Soft Skills to Pay the Bills (2024)

Soft Skills to Pay the Bills (1)

"Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," is a curriculum developed by ODEP focused on teaching "soft" or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 14 to 21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments. The basic structure of the program is comprised of modular, hands-on, engaging activities that focus on six key skill areas: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism. The links below breakout the facilitator guide into easy to use sections.

Introduction Materials

Soft Skill #1: Communication

The activities in this section will not only help participants practice and recognize how they provide information to others, but also help them consider how others may prefer to receive information. It is important to reinforce with participants that communication skills involve give and take — and they can, indeed, be learned and strengthened over time.

Soft Skill #2: Enthusiasm & Attitude

The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of enthusiasm and a positive attitude in the workplace. Participants will hear strategies for turning negative thinking into positive thinking and displaying and discussing enthusiasm during an interview and on the job.

Soft Skill #3: Teamwork

The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of teamwork to workplace success and the specific role each individual on a team may play. Participants will learn about positive teamwork behavior and discover how their own conduct can impact others on a team.

Soft Skill #4: Networking

The activities in this section focus on the process of networking and its relevance and importance to career development. Participants will learn about taking initiative and overcoming fear, informational interviewing, as well as potential guidelines to consider when using social networks, texting, and email for networking purposes.

Soft Skill #5: Problem Solving & Critical Thinking

The activities in this section focus on learning how to solve problems in a variety of ways in the workplace. Participants will hear about how to properly tell the difference among criticism, praise, and feedback and reacting appropriately. The section will also review strategies for making ethical decisions, solving problems on a team with others, and learning how to take into account others' perceptions when assessing actions or statements in the workplace.

Soft Skill #6: Professionalism

The activities in this section focus on each of the five individual soft skills presented in this publication (communication, enthusiasm/attitude, teamwork, networking, and problem solving/critical thinking), but in a broader framework. This is because professionalism, is not one skill but the blending and integration of a variety of skills.

Additional Materials

Soft Skills to Pay the Bills (2024)

FAQs

Soft Skills to Pay the Bills? ›

“Skills to pay the bills” is an old saying that basically means you've got the skills to deal with the situations you're in. My friends and I used this whenever we pulled one of our best James Bond moves.

What is the saying skills to pay the bills? ›

“Skills to pay the bills” is an old saying that basically means you've got the skills to deal with the situations you're in. My friends and I used this whenever we pulled one of our best James Bond moves.

What are the 7 soft skills? ›

7 essential soft skills in demand
  • Teamwork. With effective teamwork, teams are more productive, deadlines are met, relationships with your team members are stronger and knowledge is shared. ...
  • Problem solving. ...
  • Communication. ...
  • Adaptability. ...
  • Critical thinking. ...
  • Time management. ...
  • Interpersonal.

What is the soft skills answer? ›

Soft skills can also be thought of as people skills. These can include good communication and interpersonal skills, leadership, problem solving, work ethic, time management, and teamwork. These are characteristics that can be carried over to any position.

What are some examples of soft skills? ›

What are soft skills?
  • communication.
  • teamwork.
  • problem-solving.
  • critical thinking.
  • adaptability.
  • time management.
  • leadership.
  • creativity.

What does skill pay the bills mean? ›

There is an “old” saying “skills to pay the bills.” It basically means that you have the skills to help you through situations you are encountering. There are many articles and studies that note the importance of learning and using skills on the job.

What does the idiom pay the bills mean? ›

(idiomatic, of a job) To provide enough income to sustain one's lifestyle. Being a dentist isn't so glamorous, but it pays the bills. Wiktionary.

What are the 4 C soft skills? ›

The 21st century learning skills are often called the 4 C's: critical thinking, creative thinking, communicating, and collaborating. These skills help students learn, and so they are vital to success in school and beyond. Critical thinking is focused, careful analysis of something to better understand it.

What are 5 soft skills needed for the workplace? ›

Companies have identified the following competencies as key to the success of young workers in the 21st century workplace.
  • Networking. ...
  • Enthusiasm. ...
  • Professionalism. ...
  • Communication Skills. ...
  • Teamwork. ...
  • Problem Solving and Critical Thinking. ...
  • Resources.

What are 5 hard skills and soft skills? ›

List of hard and soft skills
Hard skillsSoft skills
LogisticsPatience
Business developmentCleanliness
EngineeringCooperation
Market researchEmotional Intelligence
49 more rows
Nov 27, 2021

What are the top six soft skills? ›

The basic structure of the program is comprised of modular, hands-on, engaging activities that focus on six key skill areas: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism.

What is the new term for soft skills? ›

Power skills are the newly popularized term for soft skills, because many experts like Bersin say that soft skills are the most important and hardest skills to build in the world of business, and rightfully so.

How to crack soft skills in an interview? ›

Here are some of the top soft skills that employers look for:
  1. Adaptability.
  2. Communication skills.
  3. Critical thinking.
  4. Emotional Intelligence.
  5. Interpersonal skills.
  6. Patience and Teamwork.
  7. Curiosity and Learning Desire.
  8. Leadership.

What are the top 10 soft skills employers look for? ›

The 10 most desired soft skills in the industry can vary depending on the specific job or industry. However, they generally include communication skills, teamwork, leadership, time management, adaptability, problem-solving, critical thinking, work ethic, creativity and emotional intelligence.

What are top 6 skills? ›

Six of the most important skills, according to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) are problem-solving skills, the ability to work in a team, a strong work ethic, analytical and quantitative skills, communication skills, and leadership qualities.

Which soft skills are most important? ›

Which soft skills are most important for employers? The most important soft skills which employers value are: emotional intelligence, communication, problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking, conflict resolution, flexibility, leadership and interpersonal skills.

What is the slogan for bills? ›

"Where else would you rather be, then right here, right now." Former Buffalo Bills head coach Marv Levy's words will forever live on as the mantra for one of the most electric and loyal fanbases in the NFL.

What is a synonym for to pay bill? ›

bear the cost bear the expense finance pay the bill pick up the check pick up the tab pop for redeem spring for.

How do I remember to pay my bills? ›

6 Tips to Keep Track of Bills and Payments
  1. Make a cheat sheet. Start by making a list of all your bills and payments. ...
  2. Consolidate due dates. It can be difficult keeping track of multiple due dates. ...
  3. Set reminders. ...
  4. Use autopay. ...
  5. Read your payment policies. ...
  6. Check-in regularly.
Feb 20, 2023

What is a saying with the word pay? ›

Popular Phrases with the Verb PAY

For example: Pay one's respects – Pay attention – Pay the price –

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