At a time when AI is changing the very paradigm of the job market, there has been a resurgence in the demand for employees with soft skills and qualities that can enhance the performance and functions that only a human being can possess. That is the reason why schools around the world, including international schools Malaysia, offer soft skills training as a means to help students in their career development.
Soft skills play a very important role in helping students inculcate leadership and other such skills. It even aids them in character advancement and develops skills like communication skills, and critical thinking abilities, on account of having to learn to approach situations with empathy.
Understanding Soft Skills
Soft skills describe the ability to communicate effectively with people and are impacted by one’s traits related to one’s behaviour and general attitude towards life. It is also impacted by one’s level of competence about what one is involved with. Soft skills are greatly influenced by the experiences one has had in life, but these can also be purposely cultivated over time. People with excellent soft skills fare better in not just landing jobs, but performing them as well.
Today’s Job Market Demands Soft Skills
Let us look at the soft skills that are a must-have for one to do well in today’s job market.
1.The Ability to Communicate Well
The ability to communicate effectively both verbally and non-verbally goes a long way toward allowing a prospective employee to sell himself or herself. Being able to engage with people who professionally matter to your career helps you in myriad ways, including building a rapport and establishing a smooth channel of communication necessary for smoothing one’s career path ahead.
2. Possessing a Growth Mindset
Whoever can display a growth mindset that shows a willingness to learn, hone one’s talents by way of interacting with others and putting in the required hard work will also come up with a strategy for success. Companies looking to hire people are always on the lookout for people who display an easily recognizable growth strategy.
3. Dexterity
Job-seeking candidates who display flexibility and dexterity in their approach to things show that they are quite adaptable when it comes to adapting to different roles that may be assigned to them by their employers. This brightens their chances of getting hired considerably.
4. Problem-Solving Ability
A job seeker who displays noticeable problem-solving abilities will always be a prized employee. Possessing these abilities is quite useful in a work environment that throws up frequent challenges. Anyone who is up to understanding and resolving such problems effectively will be a valued employee across a wide range of roles in a business organisation. This is certainly one of the key soft skills that a prospective employee would do well to possess.
Conclusion
For all the technological innovations that have been introduced in today’s modern workforce, the fact of the matter is that the end users of any product or service are flesh and blood human beings with emotions, whose issues cannot be discussed with machines. They can be best handled by other human beings who possess the necessary soft skills and certain qualities to be able to address their specific concerns. That is one of the reasons why learning effective soft skills is considered every bit as important as learning technical skills if one is to find success as an employee. It is, therefore, not surprising that schools and other educational institutions everywhere are giving due importance to imparting soft skills training to their students.
