Five golden skills p1 - Military Transition - Military Times EDGE

Sgt. 1st Class Charlie Fulcher received thousands of hours of training during his Army career, but one course turned out to be particularly helpful when he left service in October 2007. In order to become an Army equal opportunity adviser, Fulcher had gone through diversity awareness training at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.

“They taught me how to know oneself but also how to step outside myself when dealing with others, how to stand in their shoes,” said Fulcher. “That’s very valuable training.”

Fulcher found out just how valuable when he took a position as a logistics instructor with military contractor Cubic.

His ability to get along with others is one of the intangible skills — so-called soft skills — employers look for in potential hires. Beyond job-specific capabilities, employers want to see people who know how to communicate, who understand teamwork. They want employees who can take initiative, solve problems and listen well.

The bad news is that these skills are hard to quantify. What makes a good listener? When does “takes initiative” become “loose cannon”?

The good news, for those leaving military service, is that they are already ahead of the curve.

CareerBuilder recently surveyed 2,667 hiring managers and human resource professionals. They pointed out a number of strengths veterans can highlight on their résumés, based on their military experience: a disciplined approach to work (68 percent), the ability to work as part of a team (63 percent), respect and integrity (57 percent) and leadership (50 percent).

Feeling weak in a given area? Fulcher fine-tuned his skills in a military classroom, but there are plenty of other ways to get up to speed.

Listening

Communication goes two ways — not just what you say but what you hear. Can you learn to listen?

Yes, said Pat Schwallie-Giddis, president of the National Career Development Association. “It’s called reflecting. Have somebody say something to you and then say it back to them. You should be able to say back to them the thing they meant to say.”

Got it wrong? Try again. It’s a training exercise. Do it until your partner confirms that you have gotten the message loud and clear.

Speaking

Employers want to hear what you have to say. One time-honored tool for those learning to open up is Toastmasters, an international nonprofit organization whose members hone their communications skills by giving prepared speeches.

Another way to improve your speaking abilities is to find someone who will listen. “It probably will not be your spouse,” said Ann Ronan, a career coach and director of the Authentic Life Institute in California. “A coach would be ideal, but a friend could do it, too, if they are willing to be that honest with you. They want to listen for jargon, things that are just too military.”

Still not sure how you come across? Leave yourself phone messages. Cringe. Repeat.

Taking initiative

Employers say they want workers who will take initiative, who can put good ideas on the table and take action. They might be suspicious of someone they believe to be coming from a following-orders culture. To develop the impulse for initiative, look for trouble.

“Maybe you see a small problem slowing down a task,” said Louise Garver, career coach and president of Career Directions in Connecticut. “If you tell your supervisor about this, and if you can talk about how the problem can be fixed, that is a way to develop that skill. Look at your day-to-day tasks and ask, what are the things you can do to make these things perform better?”

Keep track of the wins. These will help demonstrate to a potential boss that you do know how to get a ball rolling toward meaningful outcomes.

Teamwork

Employers might have an idea that a military “team” is a leader and a bunch of followers. They want to know you can sit at a table among equals, working together and independently toward shared goals. If that sounds a lot like your high school basketball coach, it should. Career advisers say organized sports are a great way to get into the corporate team mind-set.

Another way to improve team skills is to help the underdog, Garver said.

“Help someone to finish when they are slower than you. Train them to be more efficient based on your own experience,” she said. “When people aren’t doing that, it is because they are being too individualistic. They have put in their time and they are done, but that is not going to win them a gold star for teamwork.”

Notice and honor someone else’s good ideas. Help resolve a dispute. Delegate something. All of these are key team-player skills that can be practiced easily in your daily work.

Problem solving

Problem solving in the business world isn’t just about knowing whom to call or where the document is filed. Employers want to see creative thinking: They want employees who can get their heads around an issue and find a new way to tackle it.

So play some games: math games, logic puzzles, verbal gymnastics. There are plenty online. The point is not to hone your algebra but to stoke up the creative furnace in the face of unexpected dilemmas.

Now go out and solve real problems. “What are you doing in your current job that you think could be improved? You start with that,” Garver said. “What’s wrong with this and how can I fix it?”

Do this in your job now, and you can show a future employer you have what it takes to solve problems in the real world.

The skills may be “soft” and difficult to measure, but they are learnable — and demonstrable. Real-world practice exercises can give you something to show your next boss, whether it is teams led, presentations delivered or workplace problems solved.

During Fulcher’s interviews, he found the best way to tell this story was by telling stories. Asked about leadership, communication and diversity, he launched into anecdotes of his own training and his work with other soldiers. The more specific, the better: “I’m all about the experience, not the words.”

After all, a cover letter that says “team player” is only as good as the tangible example that backs it up.

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5 fun ways to build basic skills

• Take an acting class: Loosen up. Try new things. Play to an audience. Learn control of your voice and demeanor. Life in the footlights can help get you ready for life under the office fluorescents.

• Dine with others: From earliest days, human beings have made peace, exchanged sheep, brokered marriages and traded lame jokes over meals. This fundamental social institution is a great place to practice the graces you’ll need at work.

• Videotape yourself: See yourself as others see you. Walk, talk, try on different clothes. This is how you are going to come across at the job interview or the board meeting. Tweak as needed.

• Read all you can: Employers want to see solid writing skills — so write, of course: letters, essays, notes to yourself. But read, too. See how others write, especially in business journals, business books, blogs from the corporate world. This is the language you’ll be expected to use at work. Get well-acquainted with its sound and feel.

• Throw a party: Need a few dozen chairs, eight pounds of lasagna and 120 party hats? You’ll have to take initiative, manage time, maybe direct a team. You’ll need to communicate, delegate, organize. It might not fit on a résumé, but you get valuable practice, and maybe a party hat.

Sources: IEEE-USA, an association for technology professionals; and newlycorporate.com, a career site for young professionals