Soft skills are the interpersonal characteristics that enable a person to interact effectively with others. They are general traits that are not specific to any job and can help employees excel in any workplace. Soft skills are essential for professional success and are often referred to as transferable or interpersonal skills. Some examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, adaptability, leadership, problem-solving, critical thinking, empathy, motivation, time management, accountability, and confidence.
Soft skills are different from hard skills, which are specific qualities that can be clearly defined, measured, and taught for success in a job. Hard skills are role-specific knowledge and abilities that employees need to perform their job duties. Soft skills, on the other hand, are personality traits and attitudes that make it easy to get along and work harmoniously with other people.
Soft skills are important because they help identify employees who are not just able to do the job, but they are also able to do it well. They are sought after in every profession and can grow a persons career in the same way hard skills and talent can. Soft skills can be taught, but they require situational awareness to know when to use which skill.
One of the key features of soft skills is that they are intangible and cant be measured by simply looking at what soft skills each candidate includes in their resume. Candidates will try to present themselves as positively as possible during interviews, so its the employers job to dig deeper to evaluate soft skills in the workplace.
In summary, soft skills are general traits that are essential for professional success and can help employees excel in any workplace. They include communication, teamwork, adaptability, leadership, problem-solving, critical thinking, empathy, motivation, time management, accountability, and confidence. Soft skills are different from hard skills, which are specific qualities that can be clearly defined, measured, and taught for success in a job. Soft skills are intangible and require situational awareness to know when to use which skill.
