Rise – Rise Project Erasmus

How to develop your soft skills for the job market

In today’s job market, having the right skills for the workplace is crucial, and youths often need to stand out from the crowd to secure the best opportunities. While technical skills and knowledge are vital, employers also value soft skills, which are the personal attributes that enable individuals to interact effectively with others in the workplace.

For youths aspiring to excel in their careers, there are several practical ways to enhance their soft skills. Soft skills like communication, time management, and problem-solving are not inherent abilities but can be developed and improved through practice and feedback. Seeking feedback from trusted coworkers and reflecting on areas for improvement can help individuals identify their weaknesses and develop strategies to improve their soft skills.

Another effective approach involves learning from peers. Observing the behaviour of experienced and successful coworkers who exhibit excellent soft skills can inspire individuals to adopt similar behaviours.

Participating in training programs can also significantly contribute to individuals developing their soft skills. With online learning platforms readily available, youth can take advantage of courses designed to improve their communication skills, time management and more. By actively engaging in these courses, young professionals can stay ahead of the curve and gain a competitive advantage.

Additionally, practising soft skills in a less formal setting can also help develop those skills. Employers value candidates who have demonstrated strong commitment to personal growth and development, and such extracurricular activities can show them that the candidate has done so with soft skills. The more one practices and hones these skills, the more confident and adept they become in real-world scenarios.

Also, it is important to remember that everyone makes mistakes. It is essential to view these as opportunities for learning and growth. Take responsibility for these mistakes, reflect, and learn from them, remembering that continuous improvement is critical to succeed in the workplace.

In short, acquiring soft skills doesn’t have to be complicated. Youth can effectively develop their soft skills by seeking feedback, learning from others, using online training programs, practising in free time, and viewing mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth. Soft skills are essential to succeeding in today’s job market and utilizing these strategies can help ensure youth have the necessary skills to be successful in the workforce.

To embark on this journey of self-improvement, taking a specialized course can be a game changer. You can sign up and participate in our FREE online course on our website https://www.rise-project-erasmus.eu/results/

How to prepare for your next job?

As you embark on your journey into the world of employment, remember that skill development is your secret weapon for landing the job of your dreams! Building and honing your skills opens up a world of opportunities, making you a highly sought-after candidate in the job market. Whether it’s technical expertise, like coding or digital marketing, or those valuable soft skills, such as communication and problem-solving, each one plays a crucial role in showcasing your potential to employers. Investing in skill development not only boosts your chances of getting hired but also empowers you to adapt to the ever-changing job landscape and thrive in any role you take on. So, seize the chance to grow, learn, and become the best version of yourself – the job market is waiting for your talent and dedication!

Here are 10 tips that will help you:

1) Emphasize digital skills: In an increasingly digital world, having strong digital literacy and skills in areas like data analysis, coding, social media marketing, and online collaboration will be highly valuable.

2) Adaptability and resilience: The job market can be dynamic, and employers value candidates who can quickly adapt to changing circumstances and demonstrate resilience in challenging situations.

3) Focus on remote work capabilities: With the rise of remote work, highlight your ability to work effectively in virtual environments, manage time independently, and communicate well through digital platforms.

4) Showcase continuous learning: Demonstrate your willingness and ability to learn new skills and technologies, as continuous learning is crucial for staying relevant in a rapidly evolving job market.

5) Demonstrate creativity and problem-solving: Employers look for individuals who can think creatively and solve complex problems, as these skills are essential in driving innovation and addressing business challenges.

6) Cultural awareness and diversity: In a globalized world, employers seek candidates who can work effectively in diverse teams and understand cultural differences to foster inclusive work environments.

7) Highlight sustainability awareness: Employers increasingly value sustainability and environmentally conscious practices. Show that you have an understanding of sustainability principles and can contribute to eco-friendly initiatives.

8) Network online: Utilize professional networking platforms like LinkedIn to connect with potential employers, industry professionals, and peers. Online networking can open doors to job opportunities.

9) Showcase soft skills: In addition to technical skills, focus on developing strong communication, teamwork, leadership, and emotional intelligence, as these qualities are highly valued by employers.

10) Research industry trends: Stay informed about the latest trends and developments in your desired industry. Understanding industry changes will enable you to position yourself as a valuable asset to potential employers.

Make self-care a priority

True wellness is the intersection of physical and mental health, they go hand in hand and you can’t have one without the other, however, today’s lifestyles are making it harder to keep our mental and physical health our priority without feeling guilty.

With this in mind one might ask themselves how can they find the time for health with such fast-paced lifestyles?

This is where self-care swoops in! It has been found to be one of the most effective ways to prioritise health whether it is mental or physical in line with a busy and fast lifestyle. The main pillar of self care is actually consciously making time for it.

While making time for yourself might seem unimportant or even selfish when you have so many things to do with work, family, etc, according to some psychologists, they believe that self-care should be a fully integrated practice in everybody’s life, however busy or chaotic it may be. Indeed, self care practices have proven to improve life in so many ways, maily reducing stress, clearing your mind, recharging and releasing any pressure. Furthermore, self-care also plays a significant role in personal and career development as it allows individuals to be in the best mindset to develop and grow their skills in order to achieve their goals.

With all this in mind, here are some self-care tips:

Think positive (positive self talk/affirmations on post-it, on your phone, everywhere as a reminder) and be kind to yourself.
Set a bedtime alarm to make sure to have enough sleep and be filled with energy for the next day !
Take breaks to fill your biological needs.
Listen to guided meditations to allow your mind to rest.
Pause and acknowledge.
Note all the positive things you accomplished until this day.
Remember the nice comments people said to you.
Rest is a necessity, not a privilege.
If you are struggling to make self-care a habit, try to begin with one small commitment and one small change, and build from there.
Develop your talents and use your skills to try something new.

Take care 🙂

First event took place in Amsterdam on September 28th 2022

On September 28^th a training activity took place on Amsterdam for youth workers. This activity was achieved thanks to the three organizations: UIF, Across Limits and IKigai Institute. These corporations are form all over Europe, which makes it easier for the propose to expand through Europe. IUF was the host partner for Across Limits and IKigai Institute. Each partners involved seven youth worker participants, every one of them coming from different backgrounds.

But, Why train already trained educators?

Since the awareness of the labor market about the importance of Soft Skills, young Europeans have been lacking these competences. This activity aims to provide youth workers the tools to teach their students everything they need to enter the labor market competitively, throw inclusion and tangible training.

During this activity, that lasted a day, the participants were able to comprehend the theory behind the project and the importance, but also try by themselves what soft skills are and which ones they possessed. During the presentation the Soft Skills were divided into groups: emotional, personal, team-work and organizational skills. Emotional skills are empathy, self-awareness, adaptability, etc. Personal skills such as communication, attitude, determination, etc. Team-work skills like problem-solving, conflict management, mediation, etc. Lastly organizational skills as planning, delegation, time management… At the end they were proposed to test themselves by resolving these questions: “Why all the fuss about 21^st century skills?”, “Which skills do we want to teach?”,” What kind of questions should we asking?”; and also doing practical activities.

It must be taken into account that, in order to develop Soft Skills, it is necessary to know oneself in an effort to know which skills to promote, which ones start devolving and which ones to discard; this is the reason why this methodology was implemented. The fact that the youth workers got to try by themselves first will provide them with the necessary experience to develop new activities perfectly in their classrooms. And so on, not only have they learned but also, they now have the tools to create future activities depending on each situation and each student.

This activity will provide help to young European jobseekers in the work life, but also their personal life as well throw self-knowledge. Besides allowing both youth workers and student to be more inclusive in all areas of their lives.

Stay tuned for our upcoming activities! One of which will take place via on-line meeting at 10:00 am CET time on January 10^th and another one hosted by de Maltese organization on March 15^th. We will update you soon!