Soft skills are more important than hard skills. There, I said it. Showing your future employer who you are, what you value, and why your personal qualities matter is more important than the experience you have. If you’re trying to move up in your current company, or are looking to branch out into other industries, knowing what soft skills are and then brushing up on them will be key. In this blog, we’ll break down what they are, how you know which ones you have, and how to add to your list to improve your job prospects…
What are examples of soft skills in job search?
Soft skills are like your personal attributes – the qualities that make you who you are.
Many of us may share similar soft skills, such as being well organised or having a strong work ethic. But what sets us apart is how we craft these into impactful, meaningful statements of worth.
It’s important that you outline them on your resume for a couple of reasons…
- So your future employer can evaluate whether you’d be the right fit for the company
- They demonstrate how you handle varying people and situations
- They show others the way you view yourself
How do I know what soft skills I have?
This is a tricky question to answer because we’re all so different.
But your soft skills are essentially the elements of you that make you different from everyone else.
So, for me? Some of my soft skills might include…
- Ability to be accepting and understanding of others from diverse backgrounds
- Strong empathetic skills
- A resilient work ethic
It can actually be really hard to figure these out for yourself (that’s where we come in!) because most of us are pretty shy when it comes to tooting our own horns! And that’s really what you have to do when you’re writing out your own soft skills!
You have to be really clear on why you’re the best pick for this role.
Why you’re going to be a positive match with their work culture.
Why you want to make a difference.
What are some soft skills examples?
In no particular order, here are some examples of basic soft skills…
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Excellent time management
- Ability to work well under pressure
Now the thing is, writing them out in simple terms like this may not be enough to get you seen.
You don’t want to blend in with the crowd.
At KLCC, we’ve been working through career histories and identifying unique skillset for years now. We know what works, and we know when to cut the fluff.
So, how can you build on your soft skills if you feel your resume is lacking?
Well, while we all have our own unique set of soft skills, identifying them and putting them into words can be tricky (and often times left to the professionals!). And even then, you may feel as though your resume won’t stack up against some of the other, potentially more experienced, applicants.
To brush up on your soft skills, you’re going to have to put yourself out there.
Whether you’re still in a role where you have a little space to grow, or have just started a new position and are hoping to show your worth… here are 3 little ideas that may be helpful:
- Contribute more to staff meetings and briefings. This will boost your public speaking confidence and demonstrate your skills in innovation and creativity.
- Ask to see how an efficient colleague schedules and prioritises their tasks. If you are lacking a little in the department of organisation and multitasking, taking a peek into how someone else does it may give you some more ideas.
- Nominate yourself to take on a time-sensitive project. Not only will those show your willingness to learn and take on challenges, but it will also demonstrate your ability to work under pressure and effectively manage your time.
How can KLCC help?
As I said, identifying your own personal soft skills can be a pretty daunting task. Especially for those among us who are modest and humble.
At KLCC, and particularly when you take advantage of our one-on-one coaching, we dig deep into what makes you tick and what makes you different from every other resume in the pile.
We are experts at overhauling your resume and giving you back the confidence to apply for the roles you deserve!
What we don’t do is personality tests and cookie-cutter job matching. Definitely none of that… KLCC is not a recruitment agency and we are not here to tell you what you should do with your life.
But we are here to guide you, prepare you, and show you that we believe in you.
Don’t wait for the right opportunity. Create it.
Book in for a free 20-minute career strategy session with one of our consultants, so you can start taking action today!
