3 Soft Skills for Every Talent Equation - Your Career Intel

3 Soft Skills for Every Talent Equation - Your Career IntelFrom technical proficiencies to social capital skills, collective focus in recent years has centered on readying workers to meet rapidly changing demands in the Intelligence Age.We know interpersonal skills are increasingly important to companies. The World Economic Forums 2016 landmark reportpredicted 35% change in sought-after core skills within the next several years. Top of the list? Soft skills like emotional intelligence, people management, and creative thinking. For the individual professional, this means your unique talent equation your specific combination of technical proficiencies (hard skills) plus personal and social ability assets (soft skills) will quickly become vital to safeguarding your professional future.The growing value of people skills in our technology-driven culture means that to beat the bot, you need to be more human, according to Paul Roehrig, coauthor ofWhat To Do When Machines Do Everything How to Get Ahead in a World of AI, Algorithms, Bots, and Big Data. Many of us, however, havent yet really invested in developing our interpersonal capabilities.Like hard skills, soft skills can be learned, practiced, and improved over time. Regrettably, the expert-recommended lists of must-have soft skills grow seemingly longer and more abstract with each new study. Simply knowing where to start is challenge 1. Here are three great places to begin.Creativity Who has time to be creative while getting crushed by busywork and information overload? Developing our creativity muscles doesnt require an epic pilgrimage to the mountaintop. Take one step. Switch up your physical environment by altering your route to work or rearranging your desk. Before beginning a project or making a next-step decision, allow uninterrupted time for brainstorming and free thought-flow. Creativity is cultivated when we have space physical and mental to stretch our thinking and envision things differently. depa rture simply. Small changes can open the space for big ideas.Teamwork Good team players are described as those who work well with others. What an empty phrase. Effective business teamwork demands more than kindergarten circle time. It takes collaboration setting aside assumptions, listening with an open mind, learning from others, and adjusting ideas. Teamwork requires tactical and mental synergy splitting duties appropriately and evenly, optimizing work flow, recognizing when new thinking is needed, and adapting to others styles and preferences. And it demands genuine inclusion inviting others into the effort, sharing in responsibilities, cheering the wins, and facing the lossestogether. Real teamwork is hard work. Learn the skills and youll prove yourself a valuable member of any team.Communications This one doesnt feel new to us, in part, because just about every job description we read includes good communications skills. But effective communication is deceptively harder to achieve than many realize. Communication takes on many forms, and most of us are better at some, less so at others. Its notlage what you say, its how you say it. The adage applies not only to face-to-face conversations and meetings (eye contact, hand gestures, body language). Its directly pertinent to presentations, written reports, documents, emails, phone conversations, voicemail messages, even texts. Work to develop your proficiency across the spectrum of written and oral communications. Ask for feedback. Listen to criticism. Apply suggestions. Learn and adapt.Your individual talent equation includes both hard and soft skills. From subject expertise and technical competencies to interpersonal communications and imaginative thinking, begin building your skills of tomorrow, today. By recognizing that the only constant is change, youll be a step ahead down the path to success.

What Its Like To Work For The Worlds Most Iconic Lifestyle Brand

What Its Like To Work For The Worlds Most Iconic Lifestyle BrandWhat Its Like To Work For The Worlds Most Iconic Lifestyle BrandRalph Lauren isnt just a clothing company. Its a group of retail brands that design, produce, and market authentic apparel, home products, fragrance, and way, way mora.And working there isnt just a job. Its being part of a family that makes amazing things happen, both in the markets they serve and in the communities they work.Heres a look inside what makes working at Ralph Lauren so differentand a few things you might actually be surprised to learn.1. Its ATeam Deeply Inspired By Ralph Laurens DreamRalph Lauren began his career selling ties out of a drawer in the Empire State Building. Through talent, perseverance, and an entrepreneurial spirit Ralph Lauren grew a team of like-minded creators and businesspeople and built one of the most recognizable, iconic brands in the world.The company is built on collaborative relationships, on strong friendships, and on the collective effort of an incredibly diverse team. After all, you cant make thousands of premium products without a team of thousands of uniquely talented people.Teamwork is, in fact, one of the companys biggest strengths and, as a team, Ralph Lauren employees make a serious impact in the communities where they live and work. Philanthropy at Ralph Lauren is about more than corporate donations, its about the Ralph Lauren family getting together to work on causes that matter to them.Throughout the year, RL teams around the world get out into their communities and create the change they want to see. Whether its supporting cancer care through Pink Pony, Ralph Laurens global initiative in the fight against cancer or building homes for the underserved through Habitat for Humanity, Ralph Lauren employees make a difference in their communities.2. Its Not All Fashion Jobs (Ralph Lauren Has A Corporate Internship Program)Even though the Polo horseman is a fashion staple, Ralph Lauren is mo re than a fashion brand. Creating, marketing, and distributing the many products they offer takes a lot more than just designers.While the team still looks for the same creative, entrepreneurial spark in all of their interns and new hires, they know that X factor comes in a hr of different forms. There are, after all, many ways to be marketer with an entrepreneurial spirit or a financial analyst with a knack for creative problem-solving.Some of the departments hiring for the companys 10-week, elite corporate internship program include Information Technology, Human Resources, Hospitality, Finance, and Innovation. All of these departments work with technology and utilize skills that allow them to succeed in an incredibly competitive industrywhich means youll be working alongside the best.Heres why that might come in handy.3. Theyre Constantly Learning New SkillsRalph Lauren operates in the fields of e-commerce, digital advertising, complex supply chains, and more. The company is const antly evolving to stay true to its vision and to meet the growing expectations of its customers. That means the people are constantly adapting, too.Ralph Laurens culture of learning and teaching gives its employees a hr of opportunities to learn new things on the job, from their peers, and from their mentors and managers. Most of the learning comes on the job, while youre working through new responsibilities. But that doesnt mean youll be left in the deep end without a lifeline. Ralph Lauren encourages collaboration, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, and mentorship to ensure that you can add value to the company AND grow as a professional.Working for a company like Ralph Lauren means learning how to apply your skills to one of the worlds most adaptive e-commerce and consumer goods brands. Thats something that will help you in tons of different careers.Think your unique talents can contribute to Ralph Laurens global mission? Want to grow and learn from the best? Check out jobs and inte rnships from Ralph Lauren on WayUp right nowFor more information, please visit http//investor.ralphlauren.com.