Importance of Soft Skills in Helping you Land a Job

What are soft skills and how might they help you land that dream job? Read on to learn how to identify and develop the soft skills in 2022

So, what actually are “Soft Skills”? Soft skills apply to how you function and relate to others and include among others:

·        Interpersonal (people) skills

·        Communication abilities

·        Listening skills

·        Time management

·        Empathy

Other skills such as technical skills, numeracy, project management and data analytics etc. are hard skills. However, all of these things are underpinned by being able to communicate well or being able to work in a team to deliver these skills.

In fact, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employees (NACE), when participating employers were asked to name the attributes they seek in candidates, they gave their highest scores to the following three traits:

·        Written Communication Skills (82%)

·        Problem Solving Skills (80.9%)

·        Ability to Work in a Team (78.7%)

By understanding what soft skills are and discovering how you can develop these abilities, you will strengthen your resume, which is especially useful if you’re thinking about changing roles or careers. Some fundamental soft skills for the workplace in 2022 include creativity, persuasion, emotional intelligence, and collaboration. We’ll look into each in more detail below. 

Communication

How well can you interact with others? In almost every career, communication skills are vital. You will definitely need to connect with people at work, whether they be customers, clients, colleagues, or suppliers. In person, by phone, and in writing, you will also need to be able to communicate openly and respectfully with individuals. Effective communication is therefore a key interpersonal skill and learning how to improve your communication has many benefits

Problem-solving

Employers highly value people who can resolve issues quickly and effectively. That may involve calling on industry knowledge to fix an issue immediately as it occurs, or taking time to research and consult with colleagues to find a scalable, long-term solution. Learning critical thinking techniques that good problem solvers use can help anyone overcome complex problems.

Teamwork

For many businesses throughout 2022, it’s been an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to make it through each day, week, and month. Likely, you have one colleague (and hopefully a few) who have made it more bearable for you. Teamwork skills allow you to operate well in a group setting in the workplace to quickly and effectively accomplish tasks.

Adaptability

The words of Charles Darwin still ring quite true, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most adaptable to change." Adaptability is one of the top "human skills" employers are searching for, because adaptability and flexibility are about embracing and rolling with change. They are particularly important when working in fast-pace or constantly changing work environments such as public relations, event management, nursing, and advertising.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise and manage your own feelings, while understanding and empathising with the feelings of others around you at the same time. Understandably, this is a widely sought-after asset in the workplace. Being able to self-regulate your emotions and understanding the motives and feelings of your colleagues can contribute to relationships that are more harmonious and profitable.

In high-stress jobs, emotional intelligence is also a highly valued soft skill, when staying calm is necessary, or those involving negotiation, when you need to consider the position of the other side.

Leadership Skills

In 2022, companies are looking for staff who can supervise other employees and manage them effectively. They want workers that can cultivate up, down, and through the organisational chain relationships. Leaders must appraise, inspire, encourage and discipline employees and develop teams, resolve disputes and cultivate the desired culture of the company. Understanding how to influence people and accommodate their needs is an essential element of leadership.

A Growth Mindset

In any job, no matter what the role, you'll encounter roadblocks, disappointments, and other situations that might frustrate you. A soft skill that's critical to your ability to persevere is having a growth mindset. For example, an individual with a fixed mindset may say to themselves, "I'm not good at public speaking," and let that negative outlook affect the progress of their career, without any confidence in the capacity for change. A growth mindset is about positive thinking, but it's more than just positive thinking. It is about building an atmosphere of positivity, being outward-looking and a desire to learn.

Finally…

Although soft skills can initially seem mysterious and abstract, they play an important role in the workforce and also for your potential career opportunities. The best path to developing your soft skills is to keep them at the forefront of your mind throughout your career and strive to improve them. Adopting this approach, you are going to develop a range of attractive skills that you can show off on your CV when you apply for that dream job!

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