We all have both hard and soft skills within us, which are a part of our personality and emotional make-up. The question is: how can we use them when we are looking for a job? How can we make them more marketable, or can we? First, we should define what they are.
Hard skills are specific and can be easily taught, such as being able to read or type a letter. They represent the minimum skills necessary to do a job and are the first screen employers use to weed out applicants who are obviously not qualified for the position at hand. Soft skills are more elusive and intangible. An example might be a bedside manner, a pleasant voice or a cooperative spirit. Leadership, creativity and the ability to teach and learn are all considered soft skills and they are really the meat of what an employer is looking for in a job applicant.
To prepare for an interview, a job seeker must realize the importance of presenting his or her soft skills to a potential employer. This requires a little homework as it will be necessary for the individual to first evaluate which soft skills would be most beneficial for the job in question. Go beyond the job description. Employers like to see that because such action implies you will go beyond that which is required of you, the extra mile, so to speak.
Basically, hard skills may land an interview but soft skills will land the job. Think about your resume. Does it include any of your soft skills? If it doesn’t, re-write it if there’s time. If there isn’t time, think about how can you fill in the gaps during an interview without coming across as a braggart. One technique is to illustrate skills by using an anecdote or personal example. Assume for a moment the question asked is: “Tell me the last time you demonstrated leadership.” Your answer could be: “Last year I filled in for someone who was absent and things ran smoothly.”
Think hard, but carry a soft stick, or something like that.
Good luck!
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