The Hard Truth About "Soft Skills"

Employers know what they need out of recent grads. They can train candidates on a lot of the specifics of a job, but they can't train them to have problem-solving skills, communication skills, and the ability to interact well with a team. The hard truth about these so-called soft skills is that they are essential for workplace success.

Even jobs that are traditionally seen as requiring “hard” skills, like those in technology fields, value soft skills highly. Damon Horowitz, co-founder of several technology start-ups and current director of engineering at Google, says: “There is an industry-wide shift toward more 'product thinking' in leadership – leaders who understand the social and cultural contexts in which our technologies are deployed.”

These soft skills are developed through a strong liberal arts education, and employers recognize the value of this education in every field and across the globe.