If you feel like you’re lacking the skills needed to land a job, chances are you’re viewing yourself in the wrong light. Almost everyone has a whole range of ‘soft skills’ ready and waiting to be utilised. Most people use soft skills on a daily basis, and they can be applied within the workplace to everything from negotiating and selling, to managing your schedule.
To find out how to make the most of soft skills and land that job, read our guide below.
What are soft skills?
Soft skills are general attributes that aren’t specific to a certain job or industry. You don’t need training in them and they’re normally self-developed. You can gain, and apply, soft skills to a wide range of roles, so they’re very desirable, no matter what job you’re applying for.
Examples of soft skills
There’s no definitive list of soft skills as they are a combination of social skills and character traits. However, some common examples include:
- Communication skills
- Leadership
- Problem solving
- Critical thinking
- Team working
- Flexibility
- Resilience
- Negotiation skills
Why are soft skills important?
Although some industries and jobs require specific ‘hard’ skills, soft skills are important across all roles. They help bolster hard skills and ensure you settle in to a company and gel with the other employees. Without soft skills you might not be able to effectively put your hard skills to use. A candidate with a strong set of soft skills will stand out to employers.
What are the advantages of soft skills?
The best thing about soft skills is that they can apply to every industry and role. They are transferrable and make you appealing to potential employers even if you have limited experience in their field of work.
For example, if you have excellent communication skills you may decide to use them for selling, attracting new customers, building relationships with suppliers or working effectively in a team.
Everyone has soft skills. You don’t have to undergo formal training to pick them up and instead they develop as you go through life. The odds are that you already have many great attributes that you can use to your advantage!
What are the disadvantages of soft skills?
Unfortunately soft skills alone often aren’t enough to get you a job. Many roles and industries require some formal qualifications or relevant experience to get your foot in the door.
Soft skills can be difficult to measure, and as such some employers don’t appreciate their real value until you’ve had the opportunity to actively demonstrate them.
How do I demonstrate soft skills on my CV?
As with any other skill, you need to back up your soft skills with credible evidence and examples which illustrate times when you’ve put them to good use.
For example, instead of saying “I have good problem solving skills” try elaborating and saying something like “I have good problem solving skills, as demonstrated when I successfully overcame x”.
If you’re finding it hard to think of relevant skills, have a look at the job description for ideas as it will provide you with a list of attributes the employer is looking for.
Can I learn soft skills?
Absolutely! Although soft skills are normally self-developed and learnt through doing, they can also be taught. There are numerous courses available to help you improve skills like organisation or public speaking. So don’t worry if you feel there are things you need to improve on, there are resources out there to help you. First, figure out the skills you need to build up, then find a course to get started.