b'MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGEContextualizing Essential SkillsIn any situation, essential skills enable individuals toskills can be nurtured over time through teaching relate with othersbe it family, workplace, religiousand training.She also quotes employers who setting, or the society as a whole (Durowoju &say that just about any work-related skill can be Onuka, 2014).Therefore, educators, in preparingtaught in the workplace, but some soft skills are students for workplace success, must define thedifficult, if not impossible, to teach on the job quintessential skills and provide opportunities for(LaFrance, 2018). students to enhance the very attributes that are almost imperceptible and difficult to determine. We hire for hard skills.StudieshaveshownthatessentialskillstendWe fire for soft skills.to lead to better academic outcomes and that students with stronger essential skills are more-Rick Stephens likelytoadvanceacademically.ThereisalsoSenior Vice President ofHuman Resources, Boeing Corpagreementthatpracticingessentialskillscan lead to a successful job search, especially in the interview settings.These essential skills increase the likelihood of being hired and keeping the job and ensure increased earnings (Lippman, et al., 2015).Mastery of essential skills also leads to happier individuals who are more successful (NSSA, 2018).Career success is not guaranteed, butwiththeattainmentofessentialskills,the likelihoodofsuccessincreasesexponentially. The business community and educational insti-tutions alike will realize the benefits of student and employee success when essential skills are part of an individuals personal attributes.Every aspect of a persons life ultimately depends on the essential soft skills for relationship successwhether personal or professional.In combination with attaining essential skills, students must be able to communicate those skills to potential employers.Flawless rsumsthe one document that must be perfect, according to Guffey and Loewy (Guffy & Loewy, 2016)and good interview skills are essential in obtaining a job. However, keeping the job depends not only on those concrete job-related skills but also on the essential skills required for success.LaFrance (2018) asserts that some individuals naturally exhibit essential skills, but, when lacking, essential MGCCC QEP 2019 21'