Professional Skills: What They Are and How to Use Them

Regardless of age, profession, or industry, building a solid foundation of professional skills is essential not just for work but also for use in your everyday life. From leadership communication and everything in between, these skills can help as you advance through professional spaces.

Explore how you use professional skills in the workplace and beyond, and learn more about how these abilities help boost motivation and productivity while strengthening relationships. 

What are professional skills?

Any skill that may be useful in a professional setting qualifies as a “professional skill.” Google and London-based Economist Impact surveyed employees throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including 100 from India. The results revealed that more employees in India view digital skills as the top skills to develop, more so than in other countries in the region. Data analysis is prioritised by 66 percent of employees, with 60 percent viewing cybersecurity skills as vital [1].

That said, technological proficiency is one of many skills that will stand out to potential employers. Nowadays, it is especially important to be well-rounded and demonstrate a knowledge of various skills that will benefit you and your employers in the workplace.

Why are professional skills important?

Professional skills will help you stand out to potential employers and assist you in your professional endeavours. To function efficiently and produce quality work, you should be proficient and familiar with various skills. These skills tend to fall into two categories: workplace and technical skills.

Workplace skills

Any skill that helps you communicate and work with others would qualify as a workplace skill. These skills may also be called “people skills” (or “soft skills”) because of their impact on how you relate to others professionally. Regardless of the name, these skills will allow you to succeed in the workplace when developed and applied correctly. Acquiring the right workplace skills might allow you to maintain your current position for longer or advance further in a profession.

Technical skills 

Job- or industry-specific skills qualify as technical skills—which some people call “hard skills.” Potential employers will expect specific technical skills and expertise from any applicant. For example, in an IT position, employers may expect you to know computer programming and how to use particular software. For a publishing position, you may need proficiency in literary analysis and editing and may need to know how to use specific word-processing software.

Technical skills typically differ between jobs and industries. Research company expectations to understand what you need to know before applying to a specific position.

What are some examples of professional skills? 

You may wonder how to improve your professional skill set, set yourself apart from others, or take your work to the next level. From job to job and industry to industry, you’ll find having specific skills can help you excel professionally.

Communication skills

Every working professional needs to be able to communicate effectively. It can increase motivation and reduce misunderstandings. Clear communication skills pertain to speaking, writing, and listening, essential in any productive workplace. An effective communicator will actively listen, respond to specific issues, and express personal ideas or concerns openly and respectfully.

Organisational skills

Organisation refers to managing one’s time, space, and priorities. To be a productive member of any professional environment, you must be able to organise your physical, digital, and mental spaces. Good organisers will be better communicators and more efficient workers overall.

People skills

You’ll work for and with several different people in almost every field. To foster a healthy, fruitful working atmosphere, you must be able to get along with others. Having good people skills allows you to build strong working relationships and helps you make a good impression on employers, clients, and peers.

Problem-solving skills

The ability to efficiently handle complex or surprising issues will help you greatly in any setting. Employers will appreciate an employee who can quickly and tacitly solve problems. It is inevitable that, at some point, everyone will face a professional challenge or roadblock. Navigating those challenges demonstrates a sense of maturity, dependability, and general professional capability.

Public speaking skills

The ability to navigate public speaking is essential in every professional setting. Whether you are addressing a large audience, a room of five people, or just one other person, you should be able to productively convey your thoughts, opinions, and ideas clearly and concisely. More than anything else, public speaking is a vital communication skill that will benefit your professional endeavours.

Leadership skills

Being a leader means motivating people toward a common goal. Ultimately, a good employer is a good leader, but it is just as important for employees to be leaders in professional spaces. Leadership skills are vital for anyone who hopes to grow beyond an entry-level position. Demonstrating leadership qualities will prove to an employer that you are confident, capable, patient, and reliable—all qualities of a good leader and worker.

Stress-management skills

Everyone faces stress at work, but when work-related stress becomes an overwhelming, regular occurrence, having good stress-management skills is critical in maintaining your mental and physical well-being. Managing your own demeanour and stress levels is an integral part of managing professional tasks. Additionally, if you can manage your stress, you will more easily be able to produce quality work in professional spaces.

How can you improve your professional skills? 

Developing professional skills is essential to succeeding professionally, regardless of your industry. However, it is equally important to develop these skills correctly. Use the following tips to help sharpen your professional skills:

Research and training

Learning from a professional may help you further develop your professional skills. You may find resources in various places. For example, you could pursue hundreds of leadership or professional development courses online or through accredited universities or smaller corporations. You might also enroll in informal workshops welcoming everyone to learn new skills. Finally, you may consider conducting your own research online or with books.

Collaborate and observe

Collaborating with others is another excellent way to learn and develop new skills. For example, consider shadowing an employer at work whose work you admire. You can also work with one or more peers to further your skills together. Or you may observe the work of those in positions you hope to obtain. Looking to others as a means of inspiration is a great way to pick up new skills naturally.

Be open to feedback

Open yourself up to the opinions and observations of others. By opening yourself up to feedback from peers or higher-ups, you demonstrate a willingness to learn and grow and will start to notice the areas in which you excel and those in which you need improvement.

Develop your people skills with Coursera.

Cultivating a broad and robust set of professional skills, including technical skills like digital and cybersecurity, is essential to succeed in the modern workplace. Training, practice, and feedback can help further develop these vital skills. You can achieve all three when you take an online course. For example, if you’re interested in further improving your professional skills, consider a course in Professional Skills for the Workplace or Communication Skills—both available on Coursera.