Hard Skills and Soft Skills- Employability

Hard skills are part of the skill set that is required for a job. Employers typically require both soft skills and hard skills when considering applicants for a job.

Types of Hard Skills

Hard skills include the specific knowledge and abilities required for success in a job. Examples of hard skills include computer programming, web design, typing, nursing, finance, electrical, accounting, finance, writing, mathematics, legal and other quantifiable skills that are included in the requirements for a job.

These types of skills are learned and can be defined, evaluated and measured. They are most commonly used during the hiring and interview process to compare candidates for employment.  Hard skills are the qualifications required to work successfully at a job.

Conversely, soft skills are attributes and personality traits that affect interpersonal interactions and while different, are also as important as hard skills in the workforce. These include characteristics such as leadership, empathy, communication, etiquette and more skills that aren’t as quantifiable as hard skills.

Focus on Your Most Relevant Skills

When job searching, it’s important to include the skills the employer is seeking in your resume and job applications. The skills (both hard and soft) will be listed in the requirements section of job postings, and help wanted ads.

During the job application and interview process, employers look for applicants with two skill sets: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are teachable abilities or skill sets that are easy to quantify.

Examples of hard skills include:

• Proficiency in a foreign language
• A degree or certificate
• Typing speed
• Machine operation
• Computer programming

These hard skills are often listed in your cover letter and on your resume, and are easy for an employer or recruiter to recognize.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are subjective skills that are much harder to quantify. Also known as "people skills" or "interpersonal skills," soft skills relate to the way you relate to and interact with other people.

Examples of soft skills include:

• Teamwork
• Communication
• Flexibility
• Patience
• Persuasion
• Time Management
• Motivation

Skills Employers Look For

While certain hard skills are necessary for any position, employers are looking increasingly for job applicants with particular soft skills. This is because, while it is easy for an employer to train a new employee in a particular hard skill (such as how to use a certain computer program), it is much more difficult to train an employee in a soft skill (such as patience).

  Emphasize Both Hard and Soft Skills

During the job application process, you should therefore be sure to emphasize both your hard and soft skills. This way, even if you lack a particular hard skill required by the company, you can emphasize a particular soft skill that you know would be valuable in the position.

For example, if the job involves working on a number of group projects, be sure to emphasize your experience and skill as a team player and your ability to communicate with team members.

What skills are most important for companies that are hiring? There are some skills and qualities that employers require of all applicants for employment, regardless of the position they are hiring for.

These are called soft skills, and they include the interpersonal skills and attributes you need to succeed in the workplace.

In addition, there are the more tangible skills you need in order to do the job effectively.

Analytical
Employees need to be able to figure things out, so you will need to have some analytic skills to succeed in the workplace. The skills you need and the level of skills required will vary depending on the job and the industry. In conjunction with being able to analyze, employees are expected to be able to organize, plan and prioritize effectively.

Communication
The ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, is essential, no matter what job you have or industry you work in. You will need to be able to communicate effectively with employees, managers, and customers in-person, online, in writing and/or on the phone.

Interpersonal
Interpersonal skills, also known as people skills, are the skills you use to interact and engage with people. I just heard about someone who was hired because of his ability to connect with people. That trumped the other skills the employer was seeking, so be sure yours are up to par. Your interpersonal skills will be evaluated during your job interviews, so it's important to prepare for the interview so you are as comfortable and confident as possible when interviewing.

Leadership
When companies hire for leadership roles they seek employees who can successfully interact with employees, colleagues, clients and others. Even if you're not applying for management jobs, leadership is a valuable skill to bring to the employer.

Positive Attitude
Attitude might not be everything, but it’s extremely valuable. Employers want employees who are positive, even in stressful and challenging circumstances. They want to hire applicants with a “can do” attitude, who are flexible, dedicated and who are willing to contribute extra, if necessary, to get the job done.

Teamwork
Regardless of the job, employers want to hire people who are team players who are cooperative and work well with others. They don’t want employees who are difficult to work with. When you are interviewing be sure to share examples of how you worked well on a team.

Showcase Your Skills
To be sure you are showing your top skills when you're job searching, make a list of the skills and qualities that best are best reflected in your background. Incorporate them into your resume and cover letters.

Also think of examples of how you have applied these skills to achieve success on the job, in the classroom or in volunteer work. Share the examples with your interviewers so they know exactly how much of asset you will be if you're hired.

Intellectual Development skills

General Intelligence is the ability to think about ideas, analyze situations, and solve problems. It is measured through various types of intelligence tests. Currently, through research, psychologists have identified several types of mental abilities that make up intelligence:

The following skills should be developed in addition to hard skills and soft skills.

·        Professional skills

·        Self-msanagement skills

·        Inter personal skills

·        Communication skills

·        Initiative skills

Doing the right thing without being told

You do it yourself

·        Mannerism

·        Motivation skills

·        Socialisation

Ability to work with others

·        Team work skills

·        Leadership