Developing your skills

Submitted by sylvia.wong@up… on Tue, 07/11/2023 - 14:49

The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways

Robert Green

Sub Topics

Skills are something we are not born with. We only develop them through learning, practising and experience. Let us imagine the life of artists: they have a strong knowledge of colouring, composition, texture, dimensions, and so on. But, while they may be born with a gift for art, were they returned with the knowledge? The answer is no (not yet), yet how amazing they can create a profession from art after developing the skills to master it.

Why do we need skills?

Skills play a role in everything we do daily. From driving to reading, skills are something embedded in our own identity as people. What makes skills truly unique is with the courage to start something from scratch, you can choose your own skill set you wish to craft. It is essential not to be disheartened if you are not good at something at first, as with time, you will finesse the skills and, when nurtured and encouraged, master them.

Why are skills necessary?

Skills are pivotal in who we become personally and professionally. They have a pathway to our success and triumphs. Most encounters and experiences we have come from skills development.

Who do skills apply to

Skills apply to everyone! Each individual has their own set of skills they have mastered over the years! It is a part of our gifted intelligence as humans, given to us to adapt rapidly to various situations.

When looking at skills, it is essential to understand there are various types divided into soft and hard skills.

Soft skills versus hard skills

These are the foundations of being skilful in your craft.

Soft skills are all about your personable traits. For example, how well you work with people, how quickly you think, or how confidently you carry yourself.

Hard skills are how skilled you are at a specific craft. Just as a tradesperson needs to have efficient skills using tools or a graphic designer needs to develop software skills to allow them to design, a gamer needs to have strong hand dexterity for optimal gaming.

The main difference between them is that everyone uses soft skills daily, giving daily and frequent practice. While hard skills, on the other hand, take time and are often more technical and specific to a task.

Let’s look at some soft and hard skills needed in the eSports industry, as illustrated in the following table.

Hard Skills	Soft Skills
Computer Skills	Communication
MS Office Google Drive spreadsheets email slideshows database management social media web typing.	presentation skills confidence mutual respect empathy active listening verbal communication non-verbal communication written communication constructive feedback friendliness open-mindedness.
Marketing Skills	Teamwork
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) / Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Social media marketing and paid social media advertising writing CRO and A/B testing email marketing funnel management UX Design data visualisation Google Analytics and Google Search Console AdWords, Facebook Paid Ads.	conflict management delegation listening active listening collaboration cooperation coordination idea exchange mediation negotiation.
Management Skills	Creativity
business knowledge budgeting project management recruiting finance office management skills logistics new business development negotiating planning.	divergent thinking inspiration imagination reframing mind mapping insight innovation experimenting questioning design.

Watch: Hard Skills vs Soft Skills (1:52)

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M00450A

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One man young adult caucasian freelancer male working online on his laptop computer while sitting at the table at cafe

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