People considering a career in tech, tend to think that the skills most required by recruiters and employers are the technical ‘hard skills’ needed to fulfil a role in the industry. However, the non-tech ‘soft-skills’ are just as, if not more, important. When you are competing against a candidate with the same experiences and technical ability, your soft-skills are what will set you apart.
In 2018, a report by IBM found that soft skills were the core capabilities that global executives needed, in comparison to technical skills.
We’ve listed some of the key ‘soft skills’ that are in-demand below, to help you pursue your career in the industry.
Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills are an individual’s ‘ability to communicate and interact with others’. These skills are particularly essential for freelancers and contract workers in the industry, because they are constantly having to join new teams and work with a variety of people. Having the ability to communicate effectively will allow you to assess the situation and get your point across efficiently. Research conducted by LinkedIn, found that emotional intelligence – being able to interact with our colleagues – was one of the top five ‘soft skills’ companies desire most in 2020. In fact, one survey found that 65% of employers are looking for candidates with interpersonal skills.
Now that the main method of communication has changed due to the current pandemic, with in-person face-to-face meetings becoming virtual, creating the potential to make interaction with colleagues challenging, having considerable interpersonal skills are not only desired they are now expected.
Having good interpersonal skills will also help with networking – a recurring theme in our Third Republic blogs, as we believe in the power of the network – that along with other benefits, can help you in finding new job opportunities.
Adaptability
Being able to adapt to your surroundings and situation has never been so significant. With the economy shifting to a working from home environment, many employers have had to change the way they work to accommodate this. Having adaptability highlights to potential employers that if hired, you would be able to adjust to their ethos and also shows a willingness to learn.
Perhaps they use different processes than you are used to, or utilise a software program you are unfamiliar with? Emphasising your adaptability is a way to combat this in job interviews.
Along with practising emotional intelligence, mentioned above, Indeed recommend the following methods to try and increase your adaptability in the workplace:
- There’s no such thing as a stupid question – so ask them all
- Learn from your colleagues
- Don’t be afraid of failure
Problem Solving
This may seem like an obvious one, yet in a report by the Society for Human Resource Management, 37% of employers said that problem-solving was one of the top missing soft skills.
Most individuals working in the tech industry have a natural tendency towards solving problems. Problem solving is comparable to innovation, it requires you to apply some critical thinking as well as thinking ‘outside the box’ to find solutions. Without the ability to adequately solve problems in a timely manner career progression is unlikely.
Time Management
With to-do lists that just keep getting longer and multiple projects to juggle, the ability to prioritise your workflow is key. Particularly in this period of remote working when the boundaries between that work and life balance are harder to maintain, managing your time effectively will mean that you are productive when it counts.
Having time management skills and the ability to prioritise was deemed the second most significant skill that global executives seek, in a report by IBM.
Are you looking for a career change or for talented tech professionals to join your team? Speak with our specialist consultants today.
