Is Your Soon-to-be Graduate Ready for the Workplace?
By Kathleen A. Matchunis, President of Connecting, Inc.
Your soon -to -be graduate may be academically prepared to handle many jobs, but does he/she have the social skills appropriate for the work place? Many of our youth are ill-prepared for the workplace socially because they have relied on technology for most of their communication.
Many college-aged students may know their basic etiquette, but when it comes to making conversation or dealing with a confrontation at work, they may be ill-equipped. Why? Let’s see- when you text or use social media as your major means of communication, you have time to compose your response and respond to others on your own terms and on your own timeline. How does this translate to the workplace when an employee is at a meeting or in a discussion with one’s colleague or one’s boss? Not so well. Responses need to be spontaneous and appropriate in the business world. Our kids have not had practice with this type of interaction. If someone questions them or puts them on the spot, they tend to go into melt-down mode.
How can students prepare themselves for the workplace? They need to put down their cell phones, laptops, i-pads, and tablets and practice having conversations. Start by interacting more with the family and people with whom they feel safe, and then branch out with acquaintances.
As a parent, challenge your child to converse with you to prepare him/her for the workplace. The only reason that anyone can become proficient in this area is by practice. It will not happen overnight and it might be awkward at first, but it will be an investment in your child’s future.
If you need your child needs more practice or you need more support in this area, consider social skills coaching with Connecting, Inc. Call Kathy Matchunis, certified professional coach, at 954 294 9708 for a free initial consultation.
This topic has been addressed by the business community in various newspapers. Check out this great article from the Chicago tribune at:
http://www.justthebasics.com/articlefile/2012/12-9.htm