In school, we were taught about general education subjects such as Mathematics and Science. As we grew older and studied high school and college, we studied more about complicated stuff like Physics and Chemistry, and other specialized courses depending on the educational degree you have taken.

As we receive our diploma, we are already equipped with the necessary skills to perform the job, such as knowing cash flow management if you are a Business Management degree holder, or knowing how to make software applications if you are a Computer Engineering graduate. In terms of technical skills, you were taught everything you need to know in school.

As we grew older and studied high school and college, more about complicated stuff like Physics and Chemistry, and other specialized courses depending on the educational degree you have taken.

On one hand, soft skills are something, which are not taught in traditional education, until your professor went the extra mile and taught you a skill or two. These competencies are something you learn from home or even something you learn on your own. Experience and upbringing are the common learning grounds for these skills.

On one hand, soft skills are something, which are not taught in traditional education, until your professor went the extra mile and taught you a skill or two.

However, if you possess only a handful of soft skills right now, it is never too late to acquire more It is a long process with lots of effort from your part, but yes, it is possible. Which skills should you have? Let us discuss only the ones that are necessary to help you get the job you want, and keep it.

Putting Soft Skills in Your Resume

Your resume is a prospective employer’s first impression of you; it tells a lot of the kind of person you are and this will help them decide whether to give you an interview or not. In your resume, you should mention salient points that will tell them the hard skills you possess, including work experience and achievements you have garnered over the years.

Employers want someone who knows how to perform the tasks needed to help the company achieve their goals, this is a given. In addition, they also want to hire employees with good character and disposition, which can be revealed through the soft skills that they own. While these are not yet visible to the employer in the resume, nevertheless, these are considered additional features that will increase your chance of getting an interview.

Top Soft Skills Employers Look For

Now that you got the green light, and are scheduled for an interview, your next step is to be able to show to your prospective employer that you are the right choice. During the interview, you will be asked some questions that will help the employer determine how skilled and knowledgeable you are about the technical competencies needed for the job. Moreover, they will also look into your soft skills and see if these will compliment the values and principles that their company lives up to. On a general perspective, the soft skills they are looking for are:

Communication Skills:

It means being confident in the presence of other people.

Team Player:

If you are able to work with others actively, putting your team’s welfare on priority.

Honesty and Integrity:

If you can live by the principles of truthfulness and fairness, work productively even when no one is watching.

Ability to Handle Pressure:

Even in under pressure being productive.

Flexibility:

Working in any environment and adjust to any type of work schedule.

Negotiation and Persuasion Skills:

If you know how to convince others in a positive manner, this is beneficial for you and to your company.

Getting Ready to Reveal Your Soft Skills

Let us start with making your resume. There are many soft skills and some may be needed more than others may. Think about the ones you have now, and decide which of these are more necessary to help you perform the job. For example, if you were applying for a sales position, then you would most definitely need communication skills and negotiation and persuasion skills, so you need to make sure you have these qualities and highlight them in your resume.

In the interview process, you will be asked several questions that will help your employer find out if you indeed possess the skills you mentioned, and even others you have not included in your resume. Questions such as:

Did you ever run into an argument with a co-worker? If so, how did you handle it? (Teamwork)

Describe a time when you were under a lot of pressure at work. Tell us how you dealt with it. (Ability to work under pressure)

Have you worked for a stubborn superior? How did you communicate with him? (Communication skills, persuasion skills)

Prepare yourself for these questions and make sure your answers will effectively depict the soft skills they are looking for.