Develop Your Hip Pocket Skill for Career Success
There are many skills you can learn to move up the career ladder, but instead of using all of them, instead focus on developing one or two skills that will set you apart from your peers.
Hip pocket skills make you more valuable because they are something useful that not many people on your team are good at, or they are a special skill not usually common in your field that you manage to get to work well. Since they are often unique to your workplace, you have a better idea of what they might be, but here are some tips:
- Relationship Management : The good old “soft skills” and “people skills” are criminally underestimated. The ability to establish and maintain good relationships between your team and other teams is invaluable. It’s not always easy to do it in a way that looks genuine, so it can make you stand out.
- Communication : The ability to explain your ideas in easy-to-understand ways puts you far above others, especially if you become a good public speaker.
- Specific tools and software : If your company or team often uses certain tools or programs, but they are niche and difficult to manage, then becoming the person who understands them will give you the knowledge that others on your team will look for.
- Data Analysis : Excellence with numbers, even if it’s just being able to keep track of your department’s budget, is a tricky skill that you can apply to roles throughout your career.
Once you’ve identified the skill you want to develop, set aside time each week to learn more until you master it. Of course, some skills, like relationship management, take practice, so the sooner you start, the faster you will succeed.
Tips on How to Become Successful at Work | CNBC (YouTube)