The Importance of Soft Skills.

If you’re looking for a job or looking to progress in your career, developing your “soft’ skills are a must. When choosing between two seemingly equal candidates, organizations are now prioritizing “soft skills” as the key differentiator.

Soft skills help employees fully utilize their hard skills. Soft skills are a combination of people skills, social skills, character, attitude, emotional intelligence, social intelligence that enable employees to navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well and achieve their goals with complementing hard skills
These skills are critical in the workplace. Employees with soft skills make for good team players and efficient managers. Outlined below are some top reasons why soft skills are important when finding a job or growing your career:

Indicate longevity

When hiring for a position, most employers look for signs that an applicant will stay at their company long-term. If an employee shows the capacity to grow at a company, that employer will not have to expend more resources hiring a replacement. Soft skills like conflict resolution, commitment and motivation can make you a long-term asset to employers. Your attitude towards work is one of the most important indicators of longevity at a job, and employers may use longevity to decide between two similar applicants.

They help you grow your network

Soft skills are critical for creating and growing your personal network and making professional contacts in the workplace. Employers rely on people who have a strong professional network to help them make business connections, provide professional development and even make hiring decisions. If you can recommend useful services due to your network, your employer will likely value your opinions and ideas more highly.

Soft skills help maintain relationships

Soft skills not only support your relationships in the workplace, they determine your success working with clients and business partners. Employers seek out employees they can trust to represent the company in a professional and friendly way. Soft skills differentiate between candidates who are qualified for a job and candidates who will exceed expectations by putting effort into their professional relationships. People with a good disposition for customer service are good for business in any industry, at any level of experience.

Prove initiative

Employers hire and promote people who regularly demonstrate motivation and initiative. Having a positive attitude and being creative both show employers that you have the initiative to think of new projects or ways to solve problems. Soft skills also help you follow through on your ideas, using motivation to translate brainstorming sessions into actionable projects.

Establish a reputation

Soft skills are not just important for growing your reputation, they can also contribute to your employer’s reputation. The way you interact with clients and business partners can influence how people perceive a company within your community, impacting their ability to do business. Your soft skills determine the success of your social interactions, the timeliness of your work and your ability to mediate conflicts on behalf of your employer to build a great reputation.