HELP!! My boss says I have poor SOFT SKILLS at work! (employees, unemployment)
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I just graduated from college last year and am working in my first professional job for a very large highly regarded organization. But I am failing!
In College I was basically a 4.0 student and went through my undergraduate program in 3 years and then moved on to an MBA Program which I also excelled at. I worked for three different organizations as an intern while I was in school but these jobs were solitary in nature because I spent the entire time doing research. I could go the entire day without talking to anyone.
Now I am in my first professional full time position, as an Operations Analyst, and they are extremely happy about my technical skills, the long hours I am putting in and the high quality work products I produce. But I am on performance warning. My boss says I have poor soft skills and do not understand the office politics that need to be played to get things done. I don't understand it. My folks told me that if I worked hard and showed my technical skills to my bosses I would prosper in my career.
What is up with all this talk about soft skills and office politics? Isn't hard work enough?
Jason, a 24 year old recent graduate of the University of Minnesot MBA Program in my first professional job
Your boss should be doing more to help you other than saying you have poor soft skills. That is not hepful at all since it is such a generic statement. You need your boss to tell exactly what the problem is.
I agree. Go to your boss and have him explain exactly what he means and give you some direct examples!! It could be that he sees how good you are and is afraid for his own job.
Also, if you are on a performance warning, don't they have to give you some sort of PIP (performance imporovement plan) with milestone dates etc.
If the boss does nothing, go to his boss or HR. Don't just take it from him, he could be bitter himself.
Get a hold of the book: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Also, watch, Doc Martin on PBS. Its a series about a doctor who is awesome at what he does but lacks people skills. See how the world perceives him. Sign up for a class that teaches effective communication skills in a work environment. You are covering yourself too by being so proactive. I wish you all the best!
I can't fathom putting someone on a performance warning without having had multiple discussions about what the problem is and how to fix it. Sounds like your boss should be put on a performance warning.
I just graduated from college last year and am working in my first professional job for a very large highly regarded organization. But I am failing!
In College I was basically a 4.0 student and went through my undergraduate program in 3 years and then moved on to an MBA Program which I also excelled at. I worked for three different organizations as an intern while I was in school but these jobs were solitary in nature because I spent the entire time doing research. I could go the entire day without talking to anyone.
Now I am in my first professional full time position, as an Operations Analyst, and they are extremely happy about my technical skills, the long hours I am putting in and the high quality work products I produce. But I am on performance warning. My boss says I have poor soft skills and do not understand the office politics that need to be played to get things done. I don't understand it. My folks told me that if I worked hard and showed my technical skills to my bosses I would prosper in my career.
What is up with all this talk about soft skills and office politics? Isn't hard work enough?
Jason, a 24 year old recent graduate of the University of Minnesot MBA Program in my first professional job
This translates into: Your boss is an idiot and feels threatened by you. Unless he is the top boss, keep working hard and he will be gone and you will still be there.
My boss at work says I need to "clean up my act" in these areas if I am going to survive:
Interpersonal business related communications
Office politics (how to get people to do things for me that I have no power over)
Public Speaking and doing presentations in PowerPoint
Showing Self Confidence and poise with senior managers who are as old as my parents
Ability to sell others on my ideas
Understand power and influence in corporate America
Teamwork and ability to work with extremely difficult people
Ability to work with people who are twice or three times my age
Time Management, and getting things done by a deadline
Essentially everything you need work on is everything they don't teach in school. I would highly reccomend getting a hold of some personal developmeent books/cd's and go to work on yourself
I work in a technical field and I have worked with very smart technical people. However they were very ineffective with customers and other employees. In the end if they can't work with people they can't work here.
Book smart means very little in the working world if you don't develop these other qualities.
I know how you are feeling. I was a Manager at 28 and disiplining guys who could be my dad. 8 years later I am still working on some of these things. Its nothing that can be fixed over night. If you continually show progression hopefully you work for a company that sees that and will continue to invest in you.
Good luck. You can message me if you have any direct questions.
This translates into: Your boss is an idiot and feels threatened by you. Unless he is the top boss, keep working hard and he will be gone and you will still be there.
This is terrible professional career advice. Unless you like the unemployment line
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