Why soft skills are in high demand in today’s workforce | Top Vip News

Business

By Erica Lamberg, Fox Business

Your job performance is a combination of your “hard skills” (your technical knowledge and practical work product) and your intangible “soft skills,” which 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 said.

Employers seek these skills, as employees who possess them improve the workplace, experts said.

“For many employers, soft skills are just as important as hard skills,” said Kelli Hall, director of recruiting at Enova International, a financial technology company, based in Chicago.

“This is because success in the workplace often requires more than the technical ability to get the job done. “Social skills are what make the difference.”

Here’s how to hone your own interpersonal skills in the world of work.

What are the most in-demand soft skills currently?

Online learning platform Springboard for Business recently released its State of the Workforce Skills Gap 2024 report, surveying more than 1,000 corporate professionals working at large companies.

“Our survey found that the most in-demand soft skill, also known as a durable or non-perishable skill, is strategic thinking,” Chris Duchesne, general manager of Boston-based Springboard for Business, told FOX Business.

“More than half of leaders (57%) say their company needs more people with strategic thinking skills right now.”

With the economy in a state of flux, Duchesne said, critical thinking is essential in “this pivot-or-die environment where companies must be strategic and adapt quickly to remain competitive.”

Additionally, soft skills like problem-solving (which 49% of leaders say their companies need) and verbal and written communication skills (46%) are also essential to keeping pace in a rapidly evolving landscape, the report revealed.

Emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships complete the list, according to the report.

Why are soft skills so important for employees?

With 79% of leaders saying the longevity of technical skills is limited to five years or less, soft skills have become increasingly important, Duchesne noted.

“Soft skills are even more essential to adapt and meet new challenges as AI continues to dramatically change all industries,” he noted.

“These competencies cannot be outsourced to AI in the same way as technical skills. They are also key leadership skills applicable in all functions and at all levels.”

How can job seekers show off their interpersonal 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 need to make sure their soft skills don’t get lost on the page,” Enova recruiting expert Hall told FOX Business.

“Be explicit and mention soft skills by name.”

And, according to Springboard’s Duchesne, soft skills are one way to differentiate yourself in an interview, especially when most of the other candidates who will reach this stage have similar technical skills.

“Describe your unique competencies by talking about previous work experiences that demonstrate your critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills,” he recommended.

How do soft skills benefit corporations?

Employees who master these soft skills not only excel individually but also elevate their teams and the entire organization, Duchesne told FOX Business.

“They become catalysts for innovation, efficiency and growth,” he said.

“The consistent superior performance of these employees highlights a clear correlation between mastery of interpersonal skills and career success. In a continually evolving business landscape, these skills remain in constant demand.”