By Buddy Hall,SWCDC Workforce Development Manager
In this article we are focusing on soft skills as it relates to becoming employable. Soft skills focus on who people are, as opposed to what they are trained in. Soft skills are gained through life experience in some cases, as well as through work experience. When creating your resume, you want to be sure that you highlight your soft skills as a strength, as they are interchangeable and serve as a transferrable skill set that should stand out from others. Many people may identify with the same skill set that can serve as a soft skill, but what separates you from them, is your ability to display your identical soft skills as unique. Your work ethic, your attitude, your communication skills, your emotional intelligence and a whole host of other personal attributes are the soft skills that are critical for success in any job or career you choose. Soft skills often indicate your ability to work with othersand grow within a company. Soft skills also help you build relationships and solve problems as you continue to perfect the hard skills that you are gaining through the work experience at your job. Reviewing your soft skills and ensuring that you are on point with what you’d like to share prior to an interview should serve well as a means of preparation. When highlighting your soft skills in an interview, it should be as seamless as having any other conversation about something you’re familiar with. No one knows you better than you and the skill set you possess and look to improve on. In 2017, Deloitte (a workplace performance company started through Deakin University) reported that “soft skill-intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030” and that hiring employees with more soft skills could increase revenue by more than $90,000. Focusing on what your soft skills are will serve as more than beneficial. It will eventually lead to you having more earning power as you identify and fine tune them.
