Soft skills are often overlooked yet are among the most sought-after skills in the workplace today.
While a college education may focus on hard skills – the specific knowledge needed to master a profession – soft skills remain a critical element of professional success. No matter what profession you choose, learning soft skills is essential.
Doris Saffron, vice provost at the University of Phoenix, touts soft skills as a critical part of the education process. Saffron noted in a recent interview that these skills are used every day in the workplace and shape how we build relationships and trust with others.
Unfortunately, Saffron said, too often there is an assumption that people enter a workplace with these skills already in place. In reality, more time must be spent developing skills related to listening, communicating, and managing conflict as part of the education process.
Whether it’s collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving or ethical practices, soft skills are something that companies want to see in their employees. Today, employers are adding to the list of traditional soft skills, seeking new hires who are also adept at skills such as cultural competency, creativity, and empathy.
The Difference Between Hard Skills and Soft Skills
Often, people refer to soft skills like people skills since they are frequently related to interactions with others. The list of soft skills is vast and can include aspects such as:
As vital as these are in the workplace, few higher education classes teach these soft skills. In practice, they should be embedded into their curricula similar to the approach at the University of Phoenix to give students practical knowledge that can help them excel.
Most college coursework focuses on hard skills. These are typically abilities or knowledge sets that can be learned after months or years of study and training. Hard skills include things like learning a foreign language, understanding computer systems, knowing a hard science like physics or chemistry, or learning how to manage projects.
Hard skills are practical abilities that can be applied to specific pathways to achieve success. They are often related to learning how to do a specific job. Hard skills are sometimes referred to as technical skills as they require learning specific, repeatable tasks.
Soft skills are more nuanced. They are less related to a specific job and are more like personal attributes. In addition, soft skills can be applied across multiple job functions. They do not easily show up on an aptitude test. Instead, they need to be demonstrated consistently.
For example, if a professional claim to be an expert in a computing language, then an employer could look at grades earned or issue a test that shows whether the job candidate really has the required skills. With soft skills, it is harder to prove or quantify one’s expertise. Demonstrating public speaking or strong writing abilities is difficult unless an employer offers the opportunity to give a presentation to a large group or draft a press release for a new product launch.
Nine Critical Soft Skills for Professionals
However, as critical as it can be to learn hard skills related to a specific field, it is just as important to learn soft skills that allow someone to be a successful member of a team.
Here are nine key soft skills to learn and master while in school and in the workforce.
The University of Phoenix builds soft skills into its curriculum, making them a core part of student learning goals. In fact, the University’s 2019 annual academic report showed that students mastered soft skills at a rate of nearly 80 percent. Soft skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving are an intrinsic part of a University of Phoenix education, reflecting educators’ understanding of the large role these skills play in today’s workplace.
About University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix supports adult education by offering flexible courses taught by practitioner faculty in a predominantly online platform. Founded in 1976, the University offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs as well as certificate programs in multiple disciplines. Learn more at the University of Phoenix website.
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