Soft and Hard Skills

Soft skills is a term often associated with a person's "EQ" (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills complement hard skills which are the occupational requirements of a job and many other activities. They are related to feelings, emotions, insights and (some would say) an 'inner knowing': i.e. they provide an important complement to 'hard skills' and IQ.

A person's soft skill EQ is an important part of their individual contribution to the success of an organization. Particularly those organizations dealing with customers face-to-face are generally more successful, if they train their staff to use these skills. Screening or training for personal habits or traits such as dependability and conscientiousness can yield significant return on investment for an organization. For this reason, soft skills are increasingly sought out by employers in addition to standard qualifications.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that are based in fact. Some

examples include:

Speaking a foreign language

Typing speed

A degree or a certificate

Proficiency in computer programming

experience

Operating machinery

Public speaking experience (not to be confused with communication

skills)

Soft Skills

Soft skills are subjective and may or may not be true. They are often

associated with personal attributes and character. Some examples include:

Motivated team player

Strong communication skills

Time management

Organizational skills

responsible, committed

During the job application and interview process, employers look for applicants with two skill sets: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are teachable abilities or skill sets that are easy to quantify. Examples of hard skills include:

Proficiency in a foreign language

A degree or certificate

Typing speed

Machine operation

Computer programmingThese hard skills are often listed in your cover letter and on your resume, and are easy for an employer or recruiter to recognize.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are subjective skills that are much harder to quantify. Also known as "people skills" or "interpersonal skills," soft skills relate to the way you relate to and interact with other people. Examples of soft skills include:

Teamwork

Communication

Flexibility

Patience

Time management

Motivation

Soft skills are personal attributes that describe an individual's ability to interact with others. Soft skills, also known as people skills, complement hard skills to enhance an individual's relationships, job performance and career prospects. It's often said that hard skills will get you an interview but you need soft skills to get -- and keep -- the job.

Unlike hard skills, which comprise a person's technical skill set and ability to perform certain functional tasks, soft skills are interpersonal and broadly applicable across job titles and industries. Many soft skills are tied to an individuals' personalities rather than any formal training, and are thus considered more difficult to develop than hard skills.

Soft skills are often described in terms of personality traits, such as optimism, integrity and a sense of humor. These skills are also defined by abilities that can be practiced, such as leadership, empathy, communication and sociability.

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