Do soft skills matter when getting hired?

When going for a job interview, it’s important to have the skills required to fulfil the job. Whether that be a qualification or degree, computer skills or an industry-specific certification. In recent years, more and more employers are looking at a candidate’s soft skills.

With remote working and the digital era becoming more prominent in the lives of young people, it’s easy to understand why employers are viewing soft skills as just as important as hard skills. Here are some soft skills that employers may look for.

Communication

It’s important for a potential employer to see that you have good communication skills. Having good communication skills will help deepen relationships with colleagues and/or clients. Good communication can also avoid workplace conflict if you can communicate your needs and thoughts in a positive and well-rounded way.

Time management

Time management is also an extremely important soft skill for employers and covers a range of different aspects in a business environment. Time management can cover things like being punctual. Are you on time for meetings, are you on time for starting work and were you on time for your interview? Time management can also cover how you handle your workload and work to deadlines. Will you balance your time well to complete tasks and prioritise when necessary?

Stress management

Stress management is also a crucial soft skill, especially in certain industries. Some industries may have higher levels of stress so keep this in mind when you are applying for roles. Ask yourself if you can deal with stress. If you say in an interview that you can deal with stress it will become obvious very quickly that you can’t if you are in a high-stress job. Here are some tips on how to combat stress!

Organisation

Being organised is also a valuable soft skill to have. If you are going to be juggling lots of different tasks, working on projects or working in events, it’s important that you are an organised individual. If you like having a calendar, writing down plans or are naturally able to organise your mind, make sure you communicate this to a potential employer.

Problem-solving

In any job and in life, you will come across problems and will need to think of solutions. Problem-solving is a very useful skill to have as it allows you to handle unexpected situations well or handle difficult situations effectively. To problem solve successfully, make sure you identify the problem, define the hurdles, explore your options, take the appropriate course of action, and analyse how it turned it.

If you are ready to start your next job hunt, we have loads of great roles at s1jobs. Don’t forget to include your soft skills on your CV.