Development of soft skills: Need of the hour

Most occupations require that those who work in it have certain abilities that allow them to do their jobs. For example, photographers must understand how different camera settings and lighting affect the pictures they take and computer programmers need to know how to use programming languages. These abilities are known as hard or technical skills and to learn them one usually enrolls in some sort of educational program where he or she receives classroom instruction and often practical training as well. Hard skills include the knowledge you need to do the job.

To work in any occupation you also need what are referred to as soft skills. Soft skills are personal character traits or qualities each of us has and interpersonal skills that characterize a person's relationships with other people. They make up who we are, generally encompassing our attitudes, habits and how we interact with other people. In the workplace, soft skills are considered a complement to hard skills, which refer to a person's knowledge and occupational skills. Sociologists may use the term soft skills to describe a person's "EQ" or" Emotional Intelligence Quotient," as opposed to "IQ" or "Intelligence Quotient. Soft skills are much less tangible than hard or technical skills, and unlike them, you do not learn soft skills by enrolling in a training program. You can, however, acquire them through educational, work and life experiences but it will take a concerted effort on your part. Let's say for example, you are terrible at managing your time but find yourself enrolled in a class that requires you to complete numerous projects. If you want to do well you will have to improve your time management skills in order to meet your deadlines. You can learn how to better manage your time by seeking advice from faculty and fellow students or reading helpful articles. Soft skills include your interpersonal (people) skills. Soft skills characterize how a person interacts in his or her relationships with others. Unlike hard skills that are learned, soft skills are similar to emotions or insights that allow people to “read” others. Soft skills are important to the success of almost all businesses, but especially customer-focused organizations. The term describes those personal attributes that indicate a high level of emotional intelligence.

While certain hard skills are necessary for any position, employers are looking increasingly for job applicants with particular soft skills. This is because, while it is easy for an employer to train a new employee in a particular hard skill (such as how to use a certain computer program), it is much more difficult to train an employee in a soft skill (such as patience).

 

 

Examples of soft skills

• Verbal Communication: People with good verbal communication skills have the ability to convey information to others by speaking.
• Interpersonal Skills: Having good interpersonal skills means that one has not only the ability to communicate with others, but is willing to listen to people without judging them, share ideas and pitch in when co-workers need help.
• Writing: Good writing skills allow you to relate information using the written word.
• Problem Solving and Critical Thinking: Problem solving is the ability to identify a problem and then come up with possible solutions. Critical thinking skills allow you to evaluate each possible solution, using logic and reasoning, to determine which one is most likely to be successful.
• Active Listening: Good listeners make an effort to understand what others are saying, interrupting only when appropriate to ask questions that will help clarify the information being shared.
• Active Learning: Active learners are willing and able to acquire knowledge and then apply it to their jobs.
• Organizational: Those who have strong organizational skills know how to take a systematic approach to every task.
• Time Management: Those who are good at managing their time know how to schedule their tasks in order to complete projects according to deadlines. They are good at prioritizing their work.
• Team Player: Those who are team players are cooperative and can be leaders or participants, as necessitated by the situation at hand. They are willing to share responsibility with other team members, whether that means taking credit for successes or responsibility for failures.
• Professionalism: This characteristic is hard to define, but it's very apparent when someone is lacking it. It's probably the one trait that every employer desires, regardless of what you do or where you work. Professionalism encompasses many things including showing up on time, being polite, being generally pleasant and helpful, dressing appropriately and taking responsibility for your own actions.
• Reading Comprehension: Individuals with strong reading comprehension skills have little difficulty understanding the content of written materials.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: People who are flexible and adaptable react well to changes in their jobs and work environments. They have a positive can-do attitude about anything that gets thrown their way. An employee with this attribute has the ability to work in various situations equally well and move from one situation to another with ease and grace.

•  Creative thinking, work ethic, networking, decision making, positivity, time motivation, problem-solving, critical thinking, patience, persuasion, motivation, and conflict resolution are some of the other soft skills one must possess in order to succeed in one’s career. Good manners, optimism, common sense, a sense of humor, empathy and the ability to collaborate and negotiate are all important soft skills. Other soft skills include situational awareness and the ability to read a situation as it unfolds to decide upon a response that yields the best result for all involved.
• The ability to be diplomatic and respectful even when there are disagreements is also a key soft skill. This skill requires the employee to maintain a professional tone and demeanor even when frustrated.

Why Do You Need Soft Skills?

Soft skills help us do our jobs. They allow us to effectively and efficiently use our technical skills and knowledge. They improve the way we interact with our bosses, co-workers and customers. They permit us to get our work done on time. They influence how we feel about our jobs and how others perceive us.

Every single occupation you can think of demands that you have specific character traits, whether you're a doctor who needs to be an excellent communicator in order to convey information to her patients, a janitor who must have good interpersonal skills so that he can get along with his co-workers or an actor who must be persistent in spite of facing rejection over and over. An important thing to note is that soft skills are transferable between occupations. While you may have to go back to school to learn new technical skills if you change careers, you can always take your soft skills with you since they are valued in a variety of fields.

In addition to what is required by your occupation, employers also expect you to have certain character traits. Just look at any job announcement and you will see a list of qualifications that includes not only the technical skills you need to do the job, but qualities like "excellent communication skills," "strong organizational skill," "team player," and "strong listening ability" listed there as well. Even if you have the technical skills required for a job, if you can't demonstrate that you have the specified traits you probably won't get the job. Make sure your resume lists accomplishments that demonstrate the desired soft skills and that you also find ways to discuss them during your job interview.

During the job application process, you should therefore be sure to emphasize both your hard and soft skills. This way, even if you lack a particular hard skill required by the company, you can emphasize a particular soft skill that you know would be valuable in the position.

For example, if the job involves working on a number of group projects, be sure to emphasize your experience and skill as a team player and your ability to communicate with team members.

An employee with a high level of emotional intelligence and good communication skills can clearly articulate goals and work in a team. He knows when to take a leadership role and when to sit back. He knows when to speak, when to listen and when to suggest a compromise.

Business leaders value technologists who have soft skills because they have empathy and the ability to adjust their communication to the audience at hand. Although many individuals inherently possess these abilities, others must work to develop them. Asking family and trusted colleagues for feedback can also help employees identify which soft skills require improvement as can simply observing and emulating how others successfully interact with others and handle difficult interpersonal situations. A professional coach, self-help books and articles on leadership can assist in this process.

It's often said that hard skills will get you an interview but you need soft skills to get and keep the job.

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