The Collins English Dictionary defines the term “soft skills” as “desirable qualities for certain forms of employment that do not depend on acquired knowledge: they include common sense, the ability to deal with people, and a positive flexible attitude.” The 21st century workplace requires “soft skills” as a prerequisite in youths, seeking for jobs.
This is shown in the research from the Society for Human Resource Management that employers actually care more about soft skills. Soft Skills are skills that are vital in a job search and career choices because they most importantly help you be the best at what you do.
Organizations expect employees to know and understand the importance of being on time, taking initiative, being friendly, and producing high quality work. These are a few of what makes a pack of soft skills.
Consider a scenario where your company is facing a potential crash and you must reduce your staff. Would you choose to lay off the customer care representative who is composed, pleasant, punctual, and proficient in communication, or the one who is rude, consistently late, prone to procrastination, and lacks communication skills? In such a circumstance, the importance of soft skills becomes evident.
Here are the essential soft skills necessary for preparing youths for the workforce.
Communication
Every organization finds both written and verbal communication skills as important because they matter a lot to how people see the company. Employers universally value strong communication skills in candidates because they understand the significant impact it has on employee performance. Effective communication facilitates the interpretation of messages at various levels and fosters the delivery of outstanding results. These skills enable workers to understand and convey the “who, how, why, where, what, and when” of any project, while also enhancing interpersonal relationships with colleagues.
Teamwork
Teamwork is a vital soft skill that every organization requires. A company cannot depend on one individual to perform all the duties. Huge success is achieved most times when co-workers with their varied talents work towards to achieve a goal. Employers love to hire team players in order to build a friendly office culture and uproot talents. Teamwork helps co-workers collaborate and utilize their strength. You gain this skill by always lending help and working with teams to start and finish projects.
Problem Solving
No employer likes to hire an employee who will only complain and not take action when a problem in the organization arise. Companies rely on problem solvers to take up challenges and provide solutions. You’re indispensable to an employer if you’re a problem solver. You can gain this skill by always providing solutions to problems rather than complain and watch it expand.
Leadership
Leadership skills is key. Employers are always looking for employees with leadership potentials because they build up the company as though it is theirs by taking up responsibilities. They address every issue with confidence, having a clear vision of the company’s goal in mind. One way to gain this skills is to learn how to manage people, take more responsibility and motivate.
Adaptability/Flexibility
This is a valuable skill in the workplace because workers may need to adapt to industry shifts and keep the company updated. Employees who can adapt to any situation are dependable no matter what’s thrown at them.
Creative thinking
Employers are interested in hiring workers who drive innovation and increase efficiency. They are able to come up with unique solutions.
Planning and Organizing
Planning and effectively implementing projects and general work tasks for yourself and others is a highly effective soft skill to have in the world of work. No employer is interested in a scattered employee with no organized structure for work. To gain this skill, always plan and organize your tasks. A to-do list can help.
