Top 10 most demanded soft skills: What are they & why are they important

Top 10 most demanded soft skills: What are they & why are they important

 

In this article, we'll take a look at the top 10 demanded soft skills: what are they & why are they important in order to help you in your job search! 

 

1.    What are soft skills?

We all know the struggle of finding a job and we hate to break it to you but it isn´t going to get easier. The competition out there is fierce, which is why we want to prepare you for each step along the way, starting with soft skills: what are they & why are they important and why recruiters value them now more than ever.

2.    Why are soft skills important 

While your practical and technical skills will help you in your day-to-day tasks, your soft skills are what will contribute to the overall working environment that you have a hand in creating, which will in the long run define your reputation, harmony and relationship with your co-workers. REMEMBER! If you're reading this I know there is a good chance you're thinking of moving abroad, so take a look at CV Advice: European Resume VS UK Resume.

3.    Soft skills: examples 

Strong Work Ethic:

Do you take initiative, are you reliable and punctual? Make sure you stress that enough in your next job interview, managers appreciate employees who come in early and stay late, even if it’s only for 5 minutes, it gives them a good impression of you, staying until the job is done and not darting out the door at the earliest opportunity! 

Adaptability: 

In today’s fast-moving technological era and rapidly evolving business environment, the ability to pick up new skills and follow trends is a highly demanded ability, so make sure you do your industry research people! 

Computer and Technical Literacy:

Almost all jobs nowadays require basic competency in computer software, but many job seekers fail to provide this section because they think it’s implied. If computer skills are relevant to your field, inserting a technical skills section to your resume might actually be the game changer you needed and if you don´t feel as confident, why not take an online course? 

Emotional Intelligence:

Chances are you would not see this as a requirement on the job description, so consider it inside info. EI is a highly sought-after skill that relates to your ability to identify and manage not just your emotions, but those of others. So next time you see a colleague having a bit of a rough day, try putting a smile on his/ her face.

Critical Thinking: 

Using your imagination, reasoning, past experience and implementing it all to optimize your job performance is a true art and will help you in the long run. Try highlighting this in an interview, by giving an example of a sticky situation at work, you managed to handle! 

Friendly Personality: 

Let´s face it, everyone has a bit of a rough day sometimes, but your colleagues don´t really need to see you storming in the office, because you had a fight with your boyfriend or your dog ate all the new furniture you just bought from IKEA. People like positive, optimistic people, who are easy going and fun to be around, regardless of a situation. Do other people tend to come away feeling good after working with you? How can you tell?

Creativity: 

A bit underestimated, but creativity goes a long way when implemented correctly. What image can transmit the message you want to send across? You need to envision it, to portray it first. The most influential and viral marketing campaigns you´ve seen? A combination of hard work, resources and a loooot of creativity.

Punctuality:

When was the last time you saw your boss super excited about that colleague that´s always 10 min late for a meeting and comes in out of breath, with a coffee in his hand and a half-chewed sandwich, apologizing 10 times while he interrupts the brainstorm session your team is having? Well, yeah that never happened. Punctuality shows manners, discipline and reliability, this one goes for your personal life too.. just saying. There are a few prerequisites like the ones we've mentioned: punctuality, being friendly etc but be sure to look at the 7 Things Recruiters Want To See On Your CV.

Teamwork Skills: 

Probably one of the most important soft skills. Most jobs you will take on, would require working in a team, the bigger the company, the larger the team, which can sometime mean cultural and mindset differences, you should know how to handle and react to, know when to stay neutral and how to bring a positive attitude to motivate the people you are working with. 

Process Improvement Expertise:

Remember when you were writing this cover letter for your last job application, promising you would be an asset to any company you enter. 

Well this is your chance to do it. Doing your daily tasks is one part of the spectrum, but in order to contribute to the business you would really have to make an effort to get to know the business´s strengths and weaknesses and strive to optimise it and make it work for you the best way by quantifying results in your resume by listing the before and after facts of projects that you took on.

Be sure to look at 9 Common Mistakes You Are Making In Job Interviews to continue improving your interview performance and give yourself the best chance of getting a great new job!

Are you looking for a new job? Signup to the 30 Day Challenge and we´ll help you find a job in 30 days but also... you´ll be in with a chance of winning a two week trip to either France, Germany or the UK courtesy of our partner for the event, ESL. So what are you waiting for? Signup!

Recommended Articles

Do you know how to train your employees? Are you aware of the benefits of employee training? If not, it is crucial to close that gap.

Apr 4, 2023 by
Lucyna

Frequent moving comes with the difficulty of having to find a new temporary home every time. Check out our 5 practical tips to find perfect digital nomad accommodation!

Feb 20, 2024 by
Guest Blogger