When we apply to jobs and internships we often assume that technical skills are the most important. When it comes to updating our resumes and cover letters we often think, What computer languages do I know? how many excel functions can I crank out? how good are my photoshop skills?

We spend so much time nurturing these hard skills that we forget what matters: how well we can interact with others on the job.

To understand this concept of hard vs soft skills, it is helpful to think of a company structure on a macro level. Groups of people come together to push the company in the direction of its mission statement. This requires relationship building on both a small and large scale.

We’ve all come across that one person whether it’s at school or on the job, who seems to check off every box. They are brilliant in every technical area but when it comes to socializing or collaborating, they can’t keep up. They want to do all the work themselves and often act against the greater good of the group. They might get the job role or title they desire but can’t seem to achieve anything past that.

This is where soft skills come in.

so, what are soft skills?

Soft skills are unquantifiable. They have to do with attitudes, habits, and behaviors displayed in specific situations. These are personality traits, communication skills, and relationship-building skills.

When you nurture your soft skills by working with your colleagues to solve your company’s problems, your hard skills will also shine!

Picture this:

You are on a graphic design team working to come up with a brilliant new marketing campaign. Your team’s first draft is due in two days but you still have nothing to show! Yet, you have a great idea and have already spent some time working on it.

Rather than continuing to work on it yourself, you bring it up to your colleagues in your Slack chat. Everyone loves what you’ve created so far but you still need help to get to the end product in two days. You then delegate the finishing pieces to the rest of the team. Now the ball is in motion and you all are on track to a finished product to present for your first deadline.

In doing this, you show your design skills (hard skills) and your collaboration and project management skills (soft skills). When it is time to present in front of leadership, your colleagues will likely give you the credit you deserve.

why do soft skills matter?

We cannot ignore soft skills because they come up at all stages of career building. From the moment you write your resume to daily communication with people on the job, soft skills will matter!

You don’t want to be the person who can only speak about technical abilities when asked what they add to the office environment. You want to appear as a well-rounded candidate who can contribute to the company in a variety of ways!

When applying for jobs and internships, what helps you to stand out is your ability to be more than a cog in the machine. You want to show that you add value to the work environment!

soft skills are transferable

Soft skills will never be job-specific in the way that technical skills might be. If you switch from being a web designer to a business consultant, you might not need your artistic skills anymore but you will still need the ability to communicate!

In other words, your soft skills are transferable. They will move with you no matter where you decide to go. Regardless of how long you stay in your current position, you will be developing and strengthening traits that will benefit you for life.

This also gives you flexibility when applying to roles outside of your comfort zone. Even if you don’t meet every qualification on the list, a strong demonstration of soft skills will make you out to be a valuable asset to any team!

If you can do all these impressive things, there is no reason why you can’t learn on the job if needed! or, delegate or collaborate on tasks that aren’t in your area of expertise.

Soft skills show how well you will fit into a team

Understanding your leadership archetype, or the role you play within teams is going to be essential to your career success. This is because the archetype you fit into is a key indicator of your personality. Are you the coach figure who is an amazing motivator, pushing others on your team to work? Or you might be are the processor who is amazing at setting up systems and structures to get things done!

Being able to communicate this, especially while interviewing will clarify how you will fit into the current dynamic of the group. Your recruiter may realize that a “coach” figure is exactly what the team is lacking and they need a figure like you! Or, they may realize that someone who fits that archetype is already on the team and an extra figure is unnecessary.

You will either save yourself from entering a role that does not fit you or enter a role where you can thrive!

It’s a win-win

soft skills can help to show how proactive you are before you land the role

Do you find yourself to be a self-starter with a positive attitude? Share that! Recruiters are always looking for a motivated new hire. You don’t have to be shy about your soft skills or wait until you are actually on the job to show them. Give clear examples of your soft skills in your interviews and resume!

soft skills help you to expand your network

Your soft skills will be critical for building relationships in the workplace. Your ability to share knowledge with those around you will boost your reputation. By building these relationships, you will have more people who know you on a personal level and can vouch for your abilities.

You will become a point of connection or knowledge broker within your network. You can connect your peers with other people who have the expertise that they seek. This makes you look well connected and increases the trust that people have in your opinions.

I hope you see how important soft skills are. Relying on your technical ability alone strips you of your personality! You have such an expansive list of talents, don’t be afraid to show them off! Be sure to save this post to your professional development board on Pinterest so that you can reference it in the future!

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