Chapter 4 Workplace Skills Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website. Outcomes Describe types of workplace

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Workplace Skills

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Outcomes• Describe types of workplace skills.• Explain certification and its importance to

employees as well as employers.


Career-Related Terms• skill• job-specific skills• employability skills• basic skills• thinking skills• people skills• personal qualities• certification


Skills for the Workplace

• A skill is something an individual does well– Job-specific skills are critical skills necessary to

perform the required work-related tasks of a position– Employability skills are applicable skills used to

help an individual find a job, perform in the workplace, and gain success in a job or career; also known as foundation skills or transferrable skills


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• Basic skills are the fundamental skills necessary to

effectively function in society– reading – writing – speaking – listening – mathematics – technology skills


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• Basic skills

– Reading involves acquiring meaning from written words and symbols

– Writing is using written words to express ideas and opinions

– Speaking is communicating ideas verbally


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• Basic skills

– Listening is hearing what others say and evaluating their messages for information

– Mathematics is the study of numbers and their relationships

– Technology skills include how to use social media, software, and basic computer systems


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• Thinking skills are those skills that help people

solve problems, examples include– decision making – creative thinking – problem solving – visualization – reasoning


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• Thinking skills

– Decision making is the process of analyzing a situation and evaluating possible outcomes in order to choose the best solution

– Creative thinking involves developing or designing unusual and clever ideas about a given topic or situation


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• Thinking skills

– Problem solving is implementing a solution in the most efficient manner

– Visualization is the ability to form mental images– Reasoning is the ability to combine pieces of

information or apply general rules to specific problems


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• People skills are the skills that enable people to

develop and maintain working relationships with others, examples include– social perceptiveness – negotiation – leadership – teamwork – cultural competence


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• People skills

– Social perceptiveness is being aware of others’ feelings and understanding why they may act a certain way

– Negotiation is discussing various positions of an issue and reconciling differences of opinion

– Leadership is the ability to influence or inspire other people


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• People skills

– Teamwork is working cooperatively with other people– Cultural competence is respecting all people

regardless of age, national origin, gender, or ability


Skills for the Workplace (Continued)• Personal qualities are the characteristics that

make up an individual’s personality, examples include– Self-esteem is having confidence in yourself and

your abilities– Self-management is the ability to work independently

without supervision– Responsibility is being trusted to complete duties or

tasks


Certification

• Certification is a professional status earned by an individual after passing an exam focused on a specific body of knowledge


Certification (Continued)

• Some jobs require professional certification; other employers may prefer, but do not require it

• Some certifications must be renewed regularly; others require continuing education classes

• Some certifications are not subject-specific, but confirm employability skills



• Employer benefits of certification– Takes guesswork out of candidate qualifications– Proves the holder has met required qualifications for

the certification– Does not have to rely on candidate’s self-evaluation

of skills



• Employee benefits of certification– Certification demonstrates ambition and dedication– Provides personal achievement and accomplishment– May give the holder priority when interviewing or

being promoted for jobs– May increase salary



• How to prepare for certification exam– Take formal test-prep classes that cover the

important topics or purchase exam-preparation materials from a bookstore or online

– Be aware of the testing format so you are not surprised on exam day

– Do not take an exam at a location that is not an official test center

– Be prepared to show identification when you arrive for the test

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

• Employers look for individuals with both job-specific skills and employability skills

• One way to get an edge on the competition is to earn a certification in your area of expertise

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Chapter 4 Workplace Skills Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website. Outcomes Describe types of workplace