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The newest job skill you should be adding to your resume
In today’s competitive society, having a lot of diverse job skills is necessary to land a job, get a promotion and even a raise. But aside from the typical computer and communication skills, being cultural fluent is becoming more demanding and critical in the workforce.
But what is cultural fluency you may ask, and why is it important?
Cultural fluency — understanding how to effectively interact with those from different cultures and backgrounds — helps with communicating across cultural divides. But cultural fluency goes beyond speaking a second language; it requires developing a CQ (cultural intelligence or cultural quotient).
This means that the person needs to learn the dos and don’ts of different cultures. In addition to communications, cultural differences include authority and hierarchy, formality and informality, conflict resolution, meetings and discussions, professional etiquette, and public disagreement.
With the workplace becoming increasingly diverse, with multicultural teams, clients, and customers, job seekers are now seeing cultural fluency as a business necessity. But it’s not just for the business to thrive.
For employers, cultural fluency allows for more innovation, an edge over more competitors, and higher profits. For employees, it allows for more opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. And all around, it helps the workplace perform better and find a way to be more creative.
By: Maytinee Kramer
