Most of the skills that you use in everyday life will also help you have a successful career. Most companies and colleges will teach you job specific qualifications, but if you can’t communicate well, all the job skills in the world won’t help you attain career success.

Teamwork is important

Wherever you decide to work you’ll have to learn how to collaborate with others. Careers at Sea are exciting, but they can also be dangerous. If you can’t trust your colleagues to carry out their roles, then the lives of everyone will be put at risk. You don’t have to like everyone in your team, but you do have to be confident that you can work with them should an emergency occur. Teamwork is important in every career. Very few roles will allow you to work in a totally independent fashion. For example, top barristers rely on their paralegals and clerks, musicians rely on roadies and music technicians, the tighter the team, the better the end result.

Never underestimate the ability to listen

It is as important to learn how to listen, as it is to communicate. If you don’t listen properly, you’ll waste time with constant questions and emails. Learn how to take notes, and even take a little time to think before you engage in a task. If you do have queries you can assemble your notes and ask all your questions in a logical and comprehensive manner in a single email. You don’t want to get a reputation as an irritating member of staff.

Patience is vital

Many people aren’t naturally patient, and this may be a skill you should learn to develop. The workplace isn’t the place to lose your temper; you’ll get a reputation as a disruptive member of staff. If you feel that a colleague is constantly undermining you, don’t shout at them. Have a quiet chat with them and see if you can understand the reasons behind their behaviour. If this fails, then contact your line manager, you can still do this on an unofficial basis, and you’ll have alerted your seniors to any potential workplace problems.

Throw in a sense of humour

Life is very dull if you don’t have a sense of humour. This also applies to the workplace. You don’t have to carry out pranks or practical jokes, but being able to laugh at a situation will remove tension and show your colleagues that you have a good natured personality.