Soft skills are behaviors and personality traits that can assist candidates in successfully getting hired. Unlike hard or technical skills, soft skills are behavioral and interpersonal skills that help you work with others and progress in your career. Today, we’ll discuss what soft skills are and why they are essential, as well as provide some examples and show you how to use them to craft your resume. Let’s get started.
What are Soft Skills?
These skills span a wide range of different attributes, abilities, and personality traits that are generally necessary to successfully fill a role. They are best described as the personality traits that shape how you engage and work with others. Soft skills are a key factor in how an individual performs work tasks, interacts with colleagues, builds relationships, and communicates.
Why are Soft Skills Important?
Think back to job ads that you’ve seen. Most of them list requirements such as problem-solving and effective communication skills. This is because soft skills help hiring managers:
- Identify candidates who are capable of doing the job well. For instance, someone good at time management will prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
- Decide between qualified employees who meet the general requirements of the position. For example, if two candidates have similar professional and academic backgrounds, most hiring managers choose the one who’s more flexible and agreeable.
- Choose based on potential, not just on knowledge. In other words, if you’re applying for a junior position, your resume should include phrases such as “adaptive personality” and “willing to learn.”
- Make hiring decisions. For instance, hiring managers focusing on salespeople will look for someone who’s resilient, has excellent communication skills, and can negotiate.
Soft Skills Hiring Managers Notice
Indeed recently conducted a survey of 1,000 hiring managers and asked them to list the attributes that are common to the company’s top performers. These were the top five answers:
- Problem-solving
- Communication skills
- Self-starters
- Drive
- Flexibility/Adaptability
Other commonly reported traits include:
- Integrity
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Dependability
- Work Ethic
- Conflict resolution
- Research
- Creativity
Examples of Important Soft Skills
Soft skills can include any innate abilities and personality traits that can be learned. Here are some of the key soft skills:
Creativity
Creativity is a general ability that incorporates many skills, including technical and other soft skills. This is a critical soft skill that can be used at any level in any role. Employees with this trait can find new ways to improve processes, develop exciting new business opportunities, and find new ways to do everyday tasks.
Communication
Communication skills are a vital part of life in general. However, in business, having effective communication skills is helpful during the interview process and during the rest of your career. Communicating well means you know how to speak to people in different settings and situations.
For instance, if you’re working on a project, you may need to explain why you believe a process or idea is ineffective. Finding a way to disagree skillfully and tactfully that doesn’t create conflict is a key skill that employers value.
Work Ethic
Work ethic is what allows you to complete duties and tasks in a timely and effective manner. Developing a solid work ethic can help ensure that you create positive relationships with employers and colleagues, even when you still have technical skills to develop in a new position. Most employers would rather hire someone with a strong work ethic who is eager to learn over a skilled worker who’s unmotivated.
Adaptability
Do you welcome change, or do you find it hard to adapt? Adaptability is crucial if you’re working for a startup or in a technologically-driven industry. Changes in tools, processes, or those concerning clients can happen without warning very quickly. Employees who can adapt to new ways of working and situations are valuable in most industries and jobs.
Problem-Solving
This is one of the most important of all soft skills. Employers value people who resolve issues in an effective and quick manner. This may require researching and consulting with colleagues to find a long-term, scalable solution. Or, other times, you may need to call on industry knowledge to fix issues without delay.
How to Highlight Your Soft Skills
Showcasing soft skills is useful for applying for jobs, your daily work, and interviews. If you’re currently looking for a new career, here are some ideas for highlighting your soft skills on your resume and cover letter.
Incorporating Soft Skills into Your Resume
An effective resume includes a section where all relevant hard and soft skills are listed. To determine which soft skills should be on your resume, consider any skill that’s requested in the job posting and the ones you possess that are verifiable.
However, it’s always best to prioritize the hard skills required by the position before listing the soft skills. Remember, soft skills are usually evaluated during the interview. That said, your resume should include between 10 and 30 skills, with soft skills taking up less than half.
Incorporating Soft Skills into Your Cover Letters
Your cover letter should list at least one relevant and well-developed soft skill to show that you’re the best fit for the role. This is achievable by explaining how your soft skill aligns with the company’s mission, values, or goals.
Improving Soft Skills
Soft skills are best improved by making them a practice. After all, many soft skills are simply a matter of routine. For some this may mean practicing dependability in your everyday life by focusing on improving punctuality. For example, this person could begin by making it a habit to start working on projects soon, so they get completed ahead of schedule.
Closing Thoughts
Many times, soft skills are easier to develop than hard skills, but they are equally as important. Not only do they shape how well you work with other people, but they also determine how much focus and determination you put forth. That said, don’t forget to list some soft skills on both your resume and cover letter, and never stop trying to improve your soft skills!
