Required experience levels vary by one’s conflict resolution specialty. Some employers may require mediators to have earned a college degree and completed an internship, co-op, or part-time job at an organization that provides dispute resolution services. On the other hand, arbitrators are typically business executives, attorneys, and retired judges with expertise in a particular field—such as finance, construction, shipping, or insurance. As a result, a minimum of three years of experience in one’s chosen field is needed to become an arbitrator, but many employers and arbitration organizations (such as the American Arbitration Association) require applicants for arbitrator positions or rosters to have at least 10 years of experience.
Successful conflict resolution specialists need strong communication and interpersonal skills. They must be good listeners in order to identify the key points that are made by parties involved in the dispute and be able to effectively question the parties to obtain information that they did not provide. This requires patience and strong analytical and critical-thinking skills. They also need strong oral and written communication skills to explain their ruling (if they work as arbitrators) or, if they work as mediators and in other conflict resolution positions, to encourage the parties in the dispute to find common ground and come to an agreement. Conflict resolution specialists must have strong leadership skills and be able to project authority during hearings and mediation sessions because these situations can sometimes become contentious. Regardless of their personal opinions about the behavior or actions of the parties in the dispute, they must strive to be fair, neutral, empathetic, and non-judgmental in order to build trust with the participants. Other important traits include decisiveness, strong time-management and organizational skills, ethics, and respect for the confidentiality of each party in the dispute.
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