The Importance of Soft Skills (and How to Measure Them)

The importance of soft skills can’t be understated. In today's job market, it's not enough to be knowledgeable in your field. You also need to have strong soft skills if you want to be successful.

Soft skills are hard to identify. They’re also hard to practice. They’re even harder to practice when you can’t define what they are and where you might need that practice.

So what are soft skills, exactly? And how can you measure them on your road to Career Success?

What are Soft Skills?

Soft skills are the qualities that allow you to interact with other people. In contrast, hard skills are the technical abilities that you need to perform a task. Examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. The importance of soft skills is in their ability to connect with people. When working in any industry, you’ll need them. 

What is the importance of soft skills?

In today's ever-changing workplace, soft skills have become more and more important. Tech is playing a larger role in our lives. This means many jobs that once required hard skills only now need soft skills too or a combination of both.

It was once necessary to know how to operate a specific type of machinery to work in a factory. Now, many of those same jobs go to machines. Human workers need to focus on tasks that require interpersonal skills instead... You know… Because machines can’t understand human nuance.

How Do You Measure These Skills?

There are a few different ways that you can measure your soft skills. One way is through self-assessment. Take some time to reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses. Identify areas where you might need improvement. You can also ask friends or family members for their honest feedback. Sometimes it can be helpful to get an outsider's perspective.

Finally, you could take an assessment offered by a career coach. A coach will ask you questions about your work style and preferences. They'll give you a more comprehensive look at your soft skills and where you can stand to grow. They’ll also stress the importance of soft skills in conjunction with your career goals. 

In today's competitive job market, it's not enough to be knowledgeable. You also need strong soft skills if you want to be successful.

The good news is, many hard skills must be learned in a formal training setting, but you can build your set of soft skills anywhere. There are SO many options to help you build these key skills.

Take a look at our Career Success Catalog and see how Uvaro can help you grow your skill set today.