Interpersonal skills are what you use to interact with people. Here’s a list of the most important interpersonal skills employers look for, and a list of interpersonal skills examples that can help you showcase these skills during a job interview. 

 

 

What is an Interpersonal Skill? 

Interpersonal skills are the ability to communicate with others. These skills are critical in the workplace because they help you understand how to interact with people. 

 
 

Top 15 + Interpersonal skills to learn 

1. Communication skills 

Communication skills are a vital part of your career. You need to be able to clearly express what you want and understand what others want. A good communicator is always in demand because communication is the foundation for all relationships. 

You can learn these skills by practising them daily, like while talking with your friends or family members, or while doing some volunteer work in which you actually speak with strangers who could benefit from your expertise (for example working as an assistant at an animal shelter). 

 

 

 

2. Time management 

Time management is about being able to get things done and be productive. It’s about setting priorities, managing your time effectively, and getting more than just the essential tasks done. 

Here are some tips on how to improve your time management skills: 

• Set goals for yourself so that you know what you want to achieve. This will help you determine what needs to be prioritized and when it needs to be completed. 

• Plan out how much time each task will take so that nothing slips through the cracks or takes longer than expected due to underestimating how long it could take (e.g., if someone asks me “how long did it take?” I might say “I don't know - but let's find out!”) 

 

 

 

3. Conflict resolution 

When people have a conflict, they can either get angry with each other or talk about it. If you feel like the other person is not being flexible enough, take a step back and try to see their point of view. If you are the one who doesn't want to budge on something, maybe think about why you feel this way. Is there any way that your perspective could change? 

When dealing with conflict, it's important to listen carefully so that both parties can understand each other's side of things. You might even try saying: "I'm sorry if I've offended you in any way," which shows that you care about what they have to say! 

 

 

 

4. Negotiation 

A negotiation is a powerful tool that can be used in nearly every aspect of your life. For example, you may negotiate with friends who are going to see a movie and need to decide what time to meet up at the theatre. Or perhaps you’ll negotiate with family members who want to go on vacation but don't agree on where they should go. 

It's important to remember that negotiation is not about winning or losing; it's about finding common ground and coming up with solutions that work for everyone. There are several different scenarios in which people find themselves having to negotiate with others: 

• Negotiating with people you don't know very well (e.g., talking down an angry customer on the phone) 

• Negotiating with people you know well (e.g., pushing back on demands made by an overbearing boss) 

• Negotiating for yourself when someone else has power over whether or not your needs will be met (e.g., asking a friend for help moving) 

 

 

 

5. Listening skills 

Listening skills are one of the most important interpersonal skills you can learn. Listening isn’t just a passive activity where you hear what someone is saying, but it is also about understanding what they want or need. Listening involves active participation on the part of both people involved in a conversation, with each listening to the other and responding appropriately. 

A good listener: 

• waits until another person has finished speaking before interrupting them; 

• responds appropriately in an appropriate amount of time after hearing all of their thoughts; and 

• shows that he or she understands what was said by repeating back parts of it (e.g., “So…you would like me to do this for you because…?”) 

 

 

 

6. Decision making 

Making decisions is important for you to grow as a person, but how do you make good decisions? The first step is to understand the process of making a decision. 

Let's say your manager asks you to come up with ideas for next week's meeting agenda. You have three options: get started right away, wait until tomorrow, or take on the task tomorrow morning. Which one of these options should you choose? Asking yourself this question will help guide your path toward making better decisions in the future. 

Many factors go into choosing an option for any given situation, but some general guidelines can help inform your decision-making process. 

 

 

 

 

7. Assertiveness 

Assertiveness is a crucial skill to master. To put it simply, being assertive means standing up for yourself. When you are assertive, you speak up when something needs to be voiced and you don't back down from your personal values or beliefs. This doesn't mean that you need to be aggressive or domineering. Assertiveness is about being honest with others and standing up for yourself without hurting someone else in the process; it's about finding ways of communicating that are effective without being aggressive or passive-aggressive (such as sarcasm). 

The key to practising this skill lies in learning how to say what's on your mind while still maintaining respect for others involved. Here are some examples: 

• With a group: If there is something said within a group setting that offends you, speak up! Let them know that their comment made you uncomfortable so they can avoid making similar comments in the future (if possible). 

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• With a boss: If there's an issue at work that requires fixing but isn't being addressed by anyone higher up than yourself, talk directly with them about what's going on—but do so respectfully! Make sure they understand why things need changing before expressing any frustrations with how things currently stand; otherwise, they may just brush off whatever concerns were brought up without actually addressing them at all...and then where will we go from here? 

 

 

 

8. Questioning skills 

When you ask a question, you have to understand the purpose behind it. There are several different types of questions that can be used in different situations and with different people. Ask questions to clarify, understand, learn and build rapport with others so that they feel like they know you better and feel comfortable around you. You should also ask questions to connect with others, show interest in them and help them feel important or valued. If your goal is to influence people's decisions or actions then asking questions is one way to do this because it will make other people feel heard by allowing them to speak up about what they want from their lives or work environment. 

 

 

9. Presentation skills 

• Eye contact 

• Voice 

• Body language 

• Tone of voice 

 

 

10. Empathy 

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It's a key component of emotional intelligence, which is critical for effective communication and personal relationships. Empathy can be learned and applied, not just in your professional life but also in all areas of your life: with friends or family members; at work; as an individual on public transportation; anywhere where you have another person coming into contact with you. 

There are two types of empathy: cognitive (or imaginative) and affective (or emotional). Cognitive empathy refers to the ability to imagine what someone else is thinking or feeling; affective empathy refers to experiencing those same emotions yourself. Both types are important for building rapport and connecting with others at work, home—anywhere! 

 

 

 

11. Rapport-building skills 

 

Rapport building is the process of creating trust and understanding. It's a two-way street: you have to be willing to be receptive, open, and honest about who you are for others to do the same. In fact, rapport building is more important than ever in today's workplace. 

The ability to form relationships with other people is an art, not a science—and there isn't one single "right" way of doing it either! But there are certainly some commonalities worth noting when it comes to building rapport with your coworkers or clients: 

• Be genuine and authentic 

• Be empathetic towards others' experiences 

• Don't assume things about people based on stereotypes 

 

 

12. Networking skills 

As a professional, networking is one of the best ways to build your business network. Organizations like LinkedIn and Meetup allow you to connect with other professionals in your community who are also interested in connecting over shared interests. 

In addition to building relationships with other professionals, networking allows you to learn more about what they do and how they operate. You can create mutually beneficial partnerships that will benefit both parties involved. This could include referring clients or subcontracting work when necessary. 

 

 

13. Collaboration and teamwork skills 

Collaboration and teamwork are two of the most important skills that you can have. They're also among the most difficult to master. 

Collaboration involves working together with others toward a common goal. Teamwork is when you collaborate to achieve a specific objective or project, as well as work as part of a larger organization to achieve results beyond what could be accomplished by anyone person acting alone. 

 

 

14. Interpersonal awareness and understanding 

 

Interpersonal awareness and understanding are the ability to understand other people. It also means understanding yourself, your feelings, and the way others feel. This skill enables you to work well with others and communicate effectively with them. 

To be good at this skill you need to know: 

• how people think 

• what people see as important in their lives or world (and how they see it) 

 
 

How to Develop Your Own Interpersonal Skills and Build Better Relationships with Others? 

 

It is often said that we are social beings. We need to interact and connect with others to be happy, healthy, and productive. 

However, not everyone has the same level of social skills. Some people find it difficult to express themselves in the way they want or are unable to make connections with others. The good news is that there are some steps you can take to develop better social skills. 

1) Focus on improving your self-awareness: 

2) Practice active listening: 

3) Identify your own strengths and weaknesses: 

4) Be willing to change your behaviour when necessary: 

5) Make small talk with strangers: 

 
 

Conclusion 

If you want to succeed in the workplace, life, and relationships, cultivating these interpersonal skills is a great way to get ahead. These are all skills that can be learned and improved through practice, so don’t be discouraged if you feel they aren’t yet up to par! Remember: we all have room for improvement.