The contribution of human resources is particularly important to the success of a country’s economy. Modern Cyprus is plagued by unemployment and one of the most important factors contributing to this phenomenon is the large competition between potential employees.
 
In the effort to gain a competitive advantage, the youth of today consider it imperative to obtain multiple academic degrees and diplomas and have the tendency to change careers several times throughout their working life. 
 
The rules of work have changed. People are now judged by new criteria, which often means that things such as training, education, knowledge, degrees, and experience, are no longer sufficient. Professional success is directly linked to the development of personal skills, regardless of the job or career that a person chooses to follow.
 
Presented below are a range of personal and social skills that are essential in the workplace regardless of the specifics of the job, role, or person.
 

The effectiveness of communication is "measured" by the extent to which the "transmitter signal” "clearly" reaches the receiver. The ability to effectively convey our thoughts, ideas, or opinions, is essential and in order to achieve this we should attempt to be clear, understandable, and open to views and opinions that differ from our own, otherwise we will be lead to misinterpretations and misunderstandings.
 

The "cliché" English expression "think outside the box" helps us better understand the concept of creativity. It mainly refers to innovative ideas and (innovative) solutions to problems in the workplace. To learn to think in this way we must first learn not to take conventional solutions for granted, and to eliminate any unjustified restrictions that block innovative thinking.
 

In a world where the development of technology is rapid, becoming familiar with computers can prove to be highly beneficial, especially when dealing with programs that help make different everyday tasks easier. 
 

One of the skills that contribute decisively to the success of an employee is the ability to work constructively and effectively with other colleagues no matter their level of hierarchy, and no matter the size of the organisation.
 
Although the term ‘teamwork’ sounds ideal and most people know more or less how momentous of an element it is at work, it is not at all easy. It requires functional interaction between different people with different personalities and characters, who have different values and principles, or even different objectives and moods.
 

In a constantly changing work environment, flexibility is considered to be a very important skill. Work flexibility mainly refers to the adaptability of workers to changes in the workplace, and usually has to do with when, where, and how a person works.
 

Another important skill is the ability to organise one’s program effectively and set priorities amongst many obligations in order to achieve a particular goal. It also refers to the ability to correctly manage one’s time in order for their performance and productivity in the workplace to be as efficient as possible.
 

In the workplace, it is highly important to be able to apply methods for effective decision-making and creative problem solving on a personal as well as on a group level. The optimal decision is the one that allows for the best possible achievement regarding the organisation's objectives.
 

The development of a "work personality“ means the creation of an original image that simultaneously inspires trust, honesty and integrity.
 

Analytical thinking is the mental process by which humans analyse and compare different data based on the clear and gradual sequence of steps. Its aim is to find a solution to a problem, which is achieved through the analysis of alternative hypotheses and possible solutions, which are tested and confirmed.
 

Responsibility is associated with a worker’s collective effort in all his/ her tasks and in the workplace, as well as with the honesty and consistency of the execution of these tasks. These are all key components of good relationships with other co-workers and executives (at higher levels of the hierarchy) as without them it would be impossible for to gain their trust or appreciation.
 

The work environment is constantly being transformed; developing and creating needs for new knowledge and skills that make the continuous education and training of workers necessary in order for them to be able to respond and adapt to the changes that occur.
 
What is needed is the adaptation of education to the needs of today, an era beyond the degrees hanging on the wall, which requires skills which do not only have to do with a successful career path but with life in general.
 
People who do not fulfil the necessary skills end up in despair because they simply cannot meet the demands of their workplace. As a result they either lose their job or even end up changing career-path at a critical time during their life.
 
An individual’s professional career requires time, research, and scientific assistance. Navigate your future towards your interests and develop the necessary skills from early on. Get help from professionals. 
 
Filia Georgiou MSc, GCDF
Associate Career Counsellor
 
Compass4U