Top 4 Skills needed for career success in the 21st Century

I just finished reading an article called, Meeting the Needs of the Changing Workplace by Shirley Rowe, in the Spring 2013 edition of NCDA Career Developments.  It is great summary of "21st century skills" needed to be successful in today's workplace.  That prompted me to check out The Partnership for 21st Century Skills which provides a framework for teaching and learning these skills.

Generally, there are different types of skills that help us be successful in our work.  First you have "content/knowledge skills".  These are the skills that we gain through academic study and learning in a particular discipline (ie:  knowledge you gain from your major or just general reading, writing and math skills, or other skills like counseling, computer, etc).  The other types of skills are often referred to as "transferable skills".  These are the types of skills we pick up from one job or activity that could be transferred into another work environment.  Rowe suggests that there is another set of skills called "employability skills" which prepare us for success in the 21st century workplace.

Here are the 4 Cs:  Skills for Career Success in the 21st Century:

1. Collaboration and teamwork:  build collaborative relationships; work effectively with diverse people and teams; seek consensus and compromise to reach a goal; share responsibilities; make contributions; manage conflict
2. Communication:  articulate your thoughts and ideas using oral, written and non-verbal communication skills; listen and decipher meaning; possess public speaking skills; write clearly; use multiple media and technologies; communicate in diverse environments; use communication to inform, instruct, motivate and persuade
3. Creativity and innovation:  utilize idea creation techniques; create new and worthwhile ideas; elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate ideas; communicate ideas to other effectively; be open to other perspectives and incorporate input and feedback; demonstrate originality in work
4. Critical thinking and problem solving:  use various types of reasoning in situations; analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other; effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs and alternative points of view; synthesize and interpret information to make workplace decisions; ask questions for clarity and look for better solutions

There are so many opportunities to develop these skills while in college such as internships and co-ops, volunteer work, leadership in student organizations and course projects to name a few.  Maybe you are already in a full-time position but you are looking for opportunities for advancement. You can hone these skills by taking on new project areas at work, getting involved in community and professional organizations, volunteering, or seeking out opportunities for professional development in these skill areas.

This reinforces the idea that "soft skills" or Emotional Intelligence are the big factors for your career success in the 21st century workplace.  Many people have the "content/knowledge" skills but these "employability" skills are the ones that really make you stand out and move ahead.

What are you going to do to compete in the 21st century workplace?