Business
Published February 17, 2024, 6:41 PM ET
Your job performance is a combination of your “hard skills” – your technical knowledge and practical work product – and your intangible “soft skills” that are taking the American workplace by storm.
Soft skills are non-technical skills that relate to the way you work.
These skills include how you interact with colleagues, how you solve problems, and how you manage your work, according to The Balance, a personal finance website.
For example, soft skills include “interpersonal skills, communication skills, listening skills, time management, problem solving, leadership and empathy, among others,” the same source says.
Employers look for these skills because employees who have these skills add value to a workplace, experts say.
“For many employers, soft skills are just as important as hard skills,” said Chicago-based Kelli Hall, director of recruiting at Enova International, a financial technology company.
“That's because success in the workplace often requires more than just the technical ability to get the job done. Soft skills make the difference.”
How to improve your own soft skills in the workforce.
Which soft skills are currently in demand?
Online learning platform Springboard for Business recently released its State of the Workforce Skills Gap 2024 report, which surveyed more than 1,000 business professionals from large companies.
“Our survey found that the most in-demand soft skill, also known as an enduring or everlasting skill, is strategic thinking,” Chris Duchesne, general manager of Boston-based Springboard for Business, told FOX Business.
“More than half of executives (57%) say their company currently needs more people with strategic thinking skills.”
Your job performance is a combination of your “hard skills” – your technical knowledge and practical work product – and your intangible “soft skills” that are taking the American workplace by storm. amnaj – stock.adobe.com
With the economy in transition, Duchesne said critical thinking is essential in “this environment where companies must be strategic and adapt quickly to remain competitive.”
Additionally, soft skills such as problem-solving skills – which 49% of executives say are needed in their companies – and verbal and written communication skills (46%) are also essential to keeping pace in a rapidly evolving landscape, the report found.
Rounding out the list is emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships, the report says.
Why are soft skills so important for employees?
With 79% of executives saying the lifespan of technical skills is limited to five years or less, soft skills have become increasingly important, Duchesne noted.
“Soft skills are even more important for adapting and meeting new challenges as AI continues to dramatically transform every industry,” he emphasized.
“These skills cannot be outsourced to AI in the same way as technical skills. They are also important leadership skills that are applicable in any role and at any level.”
These skills include how you interact with colleagues, how you solve problems, and how you manage your work, according to The Balance, a personal finance website. Jacob Lund – stock.adobe.com
How can job seekers demonstrate their soft skills?
Employers often receive hundreds of resumes for a single position—so highlighting your soft skills in the language of your resume is a smart move, experts say.
Use words like “facilitated,” “presented,” “negotiated,” and “implemented.”
“To stand out, candidates should make sure their soft skills don't get lost on the page,” Hall, a recruiting expert at Enova, told FOX Business.
“Be explicit and mention soft skills by name.”
And according to Springboard's Duchesne, soft skills are a way to stand out in an interview, especially when the majority of other candidates who reach that level have similar technical skills.
“Describe your unique skills by talking about previous work experiences that demonstrate your critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills,” he recommended.
What benefits do soft skills have for companies?
Employees who master these soft skills not only excel individually, but also advance their teams and the entire organization, Duchesne told FOX Business.
“They become catalysts for innovation, efficiency and growth,” he said.
“The consistent outperformance of these employees underlines a clear connection between soft skills competence and professional success. In an ever-evolving business landscape, these skills continue to be in demand.”
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