The job market is changing at a rapid pace. It’s still true that technical skills may land the job, but it’s soft skills that help push candidates ahead and ensure long-term success.
In LinkedIn’s recent “Skills on the Rise” report, released in March, the networking site reported that so-called soft skills, like adaptability, conflict mitigation, and innovative thinking, are some of the fastest-growing skills that professionals should be developing to get ahead in today’s workforce.
Another of these in-demand soft skills: the ability to self-advocate.
Specifically for young people in high school or college, or those beginning their careers, knowing how to speak up for their needs, ask for support, and advocate for their goals (while making eye contact!) is one of the most important, but rarely discussed, skills.
The ability to have direct conversations expressing questions, concerns, and needs is a necessity in the workplace.
Self-advocacy helps young people:
- Seek help when they need it
- Communicate boundaries and expectations
- Ask questions that lead to clarity and growth
- Build relationships based on mutual respect
At Avenue Scholars, we help young people recognize their worth, articulate their goals, and face challenges with clarity and confidence.
Avenue Scholars Career Services Team Lead Tom Robertson works with Scholars on developing skills like this every day. He said he sees many young people who struggle with nerves when it comes to having difficult conversations with authority figures, like a supervisor.
“A lot of them can’t overcome the anxiety of having to have the conversation,” he said. “It’s like there’s a mental block. It’s unfamiliar ground, and they don’t even know where to begin.”
Why It Matters to Advocate for Yourself
Take the classroom, for example. A student might struggle to grasp a concept in math but hesitate to ask for help, fearing judgment. That quiet discomfort can snowball into falling grades and diminished confidence.
The same dynamic can play out on the job. A young employee might be asked to work a shift that all of a sudden conflicts with a school obligation, or take on tasks outside their role.
One local employer recently shared this story with the Avenue Scholars team: . After a teen employee (not a Scholar) quit her job, the business owner later discovered that she simply couldn’t make her new scheduled hours work. The idea of having this conversation was scary and she wasn’t sure they would compromise for her – instead of speaking up, she quit.
Common Barriers – and How to Overcome Them
Many students fear being seen as “difficult” or “needy” if they speak up. Some worry they’ll be dismissed, especially in new environments where they’re still developing their confidence. That’s where practice, support, and mentorship make all the difference.
Robertson said he walks students through conversations like this before they have them. If, for example, a Scholar has a class that conflicts with a scheduled job shift, Robertson coaches them through a discussion that reframes the problem as an opportunity to demonstrate maturity and confidence. He encourages them to think through solutions before the conversation.
“I ask them to make statements of ‘I have thought through an alternative,’” Robertson said. “It reminds the supervisor of their level of professionalism.”
A simple reframing like this can empower students to view speaking up not as a disruption but as a leadership skill. It’s not complaining — it’s communicating. It’s not confrontation — it’s collaboration.
