Employers often look for a combination of two sets of skills: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are teachable knowledge and are easy to quantify. Typically, learned through reading books, training classes, and materials, or school. Soft skills are subjective and much more difficult to quantify. This is also considered “interpersonal skills” or “personality traits” like communication, leadership, motivation, or time management. Both types of skills are necessary especially in more advanced positions within a company or being able to exercise them both trying to take your career to the next level. Successful professionals will make sure to put both sets of skills on display on their resume and throughout the interviewing process when applying for a job or showcasing both skills throughout their time with a company.
The Hard Skills
Hard skills are technical abilities that have been gained through life experience including your education or career. For example:
• If you went to school to be a software engineer, you may be able to code in certain programming languages.
• If you’ve taken an accounting class, you may be able to use Microsoft Excel.
• If you’ve studied a foreign language, you may speak multiple languages fluently.
• If you’ve worked in a sales environment, you may know how to use a CRM.
Depending on the industry, every job will require specific technical skills. If you want to be an attorney, you will be required to pass the bar. A bar exam refers to an examination that law students in the United States must pass in order to practice law.
Several industries have specific tests in place, requiring existing knowledge and skills essential for career success. Other jobs may have the ability to teach certain technical skills on the job.
The Soft Skills
Soft skills are more subjective and emotion-based than hard skills and aren’t quantifiable. Most soft skills are not taught but are a result of emotional intelligence or experience. For example:
• If you’ve been in a management role before, you may have good leadership skills.
• If you’ve worked in human resources, you may be able to demonstrate open-mindedness.
• If you’ve had experience being a project manager, you may communicate effectively.
• If you’ve worked in customer service, you may have strong problem-solving skills.
Soft skills are the “intangibles” and necessary to create a positive and functional work environment. If your goal is to be Chief of Staff, you’ll need to possess strong soft skills like adaptability, dependability, integrity, teamwork, critical thinking, and empathy. Some skills may take time to demonstrate to an employer contrast to a hard skill.
The Importance
Today, employers are quite often looking for a “hybrid,” which are a combination of soft and hard skills. Being able to present both strong technical skills with great soft skills will make any professional hyper-competitive in a continually evolving technologically-focused economy.
Today, employers are quite often looking for a “hybrid,” which are a combination of soft and hard skills. Being able to present both strong technical skills with great soft skills will make any professional hyper-competitive in a continually evolving technologically-focused economy.
