Skills are indispensable for any job, though skill requirements vary from job to job. Since the job market gets more competitive and volatile job seekers cannot remain static rather they need to upgrade their skill set to remain relevant in the market. In addition to hard skills, Soft skills are of vital importance for a job seeker as they allow a person to stand out from a crowd. Job seekers need to continuously examine and review their skill set and work the extra mile for skill development by not only upgrading the present skills but also by unlearning old/outdated skills, and re-learning some new skills in tandem with the requirements of the job market. The present job market scenario demands that job seekers cannot rely only on hard skills but in addition to acquiring the hard skills priority should also be given to the learning of soft skills that matter more in the present job market. The current job market is quite different and offers unique challenges for job seekers. In order to be a deserving job aspirant top 5 soft skills elaborated in the following lines if learned properly will prove to be the game changer for an aspirant. The list of skills cannot be claimed to be exhaustive but it also cannot be denied that these soft skills have relevance all the time for all jobs irrespective of their nature so they need to be learned to place oneself in a better position.
1. Communication Skills: It is the ability to communicate clearly & effectively with others. Communication skills are among recruiters’ favourites, no matter the industry & nature of the Job. In the digital age, communication skills are even more important. Job aspirants today should learn how to effectively exchange information through email, Zoom meetings, and social media platforms as well as in person if they want to keep up with the shifting work dynamics. In order to leave an impact on recruiters a job seeker must work on his communication skills.
2. Inter-Personal Skills: These are the skills we use every day when we interact and deal with other people, both individually and in groups. Interpersonal skills include the ability of person to collaborate, Negotiate, Mediate, and professionally resolve conflicts. Persons with strong interpersonal skills tend to work well with other people. Job seekers must be familiar with the fact that good interpersonal skills are the foundation for good working and social relationships. It is therefore; worth mentioning that the time, energy & effort spent on developing good interpersonal skills will in no way be a waste.
3. Problem-Solving Skill: During the process of work problems of varied nature arise that need to be addressed & solved tactfully. Therefore, employers prefer people who can identify and resolve issues that may arise at work. The solutions to the problems need to be such that they are not only cost-effective but also face no or least resistance from the people in the organization.
Last but not least in a formal education system you are learning hard skills but not soft skills try to work on the soft skills, learn them, update them, and remain relevant in the job market and always remember up-skilling and re-skilling are the mantra for growth.
4. Time Management Skill: Time management is the most important skill for people who aim to be successful in life. It is the ability to make use of your time productively & efficiently. It is the art of having time for everything that you need to do. It is simply deriving maximum from your available time by prioritizing tasks and managing your time effectively. Job seekers must work on this skill to learn the art of avoiding distractions that consume their maximum time without any productivity.
5. Critical Thinking Skill: Critical thinking means thinking about things in a certain way to arrive at the best possible solution in the given circumstances. Critical Thinking skill helps you to think differently. It involves Analysing and evaluating information to make informed decisions. The essence of critical thinking requires you to use your ability to reason. It aims you to be an active learner rather than a passive recipient of information. Critical thinking will provide an edge to the job seeker over his competitors in the job market.
Time demands that a job seeker must go for self-introspection by making a SWOT analysis to identify one’s strengths, and Weaknesses and must have a clear understanding of the opportunities offered and challenges posed by the current job market so that a job seeker will be in a position to identify the skills he needs to learn or improve upon and will be able to bridge the gap between what you have? & what job market wants you to have? Last but not least in a formal education system you are learning hard skills but not soft skills try to work on the soft skills, learn them, update them, and remain relevant in the job market and always remember up-skilling and re-skilling are the mantra for growth.
(The author is a freelancer. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the authors and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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