Many financial analysts have solid financial background and qualifications. How can you differentiate yourself from your peers in the competitive financial industry? If you and your peers offer similar level of value to the organization, how can you increase the chances of you getting the next promotion or keeping your job safe during cutbacks? Having strong people skills will distinguish from your competing peers. Here are five characteristics that will help your colleagues to better know you, like you and trust you.

Positive attitude – Would you prefer to work with someone who is enthusiastic than one who whines often? Your colleagues would feel the same way too. Do you take initiatives or act helpless when some negative events happen? Are you a proactive action taker? Do you see challenges as opportunities or threats? Do you embrace new responsibilities or do you grumble about having too much work? Be sure that you are part of the solution and not part of the problem. Be willing to exceed expectations of your colleagues.

Emotional maturity – Stress builds up easily under the high pressure work of a financial analyst. Take responsibilities for your own your own feelings and keeping your them under in the workplace. Find healthy ways to express your emotions and vent out your frustrations. Exercise, rest and relaxation are just a few simple ways you can release tension. Be honest. Are you quick tempered with your co-workers? Are you impatient? Taking your frustrations out at work is certainly not advisable. Developing emotional maturity can help to take you far in your career.

Empathy – Understand that your fellow co-workers are under work pressure just like you. Some may even have their personal struggles to deal with. Empathy is the ability to identify and understand the wants, needs and perspective of others. Are you a good listener who can recognize the underlying wants and needs of others? Empathy is an essential quality of an excellent leader and is the basis for developing strong people relationships.

Team player – Share your knowledge with your colleagues. It may be counter-intuitive to help your co-workers when some, like you, may be vying for the same position that will open up. Helping your team and its members achieve their goals will earn you the support and respect of others. Although you will be evaluated based on your individual performance, you belong to a team. When you help to give solutions to your team members, they will also reciprocate the support when you are in need.

Network – Networking is the opportunity to apply the people skills that you have developed. Are networking meetings a part of your regular schedule? Do many people know about your quality work and great work attitude? Does anyone know about your work achievements? Be authentic but do not brag. The more people you connect with, the wider your network for information, ideas and potential opportunities.

A good place to start developing your people skills is to know yourself first. Observe and see how you currently interact with people. Do you notice any patterns? Are you well-liked? What are the qualities that people like about you? Keep them up. Do you co-workers always exclude you from their events? Are you unfriendly, impatient or grouchy? Where do you have room for improvement?

A crucial factor in differentiating you from you peer financial analysts is your people skills. The first candidate to be considered when a position opens up is a positive team player and who can understand the wants and needs of others. It helps when there are many people who know about these valuable qualities of yours. You can be sure the unfriendly individual who is clueless about people skills will be among the first on the hit list when the time comes for cutbacks.