership requires inner work

10. INVENTORY
INSTRUCTIONS
ANSWER QUESTIONS ON P. 2 – 3
WHEN FINISHED, TRANSFER RATINGS
TO SCORING PAGES 4 - 5

11. P L A C E A N E X T T O 3 S K I L L S
T H A T A R E A S T R E N G T H
P L A C E A N E X T T O 3 S K I L L S
Y O U ’ D L I K E T O W O R K O N
D E F I N I T I O N S O F S K I L L S O N P. 1 5

12. SO WHAT?
• These 19 skills are tools for you to use
• You’ll have a different level of awareness, comfort and
proficiency with each one
• We can develop each skill through practice
• Demonstrating these skills are key to landing jobs and
advancing in our careers

13. PRACTICING SOFT SKILLS
• P. 11 & 12 – Ideas for development
• Student Life
– Student Senate!
– Workshops – attending or presenting
• Career Services
– Internships
– Help with listing soft skills on resume; mock interviews

14. QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU!
S H A N N O N W I L L I A M S
S T U D E N T A C T I V I T I E S C O O R D I N AT O R
M I N N E A P O L I S C O M M + T E C H C O L L E G E
S H A N N O N . W I L L I A M S @ M I N N E A P O L I S . E D U