Twannetta’s Career Corner: Why You Should Leverage Soft Skills To Land A Better Job

Ever wondered why there is such a buzz around soft skills these days? Have you read articles, heard podcasts, or seen posts all over social media from career experts discussing the need for soft skills? If you have not, be prepared to see this advice discussed by experts on places like LinkedIn and here at SkillUp as you continue to craft your job search strategy. Soft skills are important to have as part of your overall job search strategy. Making sure your soft skills are on full display can make all the difference when hiring managers are selecting candidates for the job.

What are soft skills?

Simply put, soft skills are the behaviors and personalities that we display when working with others. Whether you work in customer service supporting a wide array of issues that customers face or on a project team creating products and services, the effective use of soft skills will help you achieve your goals. Ever consider how your communication soft skills are on full display when you interview with a hiring manager? When answering questions during an interview, including but not limited to how you answer questions (with enthusiasm or seriousness), use of concise verbiage, or articulating a well-thought-out response all contribute to your display of soft skills.

According to Forbes, 84% of employers expect job candidates to demonstrate soft skills. Developing a knack for understanding what soft skills you have and creating a plan to improve them will help you tremendously as you move throughout your career. It is important to note that soft skills usually are hard to measure, and it can be difficult to know how well you express them without honest, candid feedback. Having solid feedback can certainly help you to determine if your soft skills are in good shape. Wondering how to measure your soft skills? Observe and ask for feedback on how your words impact others in your circle. These can be current coworkers, your leadership team, friends, family, and any professional organizations and civic groups you belong to.

How do I determine what soft skills I have?

Determining your soft skills and how to improve them is a crucial step in your overall skills assessment. As a fellow job seeker, I make it a point to think back to previous roles or projects I have done in the past to document soft skills I used or acquired. For example, as a member of a project team, I was responsible for creating a new process for customers to follow when making a payment. Some of the skills I developed during this project were collaboration with internal teams and vendors, negotiation skills for timeline implementation, and critical thinking to ensure I considered all the pros and cons of the new process.

Another skill I cultivated during the project was strong written communication skills. I needed to ensure that the customers were well informed, as well as other team members of the process. I needed to draft clearly written customer-facing communications, internal team memos, and create meeting presentations with the intent to convey the value of the new payment process to all stakeholders. Taking a personal assessment of various initiatives you contributed to whether independently or part of a team can help you discover soft skills that you didn't know you had. Once you realize the skills you have worked hard to develop, be sure to add them to where you document your skills. Keeping a current resume with updated skills is ideal. Updating your soft skills on your LinkedIn profile can be a great way to ensure your information is current and relevant for any new job opportunities as well.

What soft skills do employers care about?

As the job market is becoming increasingly competitive, employers care most about candidates possessing effective communication skills. The bedrock of making a positive impression with a hiring manager is maintaining the ability to discuss why you are interested in a role, deliver the value you bring as a candidate, and how you plan to positively impact the company if selected. Additionally, candidates who display strong communication skills usually perform well during interviews, can efficiently respond to written inquiries, and participate well in team meetings. Employers also care about a candidate’s ability to show teamwork, initiative, time management, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Pro tip - The most important soft skill that employers look for in candidates interested in moving up in the company is leadership skills. Leadership skills are a display of traits that involve taking initiative, delegation of work responsibilities, the ability to resolve conflict, and exhibiting interpersonal skills. These skills can be developed over your career whether you are an individual contributor or in a supervisory role.

How do employers assess your soft skills?

During interviews, employers are likely to ask several questions to assess your hard and soft skills. Hiring managers will ask questions to learn more about your general background and prior work functions. As the interview moves forward, the interviewer may begin to ask behavioral questions. These questions are designed to understand how you acted in each situation, what were the results, and whether the resolution you offered resolved the concern. Hiring managers will review your answers as well as make note of your eye contact, how you dress, your tone, and whether you are approachable.

Feedback early and often can help you improve your soft skills. Practice interviews with a trust friend or family member, you can use this guide to help. Asking the interviewer for feedback on how well you interviewed can offer insight into how the hiring manager perceived your communication skills and your ability to thoroughly answer the questions presented – a measurement of soft skills.

Need some support?

Leveraging soft skills can be a great kick starter to landing a fantastic new job. Take an inventory of the soft skills you possess and learn more about the top soft skills employers want to see in candidates. Check out this SkillUp resource that also dives into soft skills. For additional career coaching and resources, visit SkillUp Resources.