The Most Valuable Soft Skills for Work

Soft skills relate to how you work and interact with others in the workplace. They are often character traits or personal attributes that impact relationships with coworkers or customers. Certain soft skills, such as conflict resolution and critical thinking, are in high demand by employers.

In a competitive job market, a candidate’s ability to stand out ultimately depends on their unique technical skills. But perhaps now more than ever, it also depends on whether they possess the critical soft skills employers covet. 

When creating or updating a resume, adding soft skills can help job seekers prove their value and stand out in the workforce. But what are soft skills? And what is the best way to develop the soft skills that matter most during a job hunt?

What Are Soft Skills?

A soft skill is a non-technical ability that drives success in the workplace on an interpersonal level. These abilities, tied to personality and character traits, determine how effectively an employee interacts with co-workers, customers, and clients. Examples include a worker’s communication or decision-making skills.

“I’m often asked about the difference between hard skills and soft skills. Both play a crucial role when writing your resume,” says Jessica Hernandez, a LinkedIn Top Voice and executive resume writer. “Hard skills are the keywords employers use to search/scan resumes. They look for hard skills to see if you have the professional, technical, or academic qualifications for the role.”

While hard skills are key to performing a job’s essential duties, employers also value workers with strong soft skills. 

Why? Because, as Hernandez notes, they “show employers you’re a good culture and people fit.” Strong interpersonal skills dictate an employee’s ability to navigate the complexities of work, life, and relationships.

“Soft skills are the EQ [emotional quotient] and personality skills that make you a great people person, enable you to lead or motivate others, and contribute to teamwork,” Hernandez explains. “Both have an important place on your resume. Include hard skills to increase your resume’s ability to populate in search results and show you have the skills for the role.”

Some of the most important soft skills include:

• Communication 
• Time management 
• Organization 
• Problem-solving 
• Critical thinking 
• Interpersonal skills

Soft Skill Demand Is Rising

According to a 2019 report from LinkedIn, 91% of talent professionals say soft skills are very important to the future of recruiting and HR. The same report concluded that 89% say bad hires typically lack soft skills and 57% of companies struggle to assess soft skills accurately. 

More recently, CNBC found that 93% of employers want to see soft skills on your resume. The eight most in-demand soft skills at the moment are communication skills, customer service, scheduling, time management skills, project management, analytical thinking, ability to work independently and flexibility.

Clearly, the skills gap is a real challenge for employers. Many struggle to find workers with the ideal balance of technical abilities and soft skills. That is why it is so valuable to develop desirable soft skills and feature them on a resume.

Soft Skills in the Workplace

While some employers may value hard skills over soft skills, both are important in the workplace. Each contributes to success on the job and throughout a career. 

Some jobs require workers to lean more on hard skills than soft skills. For example, a software engineer needs to have strong programming knowledge and technical abilities. They also need problem-solving skills to debug code and solve complex issues. However, they still need to communicate their ideas clearly to colleagues and clients. 

In other cases, the reverse is true. A salesperson needs excellent communication skills to persuade potential customers and close deals. They also need interpersonal skills to build positive relationships with clients. However, they must understand numbers and data to track their sales goals.

As these examples suggest, both hard and soft skills are essential in the workplace. While one type of skill may be more important for a specific job, developing a mix of abilities is always beneficial.

How to Develop More Soft Skills

There are several ways to develop soft skills. 

One is to take on new assignments or projects at work. This allows employees to step outside their comfort zones and improve problem-solving skills. It can also help you learn how to handle stress, criticism, and conflict better.

Another way to develop soft skills is to join professional organizations or networking groups. These groups provide great opportunities to practice communication and interpersonal skills. They also help build a network of contacts that can be valuable in your career journey.

Finally, consider taking online courses or attending workshops related to soft skill development. Many resources are available to help improve in areas like time management, critical thinking, and effective communication.

Bottom line, soft skills are essential for success in the workplace. Developing a mix of hard and soft skills can go a long way toward improving career prospects. 

There are many ways to improve soft skills, including taking on new challenges at work, joining professional organizations, or enrolling in courses or workshops. With a little effort, it is possible to develop the abilities employers value most.

Top Takeaways

The Most Valuable Soft Skills for Work

• Soft skills are non-technical abilities that can help anyone excel in the workplace.
• Examples of soft skills include problem-solving, conflict resolution, and communication.
• Soft skills are in demand by all kinds of organizations throughout the world.

(Reporting by NPD and Mariah Flores)