When job searching and planning for your career advancement, two sets of skills enter the scene: hard skills and soft skills. But which between the two is more important? The fact of the matter is, both of them are just as important nowadays, too, and having the ability to make and utilize them can be your key to success in your own profession.
What Are Hard Skills?
Hard skills are technical, instructional skills you learn through education, training, and experience. They can be measured and are work or industry-specific. Some examples include:
- Software proficiency (Excel, Python, QuickBooks, etc.)
- Data analysis and project management
- Graphic design or video editing
- Foreign language proficiency
- Operating machines or equipment
These are usually the first requirement of employers since they show your capability to perform certain activities in the workplace. They can just be stated in a resume and verified using tests, certification, or experience.
What Are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are individual attributes and social skills which determine how you interact with people and solve issues in the workplace. They include:
- Communication and teamwork
- Leadership and problem-solving
- Adaptability and emotional intelligence
- Time management and organization
- Creativity and innovation
Soft skills are more difficult to quantify but no less important—possibly more so. They determine how well you get along with others, manage, and work your way around obstacles in the workplace.
Why You Need Both
- Hard skills might get you in the door, but soft skills will get you growing and going. Here’s why they are hand in hand:
- A high-coding ability (hard skill) but low team ability (soft skill) programmer might not work well when working in a team setup.
- An excellent salesperson with high communication and persuasion (soft skills) but minimal CRM tools experience (hard skill) might not be able to track leads.
- A high-leadership ability (soft skill) but low finance knowledge (hard skill) leader might work poorly at forecasting and budgeting.
- Employers in the modern era require a combination of hard skills to ascertain competence and soft skills to foster a healthy, productive workplace.
How to Acquire Both
Acquiring Hard Skills:
✔ Enroll in online courses or certifications
✔ Gain hands-on experience by doing projects or internships
✔ Keep up with industry innovation and emergent technologies
Acquiring Soft Skills:
✔ Practice good communication and listening
✔ Get advice or mentoring to acquire leadership skills
✔ Develop emotional intelligence by coping with stress and negative response to criticism
So what’s more important. Hard skills or soft skills? The answer is both! Technical skills get you the job, but developing interpersonal skills makes you career fit.