WK4 Assignment M.

Gepford

Soft Skills and Your Career

Megan Gepford

CSS101-3 Psychology of Motivation

September 27, 2019

Prof Karin Detweiler

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 WK4 Assignment M.Gepford

I have just started my college journey. I know my degree will only take me halfway, and

I’ll need to improve the soft skills I lack that my potential employers desire, like; verbal

communication, teamwork, resiliency, empathy, patience and, optimism. I plan on getting more

than one degree and I know I will gather experience along the way with companies that value

skills I already have, such as; good written communication, attention to detail, ability to learn

quickly, ability to work well in a diverse group and my natural talent for spotting changes over

time. I’m equally certain that my inner drive to get things done on time will be appreciated, as

well as my desire for improvement in myself and the world. Eventually, I’d like to be a civics

analyst. In any type of data analysis, seeing the big picture, spotting trends, attention to detail and

the ability to empathize, adapt and improve, all make you better at your job.

Along the way to civics analytics, I’ll need to gain experience with other types of data

companies. Companies I look forward to working with need an individual like me who can plan,

prioritize and schedule tests and performance. I have the skills to gather data and statistics

necessary for defining and modifying guidelines. This is useful when improving practices and

policies. My critical thinking abilities allow me to think outside the box when testing ideas and

looking for problems or ways to improve things. My team members and superiors will need

information I gather quickly and clearly on paper or in digital form, so my written

communication skills and attention to detail will be very important (“Performance Tester:

Cosmos IT Solutions, Inc,” September 23, 2019).

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To be a good team player, and eventually, a team leader, I will need to work on, not only

my teamwork and empathy but also my verbal communication and patience. Cathy Hirko

discussed some great ways to improve soft skills with Debbie Houser in 2019 for Central Penn

Business Journal. As a vice president, Debbie has improved her leadership qualities through

several classes that taught her about the different ways each type of personality type

communicates. By learning better verbal communication, I can more effectively and efficiently

communicate ideas and information to team members. I hope to become a leader one day, and a

good leader needs to clearly and concisely give direction and delegate responsibility. Problems

will eventually arise. I will need to be empathetic and fair to my team's needs and patient enough

to get through the rough times with a clear head.

I am fortunate enough to have an adult education service center in town that offers free

online lessons for many soft skills along with quizzes and a progress tracker (National Center for

Families Learning, 2019). I will also be looking for some of the professional training classes that

Debbie Houser referred to. I live in a college town and the local university sometimes offers free

and low-cost workshops. I have already spoken to my family and friends about my desire to

improve my empathy, patience and, my verbal communication skills, I have explained to them

why and am getting feedback from them regularly so I can make small changes every day.

Grit has brought me to the beginning of the first of several degrees. It will take me

through to the end. Along the way, I will gain new experiences and new skills. I will improve my

patience, empathy and verbal communication skills through hard work and practice. With time,

resiliency and optimism will gain ground. "Everyone experiences tough times, it is a measure of

your determination and dedication how you deal with them and how you can come through them

(Mittal, L., n.d.)”. I’m already a quick learner with an eye for detail who is used to working

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under high-stress conditions. I’m a planner who is great on paper. I have a head-start, plan of

action, and time while I work on me next degrees to improve my social skills. It’s go-time.

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References

Hirko, C. (2019). Debbie houser: Central penn business journal,  Retrieved from

https://search.proquest.com/docview/2277784137?accountid=176330

Monster. (September 23, 2019). “Performance Tester: Cosmos IT Solutions, Inc.,” Retrieved on
September 26, 2019 from https://www.monster.com/jobs/search/?q=Performance-
Analyst&tm=7&jobid=212254649
Mittal, L. (n.d.). AZ Quotes Retrieved from
https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/resilience.html?p=6
National Center for Families Learning. (2019). Learn To Earn Toolkit: How to get started,
Retrieved from http://learntoearntoolkit.org/

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