Here’s Part 2 of our ABC of CVs: your DEF-initive guide to three more of the most commonly requested soft skills, and how to show that you’ve got them in your cover letter or interview.

‘D’ is for ‘Delegation’

What is it?

The ability to distribute tasks to members of your team who have the best skills and resources to get them done.

Why is it good?

If you need to operate in any kind of leadership capacity, an ability to delegate successfully is essential to make sure that you’re spending your – and crucially, your company’s – time effectively. And remember: time is money!

How do I show I’ve got it?

If you’ve studied at a tertiary level, have you ever run a group project before? If not, take a step further back and think about times you’ve stepped up as a leader: we could be talking sports teams, musical ensembles, discussion groups and more.

Still no dice? That’s ok – experience is great, but if you don’t have it, tell them how you’d be a great delegator. Here are our top three tips:
1. Make sure everyone is crystal-clear on what the big-picture end goal is.

2. Include your team in the delegation process if possible – this might mean giving a group of people a collection of tasks and asking them to assign them among themselves.

3. Agree on a timeline before you start. Establish deadlines and set mini-goals. Is everybody on the same page?

With a bit of preparation, you too can be a great delegator. So if you don’t have experience, don’t shy away from the question. Own it, with a hypothetical scenario that showcases your management flair!

‘E’ is for ‘Empathy’

What is it?

Empathy is an ability to experience the feelings of somebody else and relate those emotions back to your own experiences.

It’s often confused with sympathy – but it goes one further. While sympathy says, “Rachel McAdams’ character was so sad in that movie. It was horrible,” empathy says, “When that happened to me, I was devastated. Rachel McAdams’ character must have gone through hell.”

Why is it good?

If you’re able to place yourself in someone else’s shoes, you’re immediately a step ahead in any customer-facing role, from Psychiatry to Inbound Sales. It also makes you a better contributor to your workplace, as your understanding of other peoples’ emotions means you’re less likely to accidentally step on any toes.

How do you show you’ve got it?

If you’ve had to ‘put yourself in somebody else’s shoes’ as part of your role, then you’ve had to demonstrate empathy. Stories about resolving customer complaints, making a sale that was relevant to the customer’s needs, or quelling interpersonal conflict within your team will do the job wonderfully.

‘F’ is for ‘Feedback’

What is it?

Giving feedback means sharing your thoughts on something for the intended purpose of guiding or changing the course of things to come.

Why is it important?

Hurt feelings, confusion and a sub-par end result are just a few of the things you can expect with poor quality of feedback – so being able to give solid, polite, constructive (ie, helpful) feedback is a must.

How do I show I’ve got it?

Have you ever had to give constructive criticism on someone’s work, or participated in a peer review?

If you can’t draw upon prior experience, again, don’t stress – you can turn it into a hypothetical. And the best way to dish out feedback? The ‘sandwich’ approach: start and end on a compliment, with anything remotely negative in the middle. Here’s an example:

“Karen, I loved your story. The tone was warm and engaging and I can see it really connecting with your audience.

I would only suggest that you revisit the giant turkey section on page27, as readers might be disengaged by something that doesn’t feel like it belongs within the constraints of the world you’ve constructed.

Other than that, though, I think we’re going to end up with something unique and really special. It was a pleasure to read.”

And that’s that! But don’t go too far away. We’ve got a GHI-normous week in store, just around the corner.

Don’t forget to check in with us at any time for a free, 30-minute careers consult spanning CVs, cover letters, interviews and more: www.careerfusion.co.nz