The Competitive Edge: How Soft Skills Can Set You Apart in Your Career
Technical skills are what gets you the interview, soft skills are what gets you the job.
In the current job market, with hundreds of people applying to a single job posting, it is not enough to only count on your ability to code, build, design, or analyze to get you the job. Today, your competitive advantage as a candidate is not only reliant on these skills but all the soft skills needed to bolster these abilities.
Technical or “hard” skills are usually prioritized in the job search and hiring process when determining overall fit as they are an essential requirement to be successful in any role. However, they often overshadow other competencies and abilities such as soft skills or transferable skills despite their invaluable impact. Commonly, people have been told to focus on increasing their proficiencies with tools and technologies in order to excel in their career. This has led to people adopting tunnel vision when pursuing professional growth and advancement, often disregarding other areas that also require their attention and improvement.
Communication, adaptability, team work, and critical thinking are all examples of skills that help support a person’s technical capabilities and allow them to execute and excel professionally both individually and as part of a team. It is not enough to have one without the other if you are looking to succeed long term in your career.
Don’t let all the hard work you have done working on your technical capabilities go to waste. Here are a few ways in which you can work to strengthen and broaden your skill set with soft skills:
Network: Participate in events, volunteering, or clubs in order to meet new people and expand your network with people of varying interests and perspectives.
Learn: There are many online courses, books, and podcasts focused on self improvement in areas including communication, team work, and critical thinking.
Try new things: Stepping outside of your comfort zone allows you to gain new perspectives and build confidence.
Be open to feedback: Your peers, mentors, or supervisors are great resources to utilize when wanting to understand areas for improvement, especially with soft skills.
Soft skills are not secondary—they are essential. So take the initiative to grow in these areas, and you’ll position yourself as a well-rounded candidate. By actively developing your soft skills alongside your technical abilities, you’ll not only enhance your technical presence but also increase your long-term potential for success.
