Shazmeen Navrange – Page 2 – My Freelance Academy

6 Unique Management Styles With Their Pros & Cons

Every manager in an organization has their own unique Management Styles which they practice while managing and exercising their authority to accomplish the goals of an organization. Managers can adapt to various management styles, according to the situation or circumstances.

A good manager knows how to utilize employees‘ potential and use it in the right direction to achieve organizational goals. Different management styles have their own uniqueness, advantages, and disadvantages but it depends on a manager how well he/she uses these managerial styles for managing the company effectively and to achieve the desired results.

If you’re a manager at an organization or even if you’re someone who is leading a team, then it’s important for you to be familiar with all these top management styles. The managerial styles may vary from a person to person, or even company to company, according to which fits your business the best.

Being a manager is not an easy job, a successful manager is someone who has good leadership skills, who is aware of the company’s vision, plans and executes the activities accordingly, to make use of skilled employees abilities to complete the tasks & activities effectively and knows how to strengthen the relationships with employees.

Managers have to make sure that employees feel valued & safe in the company, by creating a healthy work environment for everyone. To bring all the employees together, engage employees in various activities and make sure that they all are on the same page & working towards achieving organizational objectives.

In today’s blog, we will be talking about what is meant by management style, the top management styles, their Pros & Cons.

Having a good amount of knowledge about these managerial styles will not only help you to improve as a manager but also you will get to know the benefits of each style of management. Also for those of you who want to be a manager someday, this blog will help you as it will give you a clear understanding of how management works and which style to use according to different situations.

So without any further due, let us dive into the topic.

What Is Meant By A Management Style?

management styles — Image by MART PRODUCTIONS on Pexels

You all must be familiar with the term “management” which means managing and supervising the people within an organization to accomplish the organization’s goals.

In the same way, management style is away or you can say a particular manner or method in which a manager handles the workforce of a company.

Now you might think does the manager’s management style depends on a company’s culture? Well, the answer to this would be, yes culture of an organization has an influence on the management styles and leading style of managers, also other factors or situations as well play a role in influencing the managerial styles.

Strong company culture creates better employee engagement as they remain happy and motivated, which enhances employee performance. As they know what is expected from them and they stay committed to the company’s mission and goals.

What kind of managerial style, will be followed by the manager depends on various internal and external factors which can lead to the change in management styles.

Managers with strong leadership qualities will make sure they make effective use of their employee’s skills, inspire them and make sure that the work gets done successfully. It enhances productivity and also increases employee engagement, which will help in achieving desired results and also will bring out the best in employees’ performance.

Given below are internal and external factors that shape a company’s management styles:

Internal Factors:

Here internal factors refer to the things happening within the internal work environment of the company.

1. Internal Policies:

A manager’s leadership style should be fit for the business needs, and their style of management should follow the internal policies and procedures of an organization. If not, then this can affect the management style.

2. Management Motivation:

An effective manager is someone who knows to get the job done through people, motivates employees, and makes sure that everyone in the team understands the vision of the company and works towards achieving its goals.

3. Managerial Style:

A manager should know when to use the different managerial styles like for eg: when an employee is less skilled, there is a need for continuous supervision to enhance their performance and productivity, you can also conduct training & guidance programs or workshops for them to improve their skills and lead to their personal growth.

4. Management Structure:

In large companies, the decision-making process is in the hands of the top-level management, such types of companies follow a hierarchical structure whereas in smaller or medium companies they make use of decentralized decision making. A bad structure of a company will lead to a poorly functioning organization.

5. Meeting Deadlines:

Usually, big companies make use of controlling management styles, but no matter what type or size your company is off, it’s the duty of the management to make sure that the specified work gets done on time and the objectives are met.

6. Company Culture:

The stronger the culture of a company, the more effective will be the management, which will lead to the development and quality performance of the employees. As culture may have an influence on a manager’s communication skills, leadership style, direction, or motivation.

These are some of the internal factors that can be the reason for a change in management styles.

External Factors:

Here external factors refer to the things happening in the external /outside environment of the organization.

1. Customers & Suppliers :

They can be one of the reasons affecting the management styles. For eg: changing trends may lead to changing tastes and habits of people. In the case of suppliers, it’s necessary to have a good relationship with them, so that you can provide the best goods to your customers.

2. Market Demand:

If there is an increase in demand for a particular product or service it may lead to a crisis in the production of goods and services.

3. Laws:

Changes in different laws for a particular industry or sector may affect the management style, because then the company may need employees having considerable knowledge and qualification, which will lead to shifting in the company’s talent.

4. Competitors:

your rivals or competitors providing better job opportunities for skilled employees.

5. Government Policies & Economy:

Changes in governmental policies and the economy can also be a reason for changes in the external environment.

Above external factors may influence the change in management styles.

6 Different Types Of Management Styles, That You Should Know About:

1. Autocratic Management Style:

In this type of management style, the autocratic managers are the boss. They make decisions based on their own beliefs and opinions & don’t include their subordinates in the decision-making process. There is no employee participation involved in this kind of style, as it is leader-centric. The autocratic managers decide what goals are to be accomplished, set objectives, dictate the plans & procedure, and direct everyone to complete their tasks. This leadership style is also called as authoritative management style.

The managers have full control over the team, they don’t accept any advice or suggestions of any kind from the team. The employees depend on the leader to provide them instructions and they have to follow the given instructions. They take little input or none at all which may make an employee feel demotivated as their input is not considered.

Working in an autocratic style environment may make an employee feel rigid. This kind of management style can be useful in some situations where there is a need to make urgent decisions or to carry out tasks that have less time for completion.

Pros :

The leader gives clearly defined roles to the employees, the pattern & instructions are directly communicated to the employees.
The quick decision-making process, as only the leader make decisions without taking any suggestions from any employee.
This type of style is best for handling crises and in situations where strong authority is needed, as they know how to tackle a situation or a problem by their skills and experience
Inexperienced employees can be managed by this type of style, as they need guidance and instructions to do the tasks. It will benefit the employees as they are new to the business environment, clear instructions from the leader will help them perform their job better and work well in the environment.

Cons:

The employees may feel restricted and demotivated when not given the desired recognition and credit for their work.
Not considering their ideas or suggestions may dishearten them and lower their morale.
This style will eradicate the creative solutions given by employees, as there is no place for out-of-the-box thinking.
Employees have to rely on the leader for decisions or advice, they can’t make decisions on their own.

2. Democratic Management Style:

In this management style everyone’s ideas, opinions, and views are welcomed in an organization. This style is also called as participative management style, as everyone collaborates and takes part in discussions and decision making.

They welcome new ideas and outside the box thinking, and are open to finding innovative solutions for problems. There is a high engagement of employees in this management style, which also helps them in being productive. Leaders ask their team members for input before making any decisions. It’s like there is full freedom to share your opinions and everyone is treated with equality.

Pros:

As employees are encouraged to be participative and to share their thoughts & views, there is increased productivity and performance
Teamwork like this builds strong bonds and creates trust.
Employees feel motivated to do the job when their work is recognized and thought & views considered, it increases their morale.
Bringing creative solutions to the table, to deal with any problem.

Cons:

As it is a democratic management style, you don’t always have time to ask the team and get ideas from them some situation requires quick decision making if you rely on people for the best ideas it will delay decision making, leading to loss of opportunity
There will be a lot of ideas and opinions that the leader will receive from everyone’s end, but if chosen one idea out of them, the others might feel their idea is not valuable enough and it may create disharmony between them
Not every idea or solution chosen will be the best one. Because at times while considering the majority to make a decision, a wrong choice can be made out of all.
When everyone is open to express their ideas or thoughts, at times there can be a clash of opinions which may lead to delays in projects & misunderstandings.

3. Coaching Management Style:

The coaching leadership style is one of the different management styles out of all. As it’s based on employees’ personal growth and professional development. In this, the leader is like a “coach”, how a coach prepares the players for giving their best at a match or developing skills that are essential. In the same way, the leader recognizes every employee’s strengths and weaknesses and helps them to improve and become the best at what they do.

They provide them with feedback on their performances, give them challenging projects & opportunities so that they can showcase their abilities & talent. They create an environment that motivates employees and encourages them to work to strengthen their skills which will help them achieve their career success and become professionals.

Pros:

Personal mentoring to the employees, will not only increase their productivity but will also improve their skills which increase the quality of work
Addressing weaknesses, and converting them into strengths will not only benefit the employees but also the organization with enhanced work performance.
When clear expectations are set and every doubt is cleared, the employees are aware of what is expected from them and understand the objectives of a project better.
A positive environment helps an employee to give their best, develop skills, take feedback and improve their performance at a personal level.

It’s like a little formula, for the employees working in coaching management style.

Never stop learning. Develop new skills. Always welcome feedback. Improve.

Cons:

It requires a lot of patience and time for this management style to generate effective results. Not every business may have that much time to mentor and help in their development.
The employee should willingly have an interest in learning and development. Otherwise, if only the coach is invested in the process of development and the employee is not invested enough it will be a waste of time and energy.
If the coach isn’t capable enough or doesn’t have the required skills, needed to provide guidance and feedback, then he/she may not be able to give meaningful advice for the betterment of an employee in particular skill development.
Good chemistry is important between the employees and the coach.

4. Laissez Faire management style:

This type of leadership style is also known as the delegative management style.” Laissez-faire” term itself means not interfering much and allowing things to go with their own flow. The laissez-faire management style is also something similar to this.

In this management style, the laissez-faire managers have confidence and trust in their employees. They don’t interfere in how the employees perform their work they leave it up to them and interfere only when it’s necessary. They let the team do their work independently, and when guidance is needed then only they give it otherwise not.

This style can prove to be best when practiced with highly skilled professionals. When these team members are given the opportunity to work autonomously, they demonstrate their skills, talent & experience and provide the best to the organization.

Pros:

When given the freedom to showcase their own creativity and innovation, it leads to their personal and professional growth.
Employees feel motivated when the laissez-faire managers trust them for their abilities to do the work. It increases their performance level and also productivity.
As employees are accountable for their own work, they will make sure to do their best.
They constantly don’t have to go to the leaders for advice, they can make their own decisions for their work, which also improves their problem solving and decision-making abilities.

Cons:

As leaders are uninvolved, this may lead to confusion as there is no clear plan to know how to go about things. It can be a little difficult for people who are new in the organization as they will require some instructions and directions to settle in the company’s culture.
As there are no clearly defined roles, which may lead to unclarity about what they are supposed to do and how to go about the same.
As this management style is individual-based, it won’t work best with the group, because the leader has his hands off from employees’ work.
If the work is not up to the mark or if the goals are not met, the employees can get blamed by the manager for not performing up the mark.

5. Charismatic Management Style:

The charismatic management style is one of the persuasive management styles out of all. Leaders use their charm & persuasion power to motivate others to give their best.

The leaders are good communicators and also great at building personal relationships. They are highly focused on organizational goals and they are good at motivating and engaging employees at the time of organizational crisis and increasing their engagement level.

This type of charismatic environment makes the employee feel supported and encouraged to perform well and accomplish the business objectives.

Pros:

When a powerful and charismatic personality motivates the employee, then they start looking at the positive sides and get the strength to achieve anything may it be a dream or an objective.
As the leaders use emotional appeal to persuade, the employees feel a connection with the leader and feel that they are understood and supported
Leaders look after the learning process of employees more, they don’t need perfection but they want employees to realize their mistakes, learn from them, and improve.
Employees feel good to work in a charismatic environment so there is less employee turnover.

Cons:

When a charismatic leader speaks, the employee may get highly influenced to do the things described by the leader, they may think what the leader speaks is correct and they should follow that.
To motivate others, it’s important for the leader to have a good energy level without which he can’t influence others.
Charismatic leaders focus on their own visions and influence others as well to follow their vision. Which may restrict an employee’s learning and also will distract them from the path of achieving their own dreams.
It may lead to attention-seeking & narcissistic behavior of the leader.

6. Transactional Management Style :

This management style is based on increasing employees’ performance by giving them rewards and bonuses, which will keep them motivated. At times of negative performance or not following the instructions of the leader, they punish employees so that they don’t repeat the mistakes again.

The employees have to obey the instructions given by the managers, their performance is also monitored by them to see whether they meet the expectations or not. It is called as transaction management style because there is an exchange between the transactional managers and the employees to get the desired performance.

This style can be used for the short term when you required immediate results from your employees.

Pros:

There will be no partiality, as only the employees who live up to the expectations and perform well will be rewarded.
Employees get clear instructions, so they know what is expected from them and work towards achieving it.
Employees are motivated when they are given rewards of their own interest for their achievements.
The organization get peak level performance from the employees

Cons:

If an employee doesn’t meet management’s expectations or meet the objectives, then they are punished. When an employee tries to do everything perfectly without any mistake, this may leave no room for creativity and they will feel restricted in the environment
Not every employee can be motivated through rewards.
This management style focuses only on short-term goals they don’t look at the bigger picture or plan.
The team lacks building relationships as it is all transactional and has no time to focus on building bonds.

You may have gotten familiar with these leadership styles but some of the other management styles also include pacesetting management style, visionary management style, consultative management style, bureaucratic management style, and so on.

I hope you found the blog useful and got to know about the advantages & disadvantages of these top management styles.

10 Genuine Reasons To Call Out Of Work

Some of us are pretty bad at giving good excuses or Reasons To Call Out Of Work, aren’t we? But no need to worry as this blog is here to help you out with some of the best valid excuses for missing work.

Nowadays, we all are tied up with our work so much and our lives have become so busy, that we often feel like taking a short break and just relaxing for a day or two. But also we have fear in our minds, that how should I ask my boss for a leave or a day off in the most polite way? or what valid reason should I give, so that it doesn’t feel like a bad excuse or a reason for the boss to fire me from work.

Now if you ask me how will you know if you are giving a good excuse or a bad one, well there is no literal definition for both, but I will simply say that a good excuse does not require a lot of explanation, it kind of sums up itself and sounds genuine. Whereas a bad excuse when heard, it sounds fake and you get to know that the person is just lying to miss work by making up any excuse.

An example of this would be: If you have a meeting the next day, but you can’t attend it as you want to go out for an appointment or any reason and you gave your boss a reason like my laptop is not working, or it is just lagging a lot so you can’t attend, that can be considered as a bad excuse. A good excuse would be you inform prior that you won’t be able to join as you have a family emergency or an appointment with the doctor.

But it’s not just about you wanting to rest so you are taking leave, there can be many reasons behind why you want to miss work may it be for a full day or a half-day, it could be your loved ones are sick or you yourself are not feeling well, unexpected circumstances occur in your family or your life. These can be some of the reasons to call out of work.

It also becomes important for a person who has a job, to inform their boss about their leave. Most companies need you to give advance notice to call out of work, so if you know that on this particular date you have things to do and will require a leave then it’s better you inform your boss in advance.

But as everything is so unpredictable, you can’t always be aware of things happening in the future. So it would be great if you give genuine excuses to miss work rather than just giving bad excuses which will make your employer feel that you are just faking it because you want to miss work.

I would quote this in a simple way ” Be as genuine as possible even while giving reasons”.

We all know that somedays we lie to take a leave, just because we want to freshen up our mind from all the stress and the busy life. That’s completely okay but give valid reasons, so that your boss doesn’t feel that you just making up excuses and running away from your responsibilities.

So in today’s blog let’s get to know some of the best and most valid excuses to miss work, also will be providing some tips on how to keep it real while asking your boss for a leave.

10 Top Valid Reasons To Call Out Of Work:

1. Family Emergency:

Now family emergencies can be any unexpected circumstances that occur. Reasons can be: family member got a serious illness, got to take the sick child to the doctor, car accident of someone from the family, or have to visit the funeral of someone close, sudden death in a family and so on.

The above reasons are understandable because they are serious ones. So you got to inform your, boss, immediately that you won’t be able to show up to work, because of a family emergency and let them know when you will be back at the office.

2. Doctor’s Appointment:

You may have booked a doctor’s appointment on a weekday because there are times when you don’t get an appointment on a weekend. So this can be a good excuse to miss work or you can take a half-day as well at work if you want to.

Also if someone from your family is sick and they have a doctor’s appointment, at times you may have to accompany them so that they safely reach the hospital or clinic. Make sure to inform your boss, whatever the situation is for him to grant you leave for a day.

3. You’re Sick:

When you’re sick, it’s better to skip work for a day or two and join when you feel well. Because if you have a viral fever, then there is a fear of it spreading to your other colleagues at the office, which will make them sick as well so it’s better to rest at home.

Other reasons can be, that you got food poisoning because you ate something bad at dinner and you are ill because of it. Also, some employers may require you to give a doctor’s note attached with your mail of leave. So make sure that you take it from your doctor.

Some of the other reasons can be that you have a headache, stomach ache, cough, cold and so on, which can be acceptable excuses to miss work.

4. Pet Emergency:

If you have your own pet, and it is not keeping well and you got to take it to the veterinarian then it also can be considered as a good reason. If your pet has gone through surgery and you need to take care of him/her after bringing it home, it can be used as a reason to take a leave from work only for a day or two.

If you don’t have a pet, then you can’t use this as a reason to avoid work. Make sure to not use the same emergency reason, again and again, use it only when you actually have to take your pet to the vet or need to take care of them. Using the same reason often can lead you into trouble.

5. House Emergency:

House emergencies can include many things like a gas leak at your home, your boiler breaking suddenly, or your house catching fire, and so on.

Any house emergency reason, which requires you to present, to fix it and sort things out can be included in this. It can also be if any repair person is coming to your house to fix the boiler, water leak, circuit or other, and no one is home and you need to stay until the person comes and repairs it, at that time you can ask your boss for a half day. So that when the situation is handled after that you can go to the office, but make sure to keep your boss informed about the same.

6. Car Trouble/ Transport Problems:

If you are someone who travels by private transport or even with public transport, these reasons would be helpful for you to skip work. You can let your boss know that as you have car trouble, or that your car isn’t starting so you have to go to the car mechanic to fix it, so as soon as the car trouble get resolved you will get back to the office. This reason can work when you stay a little too far from your office, otherwise, you got to go to work by public transport otherwise.

But these can be a benefit for people who travel by public transport, as sometimes due to bad weather or construction work on roads or tracks, the metro, buses or even taxi services are late or are not available. Also if you have good luck, then even your ola and uber services cancel your ride sometimes because of far drop locations, non-availability of cabs in your area, payment issues or some other reasons.

7. Visit To Donate Blood:

It’s one of the great reasons to miss work, as donating blood is a good thing and one should do it when got the opportunity. The reason you can tell your boss is that your society or nearby have conducted a blood donation camp and you are going there to donate blood. After coming from there you may feel weak and would need some time to rest.

Even if you don’t give a reason for visiting a blood donation camp, you can say that you have to donate blood to someone from your family who is in need of it and it’s a kind of a family emergency. So you won’t be able to show up for work.

8. Travel:

If you have plans to go on a vacation or travel somewhere for your close cousin’s wedding, this can be considered as one of the valid reasons to miss work.

But for that to happen you have to make sure to inform about your holiday plan to your boss prior. So that you get a leave from him/her for traveling, without having to make excuses for last minute.

9. Bad Weather:

Sometimes it rains too heavily during monsoon, so you can’t really travel because as streets are flooded you won’t be able to reach your office and might get stuck. Another reason could be a snowstorm or there is heavy snowfall happening in the city you stay in.

Your car is covered in full snow and you can’t drive it because even the roads are covered with snow, and it would be better off if you stay at home in such conditions. These excuses can be only given when the weather is actually worse, you can’t use these excuses on a daily basis.

10. To Have A Mental Health Day:

Just like our physical health, mental health is also a priority. There are days when you want to give your best, but still, you aren’t able to because there are too many things going on in your life which is kind of making you stressed and sad.

So it’s better to take a day off, to just relax and just do what makes you feel good so that you feel refreshed and better. Many companies do accept this reason to give you leave, while other employers don’t consider this excuse. But no need to worry you can always give other reasons as an excuse if mental health reason is not accepted by your employer to grant you leave. You can use a personal matter or emergency to deal with as excuses.

Tips On How To Keep It real, While Asking Your Boss For A Leave:

Be real and honest, tell them why you want to miss work. You don’t always have to lie, just let them know whatever the situation is and ask for a day off.
Have clarity in what you say, don’t just make things up because if you get questioned you will get into a lot of trouble.
You don’t always have to give huge explanations for anything, be genuine, state your reason clearly and maintain professionalism
Don’t lie and give the same reasons again and again, for frequently getting holidays because then you may get fired for that.
Let your employer know when you will be back after a vacation, holiday or even a day off.
Also make sure to complete all your pending work, while you get back to the office. So that your employer knows that you value your job & duties and are responsible.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and got some pretty good reasons to get out of work. Use these valid reasons only when a situation occurs, if you just lie about it you never know that when a real situation like this arrives you may not actually get a leave. Lying sometimes is okay if you really want a break, but using it every time to get your holidays is not good, it damages your reputation in front of the employer. So be genuine and professional!

That’s it for today’s blog on reasons to call out of work.

What Jobs Can You Get With a Criminal Justice Degree: 12 Great Job Options

What jobs can you get with a criminal justice degree? is the most common question people have when they think about pursuing a criminal justice degree. But don’t worry this blog is here to answer all your questions related to the criminal justice field.

Criminal justice degree is one of the most highly demanded degrees which you can opt for after your higher secondary education. It’s a field which offers you a wide variety of job opportunities in both private as well as public sectors.

If you are someone who is currently pursuing a criminal justice degree and looking for what all jobs this field has in store for you or you are someone who is thinking about whether to go for this degree or not, don’t worry I got you covered.

As in today’s blog, I will be sharing different types of jobs that you can opt for with criminal justice degree, also you will get to know about what is actually a criminal justice degree and some of its advantages and disadvantages & also answer your question of what jobs can you get with a criminal justice degree? So that you get a clear idea after reading the blog of what the field is about and what job you can go for according to your skillset and interests.

Everything You Need To Know About The Criminal Justice Degree

The criminal justice degree covers various areas in terms of studies which includes psychology, sociology, law enforcement, forensic science, more about the court system, legal research, criminal procedures, criminal justice system, and many more things which are required for this degree and for your future criminal justice careers.

The criminal justice system consists of three branches which are as follows: the courts, the police system and the correction system. I will be explaining these 3 branches in short below.

The courts- when someone commits a crime they are taken to the court, where a decision is made based on the laws in order to resolve the cases and the punishment is decided for the culprits.

The police system- Police are the one who maintains the law and order in the state, town and country.

The correction system- To supervise the individuals in prison who have committed crimes and are sentenced for their criminal offences.

Based on these 3 branches you can work for the one that interests you.

The criminal justice field is a vast one so there are many other degrees, associate degree programs and specializations as well like private detective, forensic science, criminology, social work, rehabilitation and many more. Some of them require a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree depending on the majors you are pursuing.

We will also be looking at what jobs can you get with a criminal justice degree? the skills required for doing a criminal justice job and degrees needed for the same.

Advantages Of Having A Degree In Criminal Justice:

A wide variety of career options that you can pursue according to your interests.
The criminal justice jobs are some of the good-paying jobs.
With these jobs, you are making a difference in society by helping the victims and protecting the people.
High demand for a career in criminal justice, and the job opportunities are always increasing with time.
You get to learn different skills in the criminal justice field
You can not just earn well with these criminal justice jobs but there are many health and retirement benefits given as well to the criminal justice professionals.

Drawbacks Of A Criminal Justice Degree :

The criminal justice degree is expensive
The degree may not always land you a job, because every job has its own requirements and if you don’t have the required qualities or skill set you may not get the job.
Working in jobs like these can be stressful, as it’s not easy to solve crimes, in such cases, there is often a lot of pressure to solve the cases.
Long working hours and sometimes having to deal with horrible crime scenes at the sites.

Now as we have a proper understanding of what the criminal justice degree is about without a further due let’s get to know the jobs in the criminal justice field.

What Jobs Can You Get With A Criminal Justice Degree?

1. Police Officer:

Image by King’s Church International on Unsplash

A police officer’s duty is to maintain the law and order and to protect the people of the communities from crimes. You can work for local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies for this job. Also, it is the role of the police officer to maintain the records of the incidents happening, to investigate and observe the suspects if any, to arrest the criminals, answer the emergency calls, patrol the regions and perform the duties that are necessary to protect the residents. The role and duties may vary depending on what type of officer role you have in police departments.

Skills Required:

good communication and listening skills
Analyzing evidence and situations properly & remembering every detail
Should have critical thinking skills to make quick important decisions
Should have morality, honesty, and credibility in what they do
Teamwork and should be able to communicate effectively with the other team members
Physical fitness and stamina

Education Requirements:

A high school diploma or an undergraduate degree in criminal justice (optional but it will help you level up to a higher position as an officer) will be a plus point.

Salary :

The average annual salary is between 50000$- 62000$

2. Parole Officer

what jobs can you get with a criminal justice degree — Image By Mathias P.R Reding on Pexels

The parole officer plays an important role within the criminal justice system, as they are the ones who supervise the offenders that are released permanently or temporarily from prison. The parole officers make sure that the parolees don’t violate any rules or laws while on parole.

They help the prisoners released from the prison to get jobs, education, training, and housing. The parole system gives prisoners a second chance to improve their lives & themselves and to not commit any crimes in the future. The officers often visit the offenders to check on them, to see if they are not violating the parole.

Skills Required:

Critical thinking and logical decision making
Good communication and administrative skills
The ability to build relationships and rapport with the parolee so that they open up and communicate properly.
A mature outlook is important, to be flexible in various situations, to respect other people’s opinions and differences, and to have an ability to learn from one’s experience.
To be assertive

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, sometimes employers even need a master’s degree as well in criminal justice or any other related field

Salary:

The average annual salary is between 35000$ – 42500$

3. Homicide detective:

Homicide detectives play a crucial part in law enforcement agencies as they are the ones who investigate the deaths caused because of a crime. Their duties are to collect evidence and facts in homicide cases.

They also monitor the suspect’s activities, research on the case, conduct interviews with suspects and witnesses, and arrest them. Also, they prepare the evidence that is to be presented in the court and also they testify at trials.

Skills Required:

To pay attention to all the details of the criminal cases
Should be good at writing as well as verbal communication
critical thinking & problem solving
Should have an understanding of the psychology of humans & their behaviors
Should work ethically

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, a high school diploma would be enough

Salary:

The salary can be between $71000- $74000 annually.

4. Crime Scene Investigator:

A crime scene investigator is called by the police at the site of the crime scene for collecting evidence from the site like fingerprints, weapons, or any physical evidence present at the crime scenes. It can also be post mortem or other related incidents which can be considered as evidence.

The crime scene investigators analyze the whole crime situation and secure the crime scene so that the evidence remains accurate. The investigators either work independently or work with a team from their agency.

Skills Required:

Good observational skills and noticing every detail is a must
Teamwork and leadership
quality to analyze evidence & situations properly and to take proper actions /decisions
Problem-solving and being able to be flexible in situations should be able to welcome new approaches to solving crimes
Even under a stressful situation, to be able to keep a calm mind.
Good communication skills

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, forensic science, biological science, or any other related field is required.

Salary:

A low-end salary of a crime scene investigator is $32000 and highest-paid is $88000, per annum.

5. Homeland security:

Image By Guilherme Bustamante on unsplash

The homeland security professionals are those who help in protecting & securing the borders of the country, seaways, airports, & waterways. They also help to be prepared for any kind of disasters or threats by finding out ways through research and developing technologies to reduce the security threats.

They also coordinate responses during natural calamities and also analyze, collect and disseminate the intelligence in order to be prepared for any kind of threat or attack.

The professionals in this job work with various department’s professionals like The central intelligence agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), The secret service, and many other agencies.

Skills Required:

Critical thinking & problem-solving skills are a must
Should be able to work with different professionals, in short teamwork is required
Good communication skills
To empathize and understand people from various backgrounds, in order to communicate with them properly
Calm minded in stressful situations
A good perspective to analyze and detect any potential threats in order to take the necessary measures

Education Requirements:

The minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree in homeland security, criminal justice, or any similar field. If you have any experience you can qualify for the job with a minimum requirement too.

Salary:

The average salary annually is $73,887 and the highest salary is $181500.

6. Forensic Psychologist

If you want to put two studies into practical experience then this job is for you as it is a combination of psychology and law. Like how a normal psychologist tries to understand and analyze human behavior their emotions and feelings and helps you cope and advise you to overcome something, this job is similar to that.

Forensic psychologists get a better understanding of the suspects or criminals in order to know their behavior, motives, and mindset. Other duties consist of conducting interviews & research, assisting the police in the case, and putting the understanding of human behavior of criminal skills into practice to help law enforcement agencies to solve crimes.

Skills required:

Strong communication, listening, and writing skills
Having a good knowledge and understanding of the legal system
Ability to conduct a good research
Critical thinking skills and should observe every single detail of the case
Should be able to build a good relationship with the offender so that he/she can open up and communicate properly
Teamwork, commitment, and problem-solving skill in work is a must.

Education Requirements:

A college degree in criminal justice, criminology, or any similar field. A Master’s degree and a doctoral degree in the field are also required.

Salary:

The annual average salary of a forensic psychologist is $95,374.

7. Forensic accountants:

On a daily basis, forensic accountants’ work is a little similar to normal accountants. As they deal with collecting the financial evidence in a criminal case, compiling it, and then presenting it in a form of a report in order to understand the findings. They also testify in court, conduct interviews, and travel to investigate and verify the information they have.

Skills Required:

should give attention to every detail
Strong communication skills
Must be good at collecting data and analyzing it accurately
To know how to create quality reports of the finding
A good analytical and problem-solving skill
Time management is important as well and should be proficient in Information technology

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in forensic accountancy & criminal justice is a must and a master’s degree will be a plus point for the job.

Salary:

The average salary of a forensic accountant is $79929, other federal agencies like the federal bureau can offer a bit more annually.

8. Private Investigator:

Private investigators do not just stick to criminal cases they take non-criminal cases as well on the basis of the clients they have. As the name suggests they are self-employed and work for people or different organizations.

They investigate the cases, collect information, and gather evidence. Also, they conduct research to know about the background of the legal, personal and financial information of the suspect and also about criminal offenses. To carry out their job they need a private investigator license.

Skills Required:

Good technology skills and should be able to conduct good research
To keep confidentiality about sensitive information, and not share it with anyone who is not involved
Good verbal communication skills
To utilize every possible resource in order to solve crimes and uncover the truth.
Analytical thinking and problem solving
to have patience while solving cases, as some may take a long time to resolve

Education Requirements:

The employers prefer candidates with a high school diploma or a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice

Salary:

The average income of a private investigator is $60100 and the one who is experienced and has a good formal education has an average salary of $96950 annually.

9. Probation Officer

The probation officer’s work is a little similar to the parole officer’s. The only difference is a parole officer supervises an offender who is released temporarily or permanently and has served half of their sentence in jail but probation officers, supervise those offenders who don’t go to jail but are given an opportunity to rehabilitate and live as a responsible citizen of society.

They supervise the offenders in police custody, conducts interviews, and analyze the progress made by the offender in rehabilitation. They provide offenders with proper counseling services and help them to cope with their concerns and problems. The probation officers also make sure that offenders on probation get good support from family and friends while they are rehabilitating themselves.

Skills Required:

Strong communication skills and writing skills
to know the counseling techniques in order to interact with the offenders
Teamwork and knowledge about substance abuse & experience in the criminal investigation
Should have empathy towards people
Must have a prior experience of social work or expertise in it
Critical thinking and problem-solving ability

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in social work, criminal justice, psychology is required

Salary:

The average salary per year of a probation officer is $44913.

10. Secret Service Agent:

The secret service agents are responsible for protecting the people of the top-level like the president & vice president, their families, speakers of the house of representatives, and others and also they get an opportunity to work alongside them. During any important events taking place in the country, they develop security plans and provide national-level protection, and secure the buildings in order to give protection to political figures.

They are also involved in conducting criminal investigations and looking after financial crime cases.

Skills Required:

Being good at decision making and communication skills
excellent research skills and keen to observe details
Must be physically fit
to carry out a good investigation

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in criminal justice is required

Salary:

The average salary per year is $138895.

11. Substance Abuse Counselors:

They support and help individuals who are having alcohol and drug addiction-related problems. The substance abuse counselors teach them how to deal with these problems and how to bring changes in their habits so that they recover fully. They work in hospitals, private firms, and rehabilitation centers. Their duties include meeting with their clients evaluating their progress and counseling them if they are facing any issues. They also make treatment plans for them & teach them how to cope with problems and to live an improved life. Also, they carry out group therapy sessions for such clients who are facing similar issues so that they can share their experiences.

Skills Required:

An empathetic attitude towards the client
Good listening skills & communication skills
Persuasion skills
To be patient and optimistic
Should be able to read body language
Psychology

Education Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice & Psychology is a must, a master’s degree will be a plus point.

Salary:

The average salary of a substance abuse counselor is $55350 annually.

12. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agent:

The federal bureau of investigation agents provides security & protection to the country & its citizens from any kind of threats or crimes. They work with the law enforcement people and gather intelligence about any threats to the country’s security. The common duty of an FBI agent is to carry out an investigation of federal crimes, collect evidence & data, and analyze it. They are also required to create reports about their findings while investigating a case. Also, they make arrests, interview the suspects, and conduct surveillance operations. Their daily tasks and responsibilities may vary depending on their specialization in the field.

Skill Required:

To keep calm under stressful situations
Critical thinking and problem solving
Strong communication skills are a must
Should be well versed with technology
Should know how to work in a team as well as alone
Other skills will depend on your specialization.

Education Requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related field. A master’s degree is recommended.

Salary:

The average salary annually of an FBI agent is $66120

Other than all the criminal justice degree jobs stated above there are a few more as well like the correctional officer, criminal investigators, crime lab analysts, victim advocate, Lawyers, and so on. which you can also consider while making a decision for your career.

If you’re someone who likes to help people and wants to keep your town, city & nation safe from all the crimes that happen, then you can opt for these jobs in the criminal justice field. After reading this I hope you got a clear idea of what the field has in store for your career. But know this there are a lot of career options in this field but your choice depends on your interest, likes, dislikes, and skills, so think & choose wisely. Everything may sound interesting about these jobs but they come with risks and you get a lot of exposure to dangerous things.

The criminal justice field itself has a lot of career opportunities to offer and a lot of choices for you to decide from. I hope you got an idea of what the overall criminal justice field is about and what jobs can you get with a criminal justice degree? to make a career in. With this I come to the end of the blog, I hope you enjoyed reading it.

8 Best Highest Paying Social Media Jobs For You

Social Media Jobs has opened doors for a lot of career opportunities in the digital field. How wonderful it would be to have a job on the social media platforms that you use on a daily basis, and get paid for it? Sounds great right, social media is everywhere from the time we wake up to the time we go to bed, it has become like a necessity in our lives.

But have you ever thought of having a career or a proper job in this field? Let me tell you it’s a field which is growing every single day and it has a lot of jobs to offer. Now the first thing that comes to our mind is where to get these social media jobs and will you be paid well? Don’t worry in this blog we will be discussing what highest paying social media jobs you can apply for, the skills needed, and the qualifications required for the same.

Social media has become an easy way for all of us to connect, but also it has become an important marketing tool for brands and companies. As nowadays everything has gone virtual, brands and companies are trying their best to create a strong social media presence to reach their target audience and to get to know them better.

With new features constantly updating on social media platforms, it allows brands to create content in different ways and to put it out on the social media channels in a creative way for their audience or to promote their product or service in an effective way through it. For eg Instagram & Facebook have started the reels feature which is 30-second video-type content.

Social platforms have also given us many ways to find social media jobs and internship opportunities as well. As there are many companies that put job ads on social media platforms so that people can apply. Even Facebook-like platforms have a feature where you can explore jobs. Also, there are a lot of applications like Glassdoor, Internshala, Hirect, My Future, and so on where you can look for social media jobs.

Now without any further due, let’s get to know the highest paying social media jobs that you can apply for or look forward to having a career in. Also, I will be mentioning some of the social media platforms which you can use for marketing activities as well as for finding social media jobs.

Various Social Media Platforms To Search for Social Media Jobs On:

1. Facebook: Many employers posts jobs on Facebook, so you can always look for jobs that interest you in the social media field in the “jobs on the Facebook button” there you can use the filters of category, location, type of jobs to sort jobs according to your preference.

2. Instagram: You can always get to know more about a brand that you want to work with or a social media job through Instagram, by checking out their profiles. Also, many companies also put posts or ads related to hiring for a job.

3. Linkedin: It is a great source to find jobs, you can use LinkedIn for finding jobs, connecting with professionals, and also you can put up your cv as well. But make sure to put all your profile details, work experiences, and achievements, so that your employer can see them when he visits your profile.

4. Twitter: Just like Facebook and Instagram, employers also use Twitter as a platform for job postings and openings, also they post about their company news.

5. Reddit: It is a platform where you will find answers to your every question, may it be for a particular field, interest, career, jobs, and whatnot. There are subreddits about job postings, job hirings, recruitment, and so on, where you can find jobs related to social media.

8 Highest Paying Social Media Jobs:

1. Social Media Marketing:

As the name suggests social media marketing job is to make use of the social media platforms in order to promote products and services of the business and to create a strong digital presence of the brand by creating relevant & creative content consistently.

You have to develop social media strategy and social media campaigns to reach the target audience of the company and also to decide which social media platform is suitable for the brand’s content and what channels the target audience is active on.

The content that you create should send out the brand’s message effectively and bring more engagement to your company’s website /page and content. Also, social media marketing includes creating a good brand following, generating leads through your social media strategies, and increasing sales.

Skills Required :

Good communication skills
Creativity and good command in writing & copywriting
To curate content
Knowledge about marketing
Graphic designing and editing
Knows to handle social media analytics
Should understand consumer behavior
Community building

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in any marketing or mass communications field.

2. Social Media Manager:

You may wonder aren’t social media marketing and management the same thing, no there is a little difference between both jobs. Social media marketing deals with creating and executing content and strategies whereas social media managers deal with social media account management.

The social media manager’s duty is to manage different social media platforms of the company and monitor the performance of those platforms. To suggest improvements in performance, to respond to customers’ comments and messages, to hold giveaways, post stories, to maintain the social media handle, and to make sure to keep it engaging. Develop marketing strategy and implement it, also to be updated with latest trends and technologies and to look after the budget for social media marketing. They have to create content calendars to write down the dates and content that is to be published or scheduled.

Skills Required :

Good communication skills
Expertise in social media
Strategic planning and analytical skills
Good command in writing
Creative and management skills
Community & Customer management
Editing & Research skills

Qualifications:

A degree in any of the following fields marketing, media, communications, or any related field. Experience in the field is preferred.

3. Public Relations Manager:

A public relations manager’s job is to develop and implement PR strategies. Not only pr strategies but they also have to look after the goals, budget & target audience while planning these strategies. Their duty is to give the company’s message or news to the media and the people, hold press conferences, and build networks in the media industry.

To plan and develop a media relations strategy accordingly, finding which media platforms to utilize for good placements can be traditional as well as digital. Also, your duty will be to create content for media like press releases, news announcements, brand launches, and so on. They analyze and monitor the PR performances and manage the PR of the company in a crisis situation as well.

They also work with the social media teams and direct them to create engagement on the social media platforms as it’s faster and stays for a longer period of time and it also avoids rumors. In short, the work of a pr manager is to look after creating a good image of a brand publicly and to manage all the pr aspects of the company.

Skills Required :

Must be good at building relationships
Strong communication skills (written and spoken)
Creative and strategic thinking
Knowledge about business and current scenarios
Research skills and understanding of different media
Confidentiality and attention to details

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s or a master’s degree in business, marketing or any similar field.

4. Social Media Designer:

A social media designer creates the creative and appealing visuals that you see on a brand’s or companies social media platforms. Their duties include researching well, creating content for the targeted audience, and developing marketing strategies to make sure that it drives maximum traffic.

The three basic needs to be a social media designer is to know how to do graphic designing for creating creative content and visuals for various social media platforms. You should also have knowledge about computer programming in order to develop pages and applications for the companies. And the last need is to know how marketing works so that you have an idea of what kind of content should be posted and will it be appealing to the people or not.

Their duty also includes posting content online and to monitor key performance.

Skills Required :

Graphic designing
Knowledge about marketing
Knows how to use computer programming skills
Originality and creativity
Good communication skills

Qualifications:

Should have completed graduation in the field of graphic designing or computer sciences.

5. Social Media Community Manager :

This job consists of managing and maintaining the “community” of the company on social media, community includes your consumers, like-minded people with the same interests, or people who follow the organization. The job of a social media community manager is to keep the community engaged through various content and engaging activities.

To create a bond with your customers and to answer all their queries and doubts. Also to reply to the comments and messages timely. As a community manager, your job also includes developing a strategy to manage the community and to be updated with recent trends.

To conduct events on social media so that people participate which will not only help in community building but also spread brand awareness. Monitor the engagement level of people on your page/website/social media so that you have an idea of what content people like and which content or activities they are engaging in.

Skills Required :

Quick decision making
Content Creation
Creativity
Knows how to build customer relationships
Good management skills and PR
Knowledge about social media marketing
Strong writing skills
Knows everything about social media platforms

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in mass communications, marketing, or similar fields. Experience in the field will be preferred more.

6. Content Strategist:

The content strategist’s job is to plan and develop a content strategy according to business goals and customers. They are the ones who connect with the audience through the content on various social media platforms. It’s important for a content strategist to keep in mind the needs of clients and customers when developing a content strategy.

The content a strategist creates and publishes should align with brand values and standards & it should add value to the customer’s experience when they visit the website/page or see the content. It’s a strategist’s job to research well and develop good content that is creative and appealing, grabs people’s attention, and increases engagement as well.

The content should encourage the people visiting the website or page to make a purchase from the brand. Their job also includes monitoring and tracking the content performance and how much return on investment is generated through it. They also analyze the strategy implemented to see if it gives out good results or not.

Skills Required :

Research and excellent writing skills
Search engine optimization
Knowledge about social media platforms
Copywriting & Editorial skills
Content Marketing
Data analytics skill

Qualifications:

Graduated in the following fields like mass communications, journalism, marketing or related field. Majors in the above fields are recommended. Also an experience in the field.

7. Copywriter:

A job of a copywriter in social media is to create content and post on various social media sites. For this job creative writing is important as you would not only be writing for social media but also for various digital campaigns. In this job, you got to have a clear idea of what your clients want from you and understand their requirements even while creating a brief.

Also while writing content or campaigns the copywriter should keep in mind what are the objectives? who is the target audience? and what message does it want to give out to the audience?. The copywriter works with the creative team in order to get an idea that the written form is complementing the visual elements of content.

Editing also plays an important role in copywriting to improve and to write better. Also one should be familiar with how advertising works on social media and to research to write excellent copies with originality.

Skills Required :

Strong communication skills (written and spoken)
Creativity
Knowledge about advertising
Search engine optimization
Well versed with technology and social media platforms
Good vocabulary
Listening skills and problem solving

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in mass communication, Journalism, Marketing or any other similar field. A master’s degree is preferred in the field and experience in the copywriting field and content marketing is recommended.

8. Marketing Communications Manager:

Marketing communications managers are the one who plays a vital role in marketing, as they are the ones who have a clear idea of what kind of marketing activities work and what doesn’t. Their duty is to conduct market research and analyze the data. Also, they look after the budgeting strategies of the company.

They make sure that the campaigns are running effectively or not. Also, they develop and implement various marketing activities on social media to generate leads and increase sales. They are the best experts when it comes to marketing, as they know which marketing activity is going to attract the audiences.

They have to work with different teams in the organization like PR, Creative team, promotions, and advertising & also have to coordinate with the agencies. They implement various activities on social media like search engine optimization(SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), generating leads, sales promotion, trade shows, PR, and so on. Being a marketing communication manager you need to be aware of all the changes happening in the market on a daily basis and stay up to date with various market trends.

Skills Required:

Knowledge about consumer behaviour, marketing techniques, and market
Excellent communication skills (Written and spoken)
Creativity and well versed with IT skills
Knowledge about technology and trends
Project management
Editing and proofreading skills
Multitasking

Qualifications:

The minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree in Public relations, marketing or any related field. A Masters’s degree and experience in the field are recommended.

The digital world has a lot to offer not only for social media jobs but also as a freelancer you can make a better career with the help of social media. Many companies offer job opportunities online and you can even find workshops and courses which you can do to learn more about different skills used for social media jobs.

The scope of social media jobs will widen more, with the advancements in technology. Businesses and brands have also shifted from traditional media to online media as it will expand their reach not only in their country but globally. So the companies also look for individuals and professionals who have the suitable skills for social media jobs and can make good use of their skills to increase brand awareness. So if you are someone who is now planning on doing a social media job, then what are you waiting for?

With this we come to the end of the blog, these were some of the highest paying jobs that you can refer to and if you have an interest in these jobs then go for it!!

Soft Skills List: 9 Best Skills You Need to Know Right Away

If you are someone who is looking for Soft Skills List, to know which are some of the in-demand soft skills in the workplace or even in real life, then you are at the right place. In this blog, we will be discussing a lot of soft skills and why they are important in every field you go into.

As hard skills are important to do a job, the job requirements of any company are not just limited to technical ability or hard skills, it’s also important to focus on soft skills as they are a part of your personality traits. With the soft skills list, that I will be providing you will get an idea of what skills you can add to your resume or CVS, and what skills usually employers look for while hiring candidates.

Soft skills are important in a workplace as it shows how well you fit into the environment of the company, interchange your ideas and communicate effectively with people and employees in the organization.

Employers look for candidates who can give their best to the organization and are effective enough. They will look for the hard skills that you possess, that’s a definite thing but they also require a good amount of soft skills in the candidate they hire.

Though hard skills will help you to do a job, it’s soft skills that will show how well you get along with people, build relationships, and how well you can use these skills to handle things that come your way.

Hard and soft skills both play an important role in an individual’s professional life. It is like you need to have both skills to do the job.

Soft skills help an individual not only in boosting their productivity and performance but also helps in achieving their career success.

With this blog of soft skills list, let us get to know more about soft skills, how they are useful to us in the workplace, how we can develop or improve soft skills & why one should add them in their CVs or resumes.

What Is Meant By Soft Skills?

Soft skills are basically an individual’s personality traits, that show how well he/she can interact with others in the workplace and are able to build professional relationships or even how you work by yourself when there is no team.

Soft skills are required in all the fields not just any specific job, it is as important skills as hard skills. Hard skill and soft skill both play a vital role in getting a job because both skills are complementary to each other to perform a job successfully.

Now you may think is just adding soft skills to the resume or cv would it be enough? The answer is no, randomly adding any skills which you don’t have may it be hard or soft skills isn’t going to help you if you don’t have the right skill at the right time to deal with a situation or to do a job.

So now you may be wondering what should you add then, all of us have some soft skills in us like for eg: some people are good at socializing, some possess a very positive attitude towards things, or some people are good at problem-solving. Skills that you possess or that you know that you have in you are to be written in your job applications or CVs.

Don’t worry you don’t need technical expertise to develop them, Just like how you can learn and get trained for developing a hard skill, in the same manner, you can also develop soft skills by practicing them or putting them into a habit regularly. Because it’s not possible to develop a soft skill overnight, some soft skills will take time but you will get better at them by regularly practicing them at home, workplace, activities, teamwork, and so on.

For all the job seekers out there, make sure to add these key soft skills which you have into your job application as they have equal value as your technical skills and hard skills.

Now from the below soft skills list, let us learn about some of the top soft skills that companies look for in their job candidates or you can say skills that are in demand in the job market. Also, I will provide you with some tips on how to develop or improve each soft skill. So let’s begin without any further due.

9 Sought-After Soft Skills List You Need To Know Right Away To Achieve Long Term Job Success:

1. Interpersonal Skills:

Humans are social animals. We need to interact with each other on a daily basis, may it be with our friends, families, at meetings, or at the workplace. Without being able to communicate properly you won’t be able to speak your mind, have a conversation with people or understand what a person is talking about. Thus interpersonal skills become an important part of our lives.

When you work in an organization, you got to communicate with various people who come from different paths of life and fields. In order to interact better with them not only for sharing knowledge or exchanging ideas but also to have a normal conversation, you need to communicate effectively.

It is one of the important skills you need to have so that you can get along with others really well and interact with your colleagues clearly so that there is no miscommunication or misunderstanding.

Tips To Improve Your Interpersonal Skills :

Avoid distractions while communicating with any professionals or colleagues like for eg keep your cellphones on silent so that you don’t get distracted
Be focused on what you want to communicate
While talking make sure to make eye contact with people you are interacting with
Listen to what one has to say properly, and then respond so that the person knows that you are listening
Practice your basic communication skills every day, use words wisely
Make sure your body language is confident, you should have a positive tone while conveying ideas and take constructive criticism well without getting offended.

2. Problem-Solving Skills:

Problem-solving as the name suggests, this soft skill deals with how well you solve a difficult situation or a problem that comes your way. For eg: if a customer has an issue with anything, what solution will you find for the problem so that the issue with your customers gets resolved.

To solve a problem, first, you need to identify the problem or situation and what are the ways that can help you resolve conflicts. Sometimes when you don’t get ways to tackle a situation you can always find creative ways to solve it. This is also known as creative problem-solving skills.

Where you come up with creative solutions and see problems from different perspectives in order to find innovative solutions for your problem.

Tips To Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills:

Be focused on what solution you need to find.
Do not get distracted from your problem, and understand it clearly
Other than conventional ways to solve a problem, always look for out of the box solutions to solve a problem
Write down your thoughts, ideas, problems, and solutions in a book or journal so that it will provide you with good strategies for conflict resolution, instead of just storing all things in your head.
Don’t complicate the process of solving, keep it simple.

3. Communication Skills:

Communication plays an important part in our lives, without which we won’t be able to interact or share information with one another. It’s not just about the spoken communication skills but also your written communication skills should be excellent. Because both written and spoken communication are used at the workplace on a daily basis.

If you have strong communication skills you are able to share your ideas, thoughts, opinions, and knowledge with others & also they are able to understand what you have to say in a better way. But if your communication skill is poor then it may cause misunderstandings.

Even while you write anything job-related it may be your application, email, and so on, you require excellent written communication skills in order to write clear and without any errors.

Tips To Improve Your Communication Skills:

Active listening is important for a communicator to have a greater understanding of a subject
Speak confidently, maintain good body language, and don’t use slang while communicating at the workplace
In written communication always proofread your writings, so that if there are any errors you can correct them.
Communicate politely, tone matters while interacting though it is in written or spoken communication
Speak to the point, don’t get distracted.

4. Emotional Intelligence:

Emotional intelligence is also known as EQ (emotional quotient) is an ability to understand, recognize, resonate and manage your emotions as well as of others at stressful times or conflicts. As humans, we all are different in our own way and thus we have different ways to deal with our emotions. It’s not just about the emotions we have but also how our emotions affect others around us have to be kept in mind.

Now you must be thinking about how will EQ help at a workplace? Well, the answer to this would be when there are situations in front of you like decision making, resolving conflicts, handling important situations, and so on.

It’s important to not get tense but to recognize the problems and respond to a situation or problem with a calm and positive mind. To understand what others have to say, be a good active listener, and help people to resolve problems if any.

Tips To Improve Emotional Intelligence:

Be self-aware, recognize your emotions and how they impact others around you
Listen to people carefully, don’t just listen to respond but to understand and don’t interrupt let the person complete what he/she is saying
Have a positive attitude take constructive criticism as feedback and work on it.
Show empathy towards other people, get to know things from their perspective and try to understand them
Manage your emotions and balance them well, don’t let your emotions affect your decisions

Think. Process. Understand. Act.

5. Critical Thinking:

It is one of the professional skills that you need to have at the workplace. It basically involves analyzing a problem/ situation, understanding and evaluating it, and making rational decisions. It’s a skill that requires clear and logical thinking, in order to make good decisions.

There is a lot of information out there, but not every piece of information is relevant, a critical thinker’s focus is always on using factual information and not bringing any biases in decision making. Not just accepting information or ideas as it is but to question and to seek what will be the right solution to a problem and to be open to new findings.

Even if a critical thinker is wrong at times, he must have the ability to accept it and keep finding new or creative ways to solve problems.

Tips To Improve Critical Thinking:

Identify and know your objectives clearly in order to make a rational decision
You may come across various options, to solve a problem but make sure to understand and analyse every option well so that it doesn’t cause any consequences for you and others, know the pros and cons of your options.
Don’t overthink or complicate things, keep it clear and be open to new possibilities and ideas.
Accept the fact, that you can’t be always right. Admit it when you are wrong.
Keep all your biases and opinions aside, research well and learn in the process.
Don’t believe anything, question your assumptions and ideas & explore various perspectives to find solutions.

6. Time Management:

Time management is one of the key skills that is required at the workplace. It deals with how you manage your own time and the work. Whether you are able to achieve your objectives or task in the given time or not, or how well you plan your time to do your tasks and how much time you spend on a specific thing.

Time management is all about how you allocate the given time to complete your work efficiently. It’s not only about managing your own time but also of others. When you know how to work smartly, you can save time which will help you to focus on other important tasks as well.

Making good use of time will help you boost your performance as well as achieve the desired objectives. If you deliver your work on time without any delay it will create a good impression as well in front of your seniors in an organization.

Tips To Improve Time Management Skills:

Know your responsibilities and work that you want to complete in a given period of time and plan a schedule accordingly.
Set your priorities, according to the importance as the most important work should be done first and then the lower importance one. So that you finish all your work on time.
Set your goals, for eg: you have decided to finish the work today it should be completed by today itself without delaying it to another day.
It’s okay to take breaks in between to keep your mind fresh, but manage your time according to it and stay focused on the things you want to do. Don’t overextend your break time.
Keep the deadlines in mind, and when you complete them reward yourself so that you remain motivated to complete other deadlines as well.

7. Teamwork:

Teamwork is a skill that tests how well you work with others when given group projects. When you are in a team, you work together by keeping your own individual interests aside. The main objective of a team is to achieve a certain goal effectively.

Listen to what ideas everyone has, use teammates’ strengths and skills to divide the work and to achieve the goals. For eg, if a group project is given about something related to advertising, from your team you can assign the production part to someone who is good at cinematography when it comes to writing you can assign it to a good content writer, and so on.

In this way, everyone is using their unique skills, bringing their ideas, and working together. At times there will be a conflict of opinions but you should know how to handle it well when working in a team.

Tips To Improve Teamwork:

Communicate every day, clearly express your ideas and thoughts to your team & always take feedback that will help you improve.
Respect people’s ideas even when you don’t agree with them and recognize everyone’s contribution to the project don’t undervalue anyone.
Make sure to set the objectives for the project and let everyone know so that everyone’s on the same page and working towards the goal and not confused or distracted.
Clarify everyone’s roles and responsibilities so that everyone has a clear idea of what they have to do.
Conflict management is important so that the conflicts get resolved quickly.
Be open-minded, honest, and welcome new ideas and thoughts.

8. Work Ethic:

Work ethic is a skill that employers look for in their employees. They are basically principles that you follow when doing your job duties. It includes your productivity, dedication towards work, your skills and abilities, attitude, professionalism, how well you communicate, cooperation and productivity. Employers prefer candidates who have a strong work ethic.

Work ethic doesn’t mean that you just come to the office, do your work, and leave but it means that when you show up to work you give you are determined and dedicated to do the work and to give your best to the organization. Having a good work ethic may increase your chances of career advancement because employer values their employees with high work ethic.

Tips To Improve Work Ethic:

Time management plays an important part in work ethic, to do your work on time and be punctual in what you do.
Maintain professionalism and stay focused to achieve the long term goals don’t be distracted
Building a good reputation at work will help you in the long run
Be reliable, deliver quality work to the organization and meet the deadlines
Strong integrity is important in the workplace.

9. Leadership:

Leadership means the ability to lead and manage a group of people. In the workplace, it means to guide and supervise the people of your company. Being a leader is not an easy job, you need to be able to persuade people in a positive way to do their job. Use effective communication with your team members, give them opportunities to share their knowledge and ideas, and give them feedback to increase their performance.

As a leader it’s important to be adaptable to every situation, strategize everything properly, make decisions and make sure your team is organized. Motivate the team members and inspire them in order to increase their productivity and performance. Reward them for their achievements and appreciate their contributions. Active listening also plays a very important role in this skill.

Tips To Improve Leadership:

Step out of your comfort zone, take initiative in new projects and learn something new.
Never stop learning, learn new skills, and gain knowledge.
Be good at critical thinking, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
Inspire and motivate your teammates, when a team member needs your guidance provide them with it and have empathy towards others.
Do not feel offended or threatened when someone gives you constructive criticism, take it positively and improve.

Final Note:

These were some of the top soft skills lists which is important for you to know if you are thinking of which soft skills to add in order to have a great impression of your cv in front of your employer. Don’t worry if you don’t have a skill from the above soft skills list you can always develop and improve it by following the tips. With these, we come to the end of the blog I hope you find this blog useful.

9 Effective Tips To Build The Talent Management Strategy

Being in a business or a company you may be familiar with the term “Talent Management” and how it has become an important factor in the world of a variety of businesses. No, but this is not some other word in the human resource dictionary, it’s actually in an important niche in the Hr.

But do you ever think why this “talent management strategy” holds so much importance in human resources? why businesses should adapt to this strategy in order to improve? How the talented employees will prove to be effective to your business and why it is needed? What’s the process of talent management and how it will prove to be successful?

I know, there may be a lot of unanswered queries and questions regarding it in your minds. But don’t worry even if you are a business person or an entrepreneur who is looking to start a new business with this blog you will be taking a lot of quality knowledge about talent management and why every business may be a small one or large should focus on it.

For a business, the most important asset is its employees and to attract the best talent in the company is the responsibility of the talent management. In this blog, we will be talking about how talent management strategy is important for your business and some tips on how to make it, what is talent management, and how it works.

So without a further due, let’s get straight into the topic.

What Is Meant By Talent Management?

Talent management is a process through which an organization recruits talented people, retains employees and looks after their learning and development. Now you may think doesn’t human resource means the same thing. Yes, but human resources and talent management are a little different from one another.

Human resource management deals with the management of people like how many employees are needed, looking after the pay structure, employee & company’s relationship, their complaints, benefits, to recruit the best talent to achieve company’s objective and so on. Whereas talent management is a function under human resource management, and it’s very strategic.

It deals with bringing out the best potential in the employee, looking after employee engagement, valuing them, and training them to become the best-skilled employees in a highly competitive world. It gives the employees an opportunity to learn, develop and feel motivated to do their work.

Also, talent management strategy is important for business strategy because it helps you attract new employees with the best talent which helps you in achieving your company goals and reaching new heights with effective employees performance.

How Does The Talent Management Process Take Place?

The talent management process is where an organization fills the required vacant position with new hires who are talented people, develop their skills in order to become better and better in what they do, and retain them for the betterment and high performance of the company in order to achieve its long term goals. The process of talent management never ends it continues as long as the business exists.

Below are the following steps involved in the talent management process based on the talent management model:

1. To Plan And Identify The Requirements:

This is a pre-stage where you plan everything proper about what are your company’s requirements and what kind of talent are you looking for. This stage also includes preparing clear job descriptions, skills required for the job, and good workforce planning for the recruitment process.

2. To Attract The Best Talent In The Industry:

It’s important for hr professionals to hire people who are the best at what they do and are skilled. In this stage, you may choose the talent which suits your organization well, it can be your existing employees as well or you can look for people outside your company.

You can also retain your internal employees if they are the ones who are suitable for the job position and have the required qualities or skills, it helps in reducing the cost of the company and saves time.

3. The Recruitment Stage:

The important step in the hiring process is where you shortlist the candidates out of the candidates that have applied for the job. Your shortlisting procedure will depend upon what skills and talents your company requires for a specific job position and depending on which you will select the candidates suitable for your company.

This process will go through many phases as first you will see the applications received, shortlist the applications, take interviews or tests and then hire the candidates. After the candidate qualifies the whole procedure, the salary negotiation part comes into the picture, where -the employer and the final candidate should agree upon the decided remuneration, by both the parties and welcome the candidate onboard.

4. To Look After The Training, Learning & Development of Employees:

The employees are trained properly to develop and improve skills, also during this process, the employee also gets familiar with the company culture. Through this training process, the employee gains more knowledge about the job and gets to learn new skills as well, not just skills but they also get an opportunity to get mentored by skilled people in the company so that they too become proficient in what they do.

5. Employee Retention:

It’s not just about focusing and hiring the employees outside of the organization who are skilled but it’s also important for an organization to look within the internal environment and to keep the talented employees. Companies should make effective retention strategies and give their employees a healthy environment where they learn, grow, have job satisfaction, get rewards, promotions, and opportunities to showcase their skills.

6. Employee’s Exit From The Organization:

The last part of the talent management process is where the employee retires or exits the organization. At this stage, succession planning comes into the picture. Now, what is succession planning? It means to create and develop plans of who will replace the person who retires or exits.

It can be the employee who has given the best to the company for many years and is apt for the position. All decisions are to be taken by the management team they can also hold interviews with the prior employee who exited to get a better understanding of who deserves the position.

Talent Management Strategy And Its Importance:

Developing a talent management strategy is an important part as it will make sure that you have the top talent employees on board. It also helps in managing talent & optimizing their performances not only of the hired once but also the existing ones and the potential ones. Investing in top talent will not only help the business to grow and expand but also achieve organizational objectives (short term & long term both) and business success. . We will be discussing some of the tips you can use to make your talent management strategy:

9 Tips On How To Build A Talent Management Strategy:

1. Know Your Organizational Goals :

Before planning your talent management strategy, it’s important for an organization to have clarity in what are the organization’s objectives and to know what kind of talent is needed for your organization. Ask yourself questions like What kind of talent will contribute to business goals? What qualities & skills should they have? How many people should be hired for a particular position? What kind of talent is suitable for the job & needed within the company?. These all questions will help you determine how your talent management strategy should be framed.

2. To Hire People Who Are The Best Fit For The Company:

While looking for top talent to recruit, Hr professionals should have a clear idea about what their ideal candidate will be. What skills do they require for the job? Does the candidate have prior experience/expertise in that field? Do they have the required knowledge for the job? and so on in order to get an idea of what kind of ideal candidate are you looking for. Make sure that the description you provide for the job should be clear enough and should contain all of the requirements of the job.

3. Have Clarity In The Job Descriptions & The Expectations From The Employee:

As a talent management strategist, while making job descriptions it should consist of what is your company’s culture and values? what is the job position? What are the requirements/qualities & skills needed? What kind of employees you’re looking for? What are your expectations from the employee? These are some of the things you can add to the description, don’t complicate it just keep it easy to understand.

4. Performance Management:

After hiring employees for the organization, it’s an hr’s duty to monitor & evaluate the employee performance to know how they work in the company is it good or poor. The aim of performance management is to bring the best in employees, & let them showcase their abilities & skills in the work for achieving the objectives of the organization. After continuous monitoring of their performances, it’s also necessary to provide them with feedback in order for them to improve.

5. To Implement A Human Capital Management Strategy:

This strategy is more focused on the human capital of the company i.e the workforce of the organization and managing them. By implementing a human capital management strategy, it will help the company to make the most of the workforce and their skills to achieve objectives and it will also upgrade the employee’s skills through training and development.

The most important thing for any organization is to treat your workforce with kindness, recognize their efforts, and reward them for their achievements. As for a business human capital is the most important asset, it’s necessary to build a good relationship and environment for your workforce for them to feel motivated and work towards the organization’s goals.

6. Talent Development:

To help your employees to develop and learn the skills required, training will help the organization to have increased productivity. The training can be in the form of mentorship, workshops, e-learning, self-learning, coaching, and other training programs.

7. To Always Reward Your Employees & Recognize Their Efforts:

Just training and developing skills is not enough for the employees, it’s also necessary to recognize the efforts they put in to achieve the company’s goals. Also rewarding them will make them feel appreciated and motivated to work in the company and to stay for a long term.

8. To Develop a Succession Plan:

For every organization, a succession plan plays a vital role as it decides who will be the roles or positions in a company will be passed on to, after one retires or leaves the company. For having a successful succession plan you should analyze and identify which employees perform higher and will be capable enough to take the leadership roles in the organization. Keep these factors in mind while developing a succession plan, one is the past performances of your employee, expertise and experience in the field, motivation to do work, to have the ability to give the best to the company, to have aspirations, and so on.

9. Give Them Opportunities In Order To Grow And To Develop Their Career Paths:

Give your employees different opportunities for them to showcase their abilities and skills because then only all their training and developed skills will come into practice. Work with your employees and mentor them in order to analyze and identify their skills and to know their aspirations. Provide them with assistance, be honest with them, and help them to build their career path. When employees see a long-term growth opportunity in the company they become more focused and engaged, so give them the right opportunities to showcase their talent, so that they can make the most out of themselves.

With these we come to the end of the blog, these were some of the tips that you can keep in mind while preparing a talent management strategy. Hope you got some useful information through this blog !!