The Importance Of Soft Skills In The Workplace

Some people may wonder, “What is soft skill? Or what in the world is a hard skill?” Therefore, the next question would lead to wondering the difference between the two. How many jobs require soft skills? To answer those questions, a vast majority of jobs desire an employee with soft skills over those who possess hard skills. Dan Schawbel (2013) stated, “Until very recently, Hard Skills were the only things that companies looked for when hiring and promoting their employees. However, now that multiple studies have shown the importance of soft skills on job performance and the bottom line, recruiters and HR have jumped on the soft skill bandwagon, demanding that candidates encompass both”. Certainly, numerous businesses came to realization the importance of soft skills; they can progress farther in the market and against competition. Soft skills are highly valued over …show more content…
The standards remain the same no matter what company, situation, or coworkers you tasked for performance. There is a set guideline to follow in regards to hard skills whereas a person can learn in school and from books. Once that person meets the requirements, they proceed to the next level. In other words, there is a one-way path in understanding and reasoning. In contrast, soft skills have multiple paths and are not something someone can teach unlike hard skills. A good example is from what Todd Smith (2011) quoted, “The great thing about building your soft skills is that you can acquire them on your own. Regardless of your background, gender or education, developing your soft skills will make you stand out from the crowd in whatever you choose to do. To advance your life personally or professionally, you must put an emphasis on developing your soft skills”. In short, trial and error is how people learn soft skills. This is what makes the employee exceptional and innovative, which would certainly stack above the standard operation