Soft skills are increasingly valued by companies, to the detriment of hard skills. Indeed, social skills determine the way employees work and what they can bring to your teams. Many tests have been designed to detect them during interviews. Discover the 10 Top Soft Skills Employers Value, those that make a candidate the rare pearl!
Hard skills VS soft skills
These two terms, derived from English, refer to “skills”.
💡 The former represent “hard” skills. They are purely technical. Also, thet are the candidate’s know-how. They are acquired during training and a professional career. Without them, some trades are impossible to practice.
👉 They are, for example, know-how in UX design, mastery of a foreign language, expertise in surgery or mastery of plumbing…
💡 The second ones, on the other hand, represent the “soft” skills. They correspond to the human, relational and emotional qualities of an individual. They are developed over a lifetime and through personal experiences. We can also add that they go hand in hand with technical skills.
👉 These are, for example, character traits such as empathy, caring, curiosity and team spirit. These can be of great value within a group or in an individual’s job.
Top Soft Skills Employers Value
LinkedIn, Adzuna and Todo Skills, among others, have tried to draw up a non-exhaustive list of the soft skills most valued by recruiters. Of course, this list varies according to the country, the profession or the field of expertise. However, certain “soft skills” are at the top of the list and dethrone the hard skills.
1- Creativity
Creativity is a human skill. It is essential for many companies seeking to remain competitive and innovative in their field. Indeed, in a world where everything is increasingly automated by robots, creativity is useful in any business.
2- The power of persuasion
Knowing how to convince is an undeniable asset in the business world. This ability to communicate ideas effectively or to persuade prospects is indispensable for certain professions.
3- Team spirit
What makes a company valuable is the ability of its employees to work as a team. Everyone must contribute to the building of the company to strengthen cohesion. After all, each employee depends on his or her colleagues to get ahead in their tasks. Being a team player requires a sense of listening, communication and respect for others. It also shows openness and emotional intelligence.
4- Adaptability
Adaptability is even more important since the Covid-19 health crisis. Employees have had to learn to work differently. From a distance, for example. And in the near future, everyone’s tasks will change. In short, the ability to adapt is a necessary quality to cope with change and the unexpected. This often indicates a curious personality that is capable of leaving its comfort zone.
5- Emotional intelligence
For a long time synonymous with weakness, emotional intelligence has made its way to 5th place in most of the most valued soft skills rankings. Indeed, the ability to recognise, understand and control one’s own emotions (or those of others) enables one to communicate with others in a fair, precise and clear manner. In addition, emotional intelligence also takes into account the ability to adapt to the emotions of others.
6- Stress management
While regular stress can demotivate, depress or undermine our self-confidence, occasional stress can be positive. It can generate energy and develop creativity. However, some jobs are not immune to daily stress. It is therefore important to know how to control it or, at best, channel it.
7- Communication
This is without doubt one of the most important social skills. Knowing how to communicate allows you to express your ideas clearly, as project managers do, or to wrap up ideas, as salespeople do. Good communicators are also often good at active and attentive listening.
8- Problem solving
An employee who can identify a problem, see its complexity and solve it is a real asset. This means that this person can demonstrate a strong sense of analysis and has the ability to find solutions to a difficult situation.
9- Work ethic
Combined with integrity, this behavioural skill can make a difference in a team. People who go the extra mile to succeed, arrive on time, complete their tasks on time, and show rigour and respect are highly valued. They are reliable, rigorous and attentive employees.
10- Team management
This essential skill for managers proves that they are capable of guiding their employees, communicating clearly and uniting a group. As the saying goes, “Alone we go faster. Together, we go further”, leadership is a quality that cannot be separated from management.
Some soft skills are innate, while others are acquired with time and experience. Do not hesitate to ask your candidates questions or use personality tests to try to discover their hidden personal skills and their assets for your company.
