Why Soft Skills Are More Important Than Technical Skills

Our personal mantra might be "just let me live," but our professional mantra is "soft skills are everything." So what are soft skills? Why are they important? Which ones are the most important? Plus, we're talking about Kaitlyn Bristowe's new podcast and answering our weekly "Dear HBIC."

Real Talk: Why Soft Skills Are More Important Than Technical Skills

• What are soft skills?

The top ten most popular soft skills companies say they look for when hiring include:

1) Candidate has a strong work ethic – 73 percent

2) Candidate is dependable – 73 percent

3) Candidate has a positive attitude – 72 percent

4) Candidate is self-motivated – 66 percent

5) Candidate is team-oriented – 60 percent

6) Candidate is organized, can manage multiple priorities – 57 percent

7) Candidate works well under pressure – 57 percent

8) Candidate is an effective communicator – 56 percent

9) Candidate is flexible – 51 percent

10) Candidate is confident – 46 percent

http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?sd=4/10/2014&id=pr817&ed=12/31/2014

• Why are they important?
  • Research conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation and Stanford Research Center concluded that 85% of job success comes from having well‐developed soft and people skills, and only 15% of job success comes from technical skills and knowledge (hard skills). http://www.nationalsoftskills.org/the-soft-skills-disconnect/
• Why do we think Soft Skills are #1?
  • You can teach hard skills. It’s really difficult to teach soft skills.
  • I’d much rather work with someone who has no experience and wants to learn as opposed to someone who’s good at their job but hard to work with.
• Hard Skills still matter -- that’s how you get your foot in the door.
  • Almost 40% of HR pros only pass along the resumes of the candidates that have the technical skills to do the job. https://about.beyond.com/Content/Resources/files/Media/pdfs/HardskillsVsSoftskills.pdf

Dear HBIC

• So, I am in a position in which I hire college students to work PT in an office setting as a marketing assistant. The number of candidates who want a customized schedule and already come to the interview with a laundry list of days off (that they NEED to have) is baffling to me. I know I probably sound like an old 'boomer' but within your first 60 days, you shouldn’t need 17 days off for vacation. Am I being unreasonable?

Would You Rather…

• Never drink in front of your coworkers or always be the one who gets a little (way) too drunk
• Be filthy rich and live 200 years ago or be poor but live today?

What We’re Loving This Week

• Elise: Kaitlyn Bristowe’s podcast, Off the Vine
• Meleah: Traditional Medicinals “Throat Coat” tea. It’s kind of gross, but it’s great when I’m feeling under the weather.

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