Chapter 1 Careers in Floriculture 27 Many employers check applicants’ public information on social media when considering potential employees. Review your social media accounts to make sure your posts refl ect what you want potential employers to see. Interpersonal Skills Everyone has both “hard” and “soft” skill sets. Hard skills can be defi ned or measured. They have proven mastery or profi ciency, such as mastering a software program. Soft skills, also called interpersonal skills or “people skills,” are less tangible and harder to quantify. They include the skills and attributes associated with emotional intelligence, or the ability to understand your own and others’ emotions. Getting along with others, listening and engaging in small talk, and accepting criticism are interpersonal skills. People with good interpersonal skills tend to have an easier time working in a group or on a team. An employee’s ability to get along with coworkers, managers, customers, and vendors is of highest priority to an employer, making interpersonal skills one of the top criteria for getting a job. A good way to improve interpersonal skills is to practice listening, control your emotions, be considerate, and continue to cultivate a good attitude. Employers look for a combination of hard and soft skills to fi nd valuable employees. Leadership A good leader guides by example. Qualities consistently demonstrated in good leaders include honesty, integrity, fairness, courage, compassion, confi dence, appreciation, fl exibility, and diligence. A leader provides support and motivation to team members and keeps the team working toward its goal. A good leader is also a good citizen. Most employers encourage good citizenship. Many people believe that being a good citizen means voting and participating in political efforts. While that is part of it, a good citizen respects other people and their property, and willingly helps others whenever possible. On the job, this means respecting coworkers, customers, suppliers, and employers and caring for and about the merchandise, which belongs to the company. Pro Tip When problem-solving, a professional listens, investigates, defines the situation, and works to solve the problem in a step-by-step manner. Pro Tip To improve your leadership skills, become an officer or committee chair in an organization or school club. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.