What Are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are a combination of people skills, social skills, communication skills, character or personality traits, attitudes, career attributes, social intelligence and emotional intelligence quotients, among others, that enable people to navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve their goals with complementing hard skills. The Collins English Dictionary defines the term "soft skills" as "desirable qualities for certain forms of employment that do not depend on acquired knowledge: they include common sense, the ability to deal with people, and a positive flexible attitude."
What are the 7 soft skills?
1. Leadership Skills
Companies want employees who can supervise and direct other workers. They want employees who can cultivate relationships up, down, and across the organizational chain; assess, motivate, encourage, and discipline workers; build teams, resolve conflicts, and help to create the desired culture.
2. Teamwork
Most employees are part of a team/department/division, and even those who are not on an official team need to collaborate with other employees. You may prefer to work alone, but it’s important to demonstrate that you understand and appreciate the value of joining forces and working in partnership with others to accomplish the company’s goals.
3. Communication Skills
Successful communication involves five components. Verbal communication refers to your ability to speak clearly and concisely. Nonverbal communication includes the capacity to project positive body language and facial expressions. Oral communication is the ability to listen to and actually hear what others are saying. Written communication refers to your skill in composing text messages, reports, and other types of documents. And visual communication involves your ability to relay information using pictures and other visual aids.
4. Problem Solving Skills
Many people shirk from problems because they don’t understand that companies hire employees to solve problems. Glitches, bumps in the road, and stumbling blocks are a part of the job. The ability to use your knowledge to find answers to pressing problems and formulate workable solutions will demonstrate that you can handle – and excel in – your job.
5. Work Ethic
While you may have a manager, companies don’t like to spend time micromanaging employees. They expect you to be responsible and do the job that you’re getting paid to do, which includes being punctual when you arrive at work, meeting deadlines, and making sure that your work is error free. And going the extra mile shows that you’re committed to performing your work with excellence.
6. Flexibility/Adaptability
In the 21st century, companies need to change at the speed of light to remain competitive. So they want workers who can also shift gears or change direction as needed. Also, while the economy may be recovering, many companies are not fully staffed, so they want employees who can wear more than one hat and serve in more than one role.
7. Interpersonal Skills
This is a broad category of “people skills” and includes the ability to build and maintain relationships, develop rapport, and use diplomacy. It also includes the ability to give and receive constructive criticism, be tolerant and respectful regarding the opinions of others, and empathize with them.
But suppose you don’t have these skills? It’s never too late to develop them. For example, you can learn a lot just by observing other people within the company who excel in these 7 areas. Also, offering to take on more responsibilities at work (serving on committees, planning events, etc.) can help you gain valuable experience. In addition, consider taking online soft-skills courses. Developing emotional intelligence will make you a more valuable employee, and increase your chances of career success.
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