10 desirable soft skills in Freshers

Recently I have started working on Campus to Corporate programs for a couple of colleges. I am tasked with finding the gaps between the current and desired soft skills set of India's potential Graduates. I have to design training and activities to bridge those gaps and prepare them for thriving careers.

Should you google it, you'll find scores of articles listing the characteristics one must possess to be coveted by hiring managers. Oftentimes, they also make it to the resume of the aspirants - leadership skills, good communication skills, hard worker, go-getter etc. - to move up the ranks of applicant tracking systems.

I, however, am relying on my experience as a working professional to identify these invaluable virtues. So here is my checklist for the ideal fresher candidate who'd like to intern OR join an entry-level job (and NO, "leadership skills" isn't on the log) -

1. Realistic expectations because life isn't a Karan Johar movie and we aren't "Students of the Year"
2. Professionalism maketh a successful career
3. Communication isn't about being Shashi Tharoor!
4. Managing TIME, the most powerful currency
5. Emotional Intelligence, because AI won't work everywhere
6. Ownership and Responsibility precede power and authority
7. Critical Thinking, the actual intended takeaway of college education
8. Being in Focus
9. Having the Humility to admit mistakes and the Willingness to Learn from them
10. Discipline - rarely enjoyable, almost ALWAYS profitable

I believe that these need not be inherent to a person. With eagerness, curiosity, and mentoring, most people can learn and embrace them. They are not limited to the 9-6 corporate jobs either. Choose any profession of your liking, something that fulfills you and feeds your passion. Embodying these abilities will take you wherever you want to go.