Personality traits for successful career

The employers of engineering graduates, i.e., industries and government look for some special skills and attributes in their prospective employees in order to compete in the global business environment. Innovations and performance have become the survival strategies in the present techno-economic scenario marked by fierce competition.

To meet these challenges engineering graduates should possess both hard and soft skills. Hard skills refer to the technical or engineering skills that are required to practise the engineering profession. Soft skills pertain to those personality traits and attributes which help to grow up in the organizational hierarchy and practise the profession efficiently The soft skills can be categorised as personal, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.

Personal skills which form the dominant personality characteristics are very important at all three stages of the career, namely, entry, growth and maintenance. Personal skills include communication skills, personal value system, innovativeness, self-confidence, leadership skills etc. The pleasant physical personality characteristics like height, weight, body structure, body language and health are more influential to create a first impression. Communication skills, narration, language fluency, accent, style and presentation skills are equally important to influence people. Personal value system which includes moral values, ethics, principles and role models form important personality attributes, especially conformity, flexibility and adaptability to change are the preferred traits. Innovativeness refers to doing new and old things in new ways and is the result of the creative ability of a person, which has become critical success factors.

Within the organizational settings each one is expected to interact as an individual and as a member of the group. Behavioral or interpersonal skills become all important at this stage; how an individual reacts to the situation as an individual and also as a member of the group. The need of the hour is how best one will be able to work in harmony with the group and contribute positively towards the attainment of organizational and personal goals. Behavioral skills go a long way in channelling the potentials of the people into constructive outlets to the best advantage of the organization.

Negotiation skills become important when one moves up the ladder in the organizational hierarchy and becomes responsible for striking a deal with clients, suppliers, government agencies and administrators. One should develop the presence of mind, patience, and a win-win attitude for success as a negotiator.