Social Emotional Learning: Key to Career Readiness

Abstract

This manuscript is a literature review that addresses the significance of social emotional learning in regard to promoting career readiness by addressing the key components, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills that are critical to possess in order to be successful in the workforce. Social emotional learning (SEL) is the process by which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set strength-based goals demonstrate empathy, establish positive relationships, and make healthy choices. Social emotional learning is vital for career success, as it emphasizes the intrapersonal and interpersonal skills that people need in order to be productive and efficient in their work setting including leadership, celebrating diversity, effective communication skills, accountability, assertiveness, conflict resolution, time and stress management, as well as motivation. This manuscript addresses the five SEL core competencies, the definition and importance of SEL, SEL learning standards, the SEL intrapersonal and interpersonal skills necessary for career success, guiding principles of SEL, as well as the significance of possessing soft skills in order to augment performance and foster success in the workplace.