On Capitol Hill, there is more talk about soft skills and their importance for being an effective employee.
Employers today not only want tangible and useful skills when they hire you, they also want you to be able to effectively interact with people. They know how critical these soft skills are for getting things done. Here are some of the most common soft skills needed for working on Capitol Hill.
Communication.
When interviewing for a job, you’ll want to let an employer know you are strong in both written and oral communication. Fortunately, this is easy to demonstrate during the interview process. You’ll be given ample opportunities to show your written skills through resumes, cover letters, and correspondence to set up the interview. During the interview, it’s a great time to focus on your communication skills and show an interviewer how well and clearly you are able to articulate yourself and get your point across.
Interpersonal.
One important quality you’ll also want to exhibit is the ability to interact with a variety of people. This includes not only your boss and co-workers but constituents and other government officials. Interpersonal skills include those ways you interact with other people. Some examples of these skills includes active listening, networking, and knowing how to behave on a professional level. All of these qualities are critical to be an effective employee on Capitol Hill.
Leadership and teamwork.
Your ability to either lead or follow effectively will be important to an employer. They’ll want to know that you can work collaboratively with others and can step forward to lead when necessary. Show them that you are willing and able to be a role model. During an interview, give examples of the ways you’ve managed different personalities in the office and how you’ve been able to get projects done in spite of conflicts.
Capitol Hill is a high pressured environment.
When you apply for a job, an interviewer is going to be looking for multiple skills sets, including both hands-on technical skills and soft skills. The three listed here is a place to get started. It’s also important to demonstrate you know how to problem solve, think critically, and are adaptable. Prepare for a great interview on Capitol Hill by having concrete examples of all of these skills.
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