Tag Archive for: skills

2. Apologizing sincerely

To err is human — but to craft a believable apology isn’t a universal skill.

The apology “needs to be sincere, not qualified, not quantified, and also needs [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][to] outline how X will not happen again,” Keyani says.

According to one CEO, there’s a six-step strategy for successfully saying you’re sorry:

1. Act quickly.

2. Apologize in person. 

3. Explain what happened. 

4. Show how you are going to avoid the problem in the future. 

5. Apologize.

6. Make restitution.

Keyani gives an example of what you might say if you were tardy for an appointment:

“I’m sorry I was late for the meeting. It must have been frustrating because you spent a lot of time preparing and got up early. I did a poor job accounting for traffic and didn’t give myself enough buffer. That is my bad and I’m going to give myself an extra 10 minutes instead of five moving forward.”

3. Managing your time wisely

There will probably never be a time in your life when you aren’t juggling multiple personal and professional priorities. Time-management skills are a must, unless you want to feel constantly frazzled.

Perhaps the most important time-management lesson is that you should stick with one task at a time. Research suggests that multitasking is generally counterproductive, because the brain expends energy as it readjusts its focus from one activity to another.

You’d be wise, too, to limit the hours you spend working. Decades ago, Henry Ford discovered that productivity started to decline after employees logged more than 40 hours per week. Other research suggests that, after three weeks, 60-hour workweeks become less productive.

4. Using keyboard shortcuts

“Since most of the work we do nowadays involves computers,” says Arpit Jain, “using keyboard shortcuts definitely gives you an edge and saves you a lot of time.”

Jain posted a list of some of the handiest shortcuts in her Quora answer. For example, simultaneously pressing the “Alt” and “F4” keys when using Microsoft windows lets you close a selected item or program. Keep the list somewhere close to your computer at work to supercharge your productivity.

13. Spending time alone

As an adult, you should be able to spend a full day alone without going crazy for want of social interaction.

Take a tip from Quora user Sanzenbacher, whose partner travels often for grad school:

“I approach being alone with a very specific list of things that only I want to do. I go to weird museums, see movies that only I want to see, take mini-road trips, or see bands that only I like.”

If you’re planning to live alone, which many Americans do today, you should accept that you will occasionally feel lonely. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or upset by, but it might be a signal that you should incorporate some more socializing into your daily schedule.

14. Public speaking

You may not ever be required to perform in a Superbowl halftime show, but you’ll almost certainly be tasked with making presentations at work. For that reason, it’s important to hone your public speaking skills.

“[T]he ability to speak confidently to a large mass of people is a skill to be learnt,” writes Ramachandra Bhakta. “It makes a lasting impression and brings you to the notice of several people at once.”

If the mere prospect of walking your coworkers through a Powerpoint gives you nightmares, there are strategies to quell your fear. One research-backed tactic is to reframe your anxiety as excitement, which can make you seem more competent and persuasive. You can also strike a “power pose” before the presentation — one example is to stand with your legs wide and your hands on your hips, to make you feel more like a leader.

15. Negotiating

Several Quora users cited negotiation skills as important for any professional.

If you’re negotiating your salary (which you should do), the best strategy both for getting what you want and still coming off as friendly is to ask for a range including and above your target number. For example, if you’re aiming for a $100,000 salary, you’d suggest a $100,000 to $120,000 salary.

Another trick is to frame your proposal in terms of what you’re giving the other person as opposed to what they’re losing. So instead of saying, “I want $10,000 for my car,” you’d say, “I’ll give you my car for $10,000.”

16. Cooking basic meals

You don’t need to be Julia Child to sustain yourself, or to impress fellow guests at a potluck.

“Know how to cook at least five dishes,” writes Erin Nakano O’Quinn. “These are likely to be dependent upon the culture you live in, but be able to cook at least one vegetarian dish, a breakfast dish, a dish that you can serve to a group of people, a dessert, and a starch. Try to be able to do these without a cookbook, and you can look like a rockstar wherever you go.”

21. Dressing appropriately for a job interview

We’re not supposed to judge books by their covers, but it’s no secret that hiring managers judge job candidates by their appearance.

So avoid wearing too much makeup and definitely don’t show up wearing a hat. Instead, you’ll want to dress relatively conservatively. Even your shoes should be clean and tidy.

The color of your clothes matters, too: According to a CareerBuilder survey, blue and black are the best colors to wear to a job interview, while orange is the worst.

22. Waking up on time

In college, rolling out of bed five minutes before class starts and showing up late because you stopped to get a latte is (sort of) understandable.

In the professional world? Not so much. Pull it together and figure out a personal strategy for getting up and out the door on time.

It really starts with your nighttime routine — so try doing something relaxing like taking a hot shower or meditating before bed.

In the morning, experts generally advise against hitting “snooze” and going back to sleep. Instead, hit the snooze button once and use the time until your alarm goes off again to turn on a lamp and do some light stretching.

23. Giving a good handshake

One poll found that 70% of people don’t feel confident in their ability to give a proper handshake.

But when you meet your company’s CEO for the first time, you don’t want to present her with a limp noodle — especially since a weak handshake suggests that you’re insecure.

The best shaking strategy is to get a good grip, with your elbow nearing a right angle. Be sure to smile and make eye contact as well.

24. Power napping

You’ve heard it a thousand times: Most people need seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

But pressing work deadlines, family obligations, and the siren call of your Facebook newsfeed mean that you probably don’t get as much sleep as you need.

Enter the power nap. It’s just 10 minutes long and you sit slightly upright, so that you don’t wake up groggy from a deep sleep. This brief rest period can leave you feeling refreshed and alert.

Hopefully you work at an office with nap rooms — if not, you can always head to your car or a vacant conference room.