What are Soft Skills?
What are soft skills?
“I am an effective communicator, a team player, and a trustworthy individual.” Does this sound familiar? It might sound familiar to you because these are some of the skills that we put on our resume to get the attention of employers. These are what we would refer to as “soft skills.” Soft skills are also referred to as non-technical skills, personal skills, or interpersonal skills. All of us possess some soft skills that can be used in the workplace to complete tasks effectively. In short, soft skills can be deemed as good traits that can help you socialize. Soft skills are often placed on our resumes to assure employers that we can conduct ourselves in any situation requiring successful integration into a new group. Soft skills are different from hard technical skills, job-specific skills that the employee must possess.
Some Soft Skills:
  • Flexibility
  • Critical Thinking
  • Problem Solving
  • Decision-Making
  • Time Management
  • Communication
  • Conflict Management
  • Teamwork
  • Leadership
Are soft skills necessary?
Yes, soft skills are fundamental! Soft skills, as well as hard skills, should be outlined on your resume. They help you to get hired and stay hired. Soft skills are behavioral skills that allow people to mitigate workplace issues such as miscommunication and workplace conflict. Employers often add several soft skills that a job position may require. For instance, a sales assistant’s job resume might need them to communicate, work independently, be dependable, and be able to solve problems that may arise.
Let’s look at two (2) of the most common soft skills listed on job descriptions:
1. Communication Skills
Communication skills are single-handedly the most sought out soft skill. Employers require employees to be effective communicators to ensure that miscommunication does not occur. Communication is also a significant part of our daily lives. It helps us relay what we like, what we don’t like, what we are comfortable with, or what we are not satisfied with. This is the same for communication within the workplace. Let’s look at an example of why communication is essential. Rebecca needs to finish an introductory PowerPoint presentation before her boss’ 7 AM meeting. However, Rebecca is not familiar with adding certain graphics to the presentation. So, Rebecca decided to add the illustrations that she is familiar with. Can you guess? Her boss was disappointed.

It was important for Rebecca to communicate to her boss that she was not familiar with adding that specific type of graphic in this scenario. If she had expressed that with her boss, Sherry, she would have advised Rebecca to add all the text and forward the PowerPoint to Ben from the It Department. Ben is excellent at adding graphics. This could have avoided her boss’ disappointment.

This is a somewhat ‘shallow” example, but miscommunication or no communication can be detrimental to an organization.

2. Flexibility
Flexibility is another soft skill that many organizations require. Flexibility refers to an employees’ ability to adapt. We live in a world where everything is uncertain; therefore, employers need to know that you would be able to act accordingly if things didn’t go as planned. Employers also need to know that you would be able to work along with new employees, technologies, or clients without any hesitation. Flexibility plays a crucial role in growth, and good employees grow over time.
Key Takeaways:
  • Soft skills are also referred to as non-technical skills, personal skills, or interpersonal skills.
  • All of us possess some soft skills that can be used in the workplace to complete tasks effectively.
  • Two of the leading soft skills employers seek are communication skills and flexibility.