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WHEN young people think about preparing for a career, they usually think about qualifications. They want to know which course to study, which certificate to obtain, and what technical skills they need to get a good job.

All these are important.

But there is another group of skills that can make a tremendous difference to your future. They may not appear prominently on your school certificate, but employers notice them very quickly.

They are called soft skills.

Soft skills include communication, teamwork, confidence, problem-solving, time management, adaptability, responsibility and the ability to work well with other people.

You may have excellent academic qualifications and strong technical knowledge. But if you cannot communicate properly, work with others, accept feedback or solve simple problems independently, you may find it difficult to succeed in the workplace.

This is why soft skills matter much more than many young people think.

Your certificate may get you an interview

Imagine two young people applying for the same job at a hotel in Kota Kinabalu.

Both have similar qualifications.

During the interview, the first candidate gives very short answers. He avoids eye contact and seems uninterested. When asked why he wants the job, he simply says, “I need a job.”

The second candidate greets the interviewer politely, listens carefully and answers confidently.

When asked the same question, she says, “I enjoy meeting people and helping them. I believe the hospitality industry will give me an opportunity to learn, improve my communication skills and build a career.”

Who do you think will make the better impression?

Their qualifications may be similar. The difference is in their skills.

Your certificate may help you get an interview. Your soft skills may help you get the job.

And later, they may help you get promoted.

Communication is more than speaking good English

Many students think that having good communication skills means speaking perfect English.

It does not.

Communication means being able to express yourself clearly and respectfully. It also means knowing how to listen.

Suppose you are working at a resort in Kundasang and a tourist asks you for information. You may not speak perfect English, but if you smile, listen carefully and make an effort to help, you are already demonstrating good communication skills.

The same applies if you work in a shop in Sandakan, a clinic in Tawau, an office in Kota Kinabalu or a plantation in the interior.

People remember how you treat them.

Do you listen?

Are you polite?

Can you explain something clearly?

Can you ask questions when you do not understand?

These simple abilities can take you a long way.

Do not be embarrassed because your English is not perfect. Speak. Practise. Make mistakes. Learn from them.

Confidence grows through practice.

Learn to work with different people

Very few jobs allow you to work completely alone.

A nurse works with doctors, patients and other healthcare workers. A technician works with engineers and customers. A teacher works with students, parents and colleagues. A hotel employee works with guests and fellow staff.

Even a farmer or entrepreneur must deal with suppliers, customers and government agencies.

This means that teamwork is an important career skill.

Sabah is a wonderful place to learn this because we live in a society with people from many different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds.

You may study or work with people whose language, beliefs and way of life are different from yours.

Learn to respect these differences.

A good team member does not say, “That is not my problem.”

Instead, he asks, “How can I help?”

Employers value people who can cooperate with others because one difficult person can affect the performance of an entire team.

Be the person others enjoy working with.

Problems are opportunities to show what you can do

Imagine you are doing your industrial training at a small company in Lahad Datu.

One morning, an important customer is expected, but the printer suddenly stops working.

One trainee says, “The printer is not working,” and waits for someone else to solve the problem.

Another trainee checks the connections, restarts the printer and asks a colleague for help. When the problem cannot be solved immediately, she finds another printer nearby so that the documents can be prepared on time.

Which trainee will the supervisor remember?

The second trainee demonstrated problem-solving and initiative.

Employers like people who do not panic when something goes wrong.

You do not need to know every answer.

You simply need to develop the habit of thinking:

“What can I do next?”

That small question can change the way you approach problems throughout your career.

Your attitude speaks before you do

Suppose you have just started your first job.

Your working hours begin at 8.00 a.m.

If you regularly arrive at 8.10 or 8.15, you may think, “It is only ten minutes.”

But your employer may see something different.

He may see someone who cannot be depended upon.

Now imagine another young employee who arrives a little early, completes assignments properly, and informs the supervisor if there is a problem.

After several months, who is more likely to be trusted with greater responsibilities?

Being punctual, responsible, and dependable may sound like small things.

They are not.

Your attitude creates your reputation.

And your reputation can open doors that qualifications alone cannot.

Learn to adapt

The world of work is changing very quickly.

Artificial intelligence, automation and digital technology are changing the way people work in almost every industry.

Some jobs will change. New jobs will appear. The skills needed today may be different five or ten years from now.

This means young people must learn to adapt.

Imagine a young person from a rural district in Sabah who moves to Kota Kinabalu to continue his studies.

At first, everything may feel unfamiliar. He may need to use new technology, communicate with people from different backgrounds, and learn to manage his own time.

It may be uncomfortable.

But every challenge teaches him something.

Adaptability means being willing to learn.

Do not say, “I have never done this before.”

Say, “I have never done this before, but I can learn.”

That one word — yet — can make a big difference.

“I cannot do it yet.”

“I do not understand it yet.”

“I am not confident yet.”

Your present ability does not determine your future ability.

You can start building soft skills today

You do not have to wait until you enter university or start working to develop soft skills.

You can begin today.

Join a school club. Volunteer to organise an activity. Help with a community programme. Participate in sports. Give a presentation in class. Take responsibility for a group assignment.

If you are shy, challenge yourself to speak to one new person.

If you are always late, practise being early.

If you find it difficult to work with others, learn to listen before giving your opinion.

If you are afraid of speaking in front of people, start with a small group.

Every small experience develops you.

Suppose your teacher asks for volunteers to organise a school event.

Your first thought may be, “I don’t know how to do it.”

Volunteer anyway.

You may make mistakes. The programme may not be perfect.

But you will learn how to plan, communicate, solve problems and work with people.

Those lessons may be more valuable to your future career than you realise.

Employers are looking at the whole person

A qualification tells an employer what you have studied.

Your soft skills show the employer what kind of person you are to work with.

Can you communicate?

Can you cooperate?

Can you be trusted?

Can you solve problems?

Can you learn from mistakes?

Can you adapt when things change?

Can you treat people with respect?

These qualities matter whether you want to become an engineer, nurse, teacher, chef, technician, entrepreneur, accountant, mechanic, hotel manager, or farmer.

Technical skills may help you perform a job.

Soft skills help you build a career.

Start where you are

You may be studying in a school in Kota Kinabalu, a small town, or a rural village in the interior of Sabah.

Your starting point does not determine how far you can go.

You do not need to be the smartest student in your class to develop excellent soft skills.

You can learn to communicate.

You can learn to work with people.

You can become more confident.

You can become more responsible.

You can learn to solve problems.

And you can learn to adapt.

These skills are developed one experience at a time.

So, as you prepare for your future career, do not concentrate only on certificates and examination results.

Build the person behind the certificate.

Because when an employer chooses someone to join a team, they are not simply employing a qualification.

They are employing a person.

Make sure that person is someone people can trust, work with, and believe in.

Your qualifications may open the first door. Your soft skills can determine how many more doors open after that.

Q & A: If you have a question on career planning, write to [email protected].

On the other hand, if you do not know where to start, take the Free career test available at www.ark.com.my. 

Find out your strengths and weaknesses. Learn which career environment matches you. Explore and make a wise decision. Take it today!