It's no secret that employers covet job seekers who have both the hard and soft skills needed to do the job and succeed in today's workplace - whether that is on-site or remote.
In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has made soft skills such as flexibility, resilience, and emotional intelligence an even more important component of today's workplace - especially for those working remotely during the pandemic.
What other soft skills will help you secure a job in 2021? The website Zety, a career toolbox for job seekers, asked over 200 U.S. recruiters and hiring managers for their opinion on the topic. The results are in:
Soft skills matter more! A full 61% of the respondents consider them of paramount importance over hard skills
Teamwork and communication are the most sought-after soft skills, while they are most often missing from candidates’ resumes.
The 3 top hard skills of 2021 are analytical thinking, computer and advanced IT skills —the modern workplace is highly data and tech-driven.
As many as 83.5% of the recruiters say the skills section on a resume plays a critical role during a candidate’s evaluation.
For other findings, full lists of skills wanted in 2021, and invaluable advice on how to prepare for a job interview in 2021, check out the full study.
Analysis
The reality is, employers want to hire someone they like, that fits in with the team and can get the job done. In many cases, the most experienced or skilled applicant doesn't always get the job. Why is that? Because employers would rather have a team player that fits in with the department (personality, company culture), than someone who is great at their job but difficult to work with. They will often hire and then train in the right fit because they know they are a team player and will put the department/company needs first. Now, it's not easy to find out if a job seeker is a team player or hard to work with in an interview. But there are ways to showcase soft skills on a resume that can bring up discussion around the topic in an interview, allowing job seekers the chance to expand on the matter. That's why referrals are also valuable - employers hire people their employees recommend. That being said, it's not possible to have a referral for every job and employers know that.
The bottom line?
It's important to be good at your job and have the right skills. But to stand out to the employer and make an impression in an interview, showcase examples of the key soft skills - communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence among them - to really get ahead.
One of the most overlooked soft skills today's employers look for is emotional intelligence. The ability to control emotions - think twice before sending that email you will regret as soon as you hit send - and recognize potential areas of conflict (someone is upset their project isn't done yet even though the deadline is two days away, a co-worker over reacts to a change in a project plan), and can steer away from conflict making it an "issue" are valued in the workplace. Those who can think before they do are coveted.
These are some of the other top soft skills employers look for according to Zety:
Showcasing soft skills and examples of how you incorporated soft skills into your daily work routine on your resume and an interview can help job seekers stand out. Doing that can be just as important as success stories and achievements - especially in today's workplace.
Soft skills are important and we showcased some of the key soft skills employers are looking for in 2021. Struggling to incorporate them on your resume? Resume writer Matt Krumrie can help create a resume that showcases successes, achievements and soft skills to help you stand out.
Contact Matt today to create an updated resume that includes soft skills and helps you stand out in 2021.
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