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Here’s Why Your Soft Skills Might Save Your Career (Career Resource No. 2)

November 1, 2021
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Think about why you are good at your job. Is it because you can analyse data faster than other people? Is it because you can prepare a nice presentation for this or that client? Or is it because you are good at negotiating and decision-making? When thinking about why we are good at what they do, we tend to consider our technical skills or other competencies that are necessary to fulfil work tasks. But there is an essential yet forgotten aspect of why we succeed in our work: soft skills. Did you know that your soft skills in particular may save your career? Here’s why.  

Soft Skills and the Future of Work 

With increased automaticity and AI incorporation in human jobs, the focus from soft skills has moved towards a focus on hard ones like high efficiency, speed and price. So now, everybody is talking about how AI will take over jobs because of its cost and efficiency advantages. If you are one of them, you might also fear the potential job overtake by automated algorithms.

“But did you ever wonder why you are a valuable employee in the first place?” 

I’ll let you in on a little secret: it is not because you can work fast on an Excel sheet. 
It might be because you are really good at communicating very complex information. Or maybe you are incredibly creative and come up with innovative solutions for your employer. No AI can take that away from you, because these skills are irreplaceable. They are what make us humans.  

Why do I need to work on my soft skills? 

Let’s start with the fact that 97% of employers in the UK confirmed that employees’ soft skills are important for the success of their business. That is huge! Yet employers acknowledge the lack of soft skills such as communication, teamwork, time-management, critical decision-making and stress resilience in many teams.  

Moreover, there is also news for students who are looking to enter the workforce: research suggests that soft skills play an essential role in increasing chances of employability. And if that is not enough reason, soft skills are special in that they are transferrable. This means, they will prove useful regardless of the job you will take, or the industry you work.  

What is your soft skill level? 

So, let’s get specific on how exactly you can find out how well your soft skills already are. No matter whether you are working or studying, here are two questions that you can reflect on: 

  • Do you possess various skills and competences that you could use across different occupations and organisations? 
  • Are these skills different to what is considered “expert knowledge” in your field (aka not what you can read and learn from textbooks)? 

Take your time to reflect on these questions and don’t get demotivated if you cannot come up with an answer straight away. Remember, this is a process that make take some time. 

How do I improve my soft skills? 

With all this in mind, improving soft skills really is top priority for (future) employees, isn’t it? Say no more: here are three ways to develop your soft skills: 

1. Get out of your comfort zone. 

Even though it sounds cliché, trying out new things, challenging yourself in new environments can help you develop your soft skills, because you are put in an uncomfortable situation that you have to deal with. So next time, go to that social event and talk to people. Or challenge yourself to wake up earlier and plan your day. Every little step outside your comfort zone is a big leap for your career’s success. 

2. Ask for feedback.

Feedback is essential when it comes to improving your soft skills. And the good part is that you can ask anyone around you to give you honest feedback: your partner, your friend, your manager or colleagues. Ask them about what they think makes you good at what you do. You might be surprised. We are usually blind to what comes naturally to us. With the help of feedback, you can realise what you are really good at and what you need to improve. 

3. Use the resources around you.  

Especially if you are a student, make sure to check out your university’s career services! Usually, you have a really high chance to find short courses or workshops on various career-relevant soft skills. For example, there might be courses on intercultural communication, efficient time management, or the use of body language in presentations. These are all highly relevant soft skills for any job – if you master them, doors will open! 

We hope you enjoyed the second article of our Career Resources Guide. Don’t forget to check out Resource No.1: Occupational Expertise.

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We know that sometimes, small actions of reflection like the ones we suggest in this article, quickly slip our mind and before we know it, we forget about them altogether. If you need an occasional reminder, follow us on our Instagram page and Facebook page – we use it as an interactive way to help each other implement the advice we suggest in our blog posts. And we love to hear about your experiences and thoughts!

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This post is based on the following sources and academic articles:

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