In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven workplace, achieving success and joy at work requires a set of technical and interpersonal skills, which perhaps weren’t as important several decades ago. The two main topics that I want to discuss in this post, is the importance of soft/hard and tech skills, as well as the importance of becoming friends with all of your colleagues at work.

First off, let’s touch upon friendships in the office. Befriending everyone at work is the smart thing to do. Besides for more potential likes on social media posts, and a larger friend list, there’s a serious advantage to being THAT guy at the office who everyone loves and gets along with. It would, although, be unrealistic to expect to get along with all of your colleagues on the first day. But, here are three reasons why you should go the extra mile to ensure you become friends with everyone at your workplace:

• Networking: the more people you know, the more people you will know (sounds cheesy, but I’ll explain). Creating friendships with co-workers will help expand your network drastically. Connections play a big role in our success in today’s business world, and it doesn’t hurt to acquaint with people who may be able to open doors for you in the future. Donovan? The quiet guy that sits on the other side of the desk divider? Yeah, his father is the CEO of a large company (of your interest) and is looking to hire. Don’t regret having not become buddies earlier with Don.
• Pleasure in your job: everyone dreams of working somewhere where they feel happy and at home. It is in your hands to make that happen. The relationships you foster with your colleagues will determine how long those eight hours will feel every day between 9 and 5. Greet people. Ask them about their day. Smile. What goes around comes around (thanks, JT), and I promise you will enjoy your job more if you get along with those you work with.
• Get more things done, quicker: in order to get things done quickly and efficiently, a team must work as one. Although a little more complex, office work is often similar to school group projects. I for one, hated when I had to do a school project with someone who didn’t seem to get along with the rest of the group. It made our work time seem eternal and not much was accomplished. Get along. Get it done.

Social psychologist Robert F. Bales once said, "Effective teamwork will not take the place of knowing how to do the job or how to manage the work. Poor teamwork, however, can prevent effective final performance. And it can also prevent team members from gaining satisfaction in being a member of a team and the organization.”

Now, let's get into the meat and potatoes of the 21st century. Whether your job lies in the worlds of finance, medicine, sales, tech start-ups or anything in between, we all have an obligation to keep up with modern technology advancements in order to not fall behind and continue to prosper. Here are some soft and hard skills that will be crucial to your success in today’s workforce, no matter what industry:

Soft Skills:

• Personal accountability: I can’t stress the importance of this one, hence being first on the list. If you can’t be accounted for, you won’t last very long at your job.
• Communication: in the written form, such as emails and letters, is vital to business objectives. Verbal communication can make or break a business as well.
• Learning: always be a student of whichever game you play. Being able to grasp new skills, concepts and programs is something that definitely sets any candidate apart from the rest.

Hard Skills:

• Degree/certificate: although hard skills vary depending on the specific job, it is important to have a college degree (or something equal) to get the edge.
• Foreign language: nowadays with easy-to-use language-learning programs (such as Rosetta Stone) there is no excuse to only know one language. 1 in 4 Americans can have a conversation in a second language. Be that person.
• Computer proficiency: this one speaks for itself. No matter what job you’re doing, you’ll need to know how to navigate through a computer.

Becoming friends with everyone at work and developing these skills is the type of investment that might not seem necessary at first, but can come with a tremendous payoff in the future. Creating an online profile is a great way to demonstrate your acquired skills and experience to potential employers and maintaining relationships with those in the workplace.

For a few more tips and tricks for meeting new people, please check out this great blog written by a colleague of mine, and for more exciting and helpful information on career building and networking, visit us at ProSky, and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.