What Are Soft Skills?

Definition, Importance, and Examples

What Are Soft Skills?

Soft skills are character traits and interpersonal skills that characterize a person’s relationships with
other people. In the workplace, soft skills are considered to be a complement to hard skills, which
refer to a person’s knowledge and occupational skills.1 Sociologists may use the term “soft skills” to
describe a person’s emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) as opposed to intelligence quotient (IQ).

Soft skills have more to do with who people are than what they know. As such, they encompass the
character traits that decide how well one interacts with others and usually are a definite part of an
individual’s personality. In a competitive labor market, employees who demonstrate that they have a
good combination of hard and soft skills often see a greater demand for their services.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

 Soft skills include attributes and personality traits that help employees interact with others
and succeed in the workplace.

 Examples of soft skills include the ability to communicate with prospective clients, mentor
your co-workers, lead a team, negotiate a contract, follow instructions, and get a job done on
time.

 Hard skills are measurable and usually obtained through formal education and training
programs.

 Workers with good soft skills can help companies achieve higher levels of efficiency and
productivity.

 In contrast to hard skills, soft skills are more difficult to acquire through training.

Understanding Soft Skills

Employers look for a balance of hard skills and soft skills when making
hiring decisions. For example, employers value skilled workers with a track
record of getting jobs done on time. Employers also value workers with
strong communication skills and a strong understanding of company
products and services. When communicating with prospective clients,
workers with soft skills can put together compelling presentations even if
their specific job is not in sales or marketing. Another valued soft skill is the
ability to coach fellow co-workers on new tasks.

Company leaders often are most effective when they have strong soft
skills. For example, leaders are expected to have good speaking abilities,
but great leaders are also good at listening to workers and to other leaders
in their fields.

Negotiation is a big part of the job for many company leaders. When
negotiating with employees, clients, or associates, leaders need to be
skilled in staying considerate of what others want while remaining focused
on pushing for what they want. Good leaders also need to know how to
make their own work most efficient by strategically delegating tasks to
workers.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Workers acquire hard skills through formal education, training programs, and concentrated effort.
Hard skills are the quantifiable skills that workers need to have to successfully perform a specific job.
Employers often test or evaluate a candidate’s hard skills before hiring. Examples of hard skills
include computer programming, writing, web development, and graphic design. Some hard skills are
more in demand than others, and employers may need to hire recruitment agencies
or headhunters to fill jobs that require high-level skills.

Hard skills can be learned and perfected over time, but soft skills are more difficult to acquire and
change. The soft skills required for a doctor, for example, would be empathy, understanding, active
listening, and a good bedside manner.

Alternatively, the hard skills necessary for a doctor would include a vast comprehension of illnesses,
the ability to interpret test results and symptoms, and a thorough understanding of anatomy and
physiology.

Valuable Soft Skills for Employees

Soft skills benefit businesses when they are practiced on a company-wide basis. For example, a
collaborative spirit among workers is important. Team members who are able to work well with
people of different generations and backgrounds are generally more productive and better able to
focus on common priorities. Efficiency and output improve when workers collaborate by sharing
knowledge and tools to get jobs done. The ability to learn new methods and technologies is also a
desired soft skill for all workers.

Companies that value learning as a soft skill recognize various learning styles and encourage workers
to pursue the methods that work best for them. Good troubleshooting is a soft skill that also is
valuable to companies. For example, companies can operate more efficiently and increase
productivity when all workers know how to troubleshoot software problems instead of relying on the
information technology (IT) department for every fix.

Soft skills can also be thought of as people skills. These can include good communication and
interpersonal skills, leadership, problem solving, your work ethic, time management, and teamwork.
These are characteristics that can be carried over to any position.

What is the difference between a soft skill and a hard skill?

Hard skills are the measurable skills acquired through training, education, and practice. They are the
abilities needed to perform a specific task or job. Soft skills are behavioral and interpersonal skills
that relate to how effectively people interact with others and handle situations.

Why are soft skills important?

How well you interact and treat others is crucial for career success. Trust develops through positive
interactions and relationships, and productivity increases in environments where soft skills flourish.

How do I improve soft skills?

Although not customarily acquired through formal training, soft skills can be learned. To improve soft
skills, the person must be open to feedback and make decisions to change behaviors. Training can
provide tips and strategies for developing better practices, such as active listening and empathizing
with others. And practicing can strengthen areas where deficiencies exist.

What is soft skills training?

Soft skills training is training to help develop or improve interpersonal skills. It consists of lessons to
improve communication, increase active listening, resolve conflicts, and more.