This is the introduction to a new blog series, The Importance of Technical Communication, which will focus on topics such as verbal and written communication, workplace etiquette, and teamwork in the workplace.
Soft skills, as a general term, include interpersonal skills, leadership, dependability, willingness to learn, and effective communication skills that can be used in any career. These are known by sociologists and anthropologists as skills that are generally required to become a functioning member of society. But, it seems that there are many articles pointing out a lack of these soft skills among college graduates and stating it as a main reason why many cannot get hired. Some headlines include:
- “More on the Soft Skill Deficiencies of College Graduates” by Dr. Roderick Nunn
- “The Real Reason New College Grads Can’t Get Hired” by Martha C. White
Results from a survey by the Workforce Solutions Group at St. Louis Community College regard these deficiencies specifically as applicant shortcomings. In the St. Louis regional survey, it states that poor work habits, lack of critical thinking and problem solving skills, lack of teamwork or collaboration, and lack of communication or interpersonal skills rank the highest in applicant shortcomings within both technology and finance domains.
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Table 1: Applicant Shortcomings – 2018 State of St. Louis Workforce Report to the Region
In today’s society, with tools at our fingertips, communication is key. In the workplace, interpersonal skills are needed at a rapid, daily pace. Often other workplace issues, such as lack of collaboration skills, arise from communication issues. Given these alarming statistics, how do we, in the technology and finance domain, encourage the improvement of these skills within our companies and deal with applicants who lack them? This blog series will discuss these questions and provide tips on how to correctly technically communicate in the workplace.
Samantha Zerger, business analytics consultant with the Financial Risk Group, is skilled in technical writing. Since graduating from the North Carolina State University’s Financial Mathematics Master’s program in 2017 and joining FRG, she has taken on leadership roles in developing project documentation as well as improving internal documentation processes.