Hiring the right person isn’t just about finding someone who can perform the duties and tasks of the job. Hiring managers look beyond certifications, degrees, and technical skills and evaluating a candidate’s soft skills. While your credentials may get you the interview, soft skills will get you the job offer. Our career services and curriculum development teams partner to develop course content designed around the soft skills employers are hiring for in 2021.
What Are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are the interpersonal traits you need to thrive in the workplace. They include how you manage your work, how you solve problems, and how you interact with your colleagues. Since every job requires employees to engage with others in some way, recruiting managers always keep an eye peeled for applications with soft skills.
Here\’s a list of soft skills employers are hiring for in 2021. Develop these skills and emphasize them in your applications, cover letters, resumes, and job interviews.
The Soft Skills Employers are Hiring for in 2021
Communication
Communication is one of the leading soft skills employers are hiring for in 2021. Your employer expects you to have excellent written and verbal communication skills regardless of the position you are applying for. You need to be able to convey information clearly to colleagues, customers, clients, etc., in person, over the phone, or in writing.
Teamwork
Employers are always looking for applicants who can work well with others. Teamwork skills help you work effectively with others in a group. Examples of soft skills relating to teamwork include collaboration, cooperation, mediation, accepting feedback, and diversity awareness.
Adaptability
Adaptability gives you the ability to rapidly learn new skills and behaviors in response to changing circumstances. It\’s one of the essential soft skills to have in a fast-changing economic landscape. Some examples of soft skills related to adaptability are self-motivation, decision-making, open-mindedness, curiosity, and optimism.
Problem-Solving
While all soft skills are important, problem-solving is a must-have if you want to get the job. Effective problem solving relates to how you approach issues that crop up in the workplace and the steps you take to resolve them. You need to be able to understand the problem, think critically, and devise a solution.
Creativity
When it comes to hard skills vs soft skills, creativity falls under the latter category. Creativity helps you develop innovative solutions, and they don\’t teach that in the classroom. You need to be open to innovation and be mentally flexible to develop this soft skill. Imagination, inspiration, mind mapping, design, etc., are all soft skill examples of creativity.
Work Ethic
An employee with a strong work ethic is punctual, completes assigned tasks on time, and is highly organized. Candidates with a strong work ethic are in high demand. While it\’s one of the soft skills badges you can earn at SCI, work ethic is not easy to teach, and hiring managers will be impressed if you can demonstrate a strong work ethic in your application.
Interpersonal Skills
Many jobs require consistent, if not constant, interaction with other people. Interpersonal skills refer to the ability to facilitate interactions, receive feedback, and maintain healthy relationships in the office. Even if your profession seems to favor independent work styles and introverted personalities, you still need interpersonal skills to succeed in the workplace.
Time Management
Time management is another essential soft skill you need to get hired in 2021. This soft skill speaks to your ability to use time productively and efficiently. Time management is one of the SCI badges you can earn from our institution and master the art of organizing, planning, and dividing your time between specific events.
Leadership
Leadership refers to the ability to manage people and situations. Of course, not every position you apply for will be a leadership role. Nevertheless, employers want to know that applicants can step up and make decisions when push comes to shove. Skills related to leadership are the ability to delegate, decision making, deal-making, and conflict resolution.
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail refers to the ability to think through the details with a critical eye and minimize distractions to focus on what really matters. Professions such as accounting, pharmacology, and engineering require a high level of attention to detail. Skills related to attention to detail include introspection, acuity, and critical observation.
When you\’re ready to get the training for your future career, Southern Careers Institute offers 22 career-focused programs, and all of these have been developed for students to master the soft skills employers are hiring for in 2021. Learn more about them all right here.
