Entering the job market has become increasingly demanding, since professionals and entrepreneurs need to be emotionally prepared as well as technologically up to date with Soft Skills and Hard Skills, which are highly sought after and valued by digital companies or those undergoing digitalization.
However, not everyone knows what Soft Skills and Hard Skills are or what they are for. That is why we prepared this article so you can better understand each of them and how to develop them.
Soft Skills
In general, Soft Skills are abilities related to interpersonal relationships. In other words, they are the well-known “social skills,” which include the ability to communicate clearly, and to show empathy, resilience and respect.
Yes, they are subjective traits, but they are closely observed by recruiters in a job interview. Besides communication ability, personal attributes and personality traits are other characteristics that can make you stand out during the selection process.
Examples
Here are some examples of Soft Skills, so you can assess how and how much you have developed these skills in yourself.
Communication
This category is very broad and covers both dialogue with the people on your team and the way you serve customers, as well as the way you express yourself, for example, your opinions and points of view.
But being a good communicator is not enough. This skill also requires you to be a good listener, and to show empathy and good social skills when conducting yourself in a business meeting or in front of a crowd.
If you feel you have not developed this skill well, there is no need to worry. Courses and training can help you solve your problems with public speaking, for example.
Creativity
The creativity we are referring to here is in problem solving. After all, moments of crisis or situations that fall outside routine and/or planning are the ones that most require proficiency and proactivity from employees.
Using creativity in these situations helps you stand out; after all, creative thinking is essential for a company’s workforce, which will be full of people with logical thinking and who drive innovation and improvements.
Leadership
For some, this is the main Soft Skill, considering that it encompasses all the others (solving problems, managing time, good communication skills, work ethic).
In short, it is a combination of all the other social skills and, if they come together in a single employee, that individual can not only work positively with the team but also take control and improve results.
Hard Skills
Hard Skills, in turn, concern all the practical and theoretical abilities you acquire in courses, such as those you gain at Faculdades Fapuga. That is, they are skills that can be measured and are therefore easily identified through some form of record, such as certificates, or through fluency in other languages.
Because they are easy to prove and show, these skills are usually listed on a resume or portfolio so recruiters can review them during a selection process.
Examples
Here are some examples of Soft Skills, so you can examine how you are doing with regard to these skills.
Education
As mentioned earlier, these skills are closely tied to your resume. They are the initial information that will help you pass the screening phase and stay in the selection process.
This educational background involves everything you have learned over the course of your life. It includes all courses, certifications, diplomas, professional experience, exchange programs, extracurricular programs and projects, undergraduate degree, postgraduate degree, among others.
Technology
Nowadays, it is more than a requirement to have at least some familiarity with technology; after all, with the digital transformation that has been revolutionizing processes in companies, having solid computer knowledge is much more than welcome.
So, the more you improve your skills with digital devices such as cell phones, computers, tablets and other technologies, the better it will be for your personal and professional development. Therefore, seek to improve your knowledge in this area according to your field of work.
Management
Much more than just leadership, the management we are referring to covers mastery of the tools for managing processes, time and people to improve productivity results, as well as strategic planning.
To improve these skills, advanced management courses such as MBAs are recommended. This way, you will learn a series of techniques, methods and tools that will help increase and refine your management skills.
So, What Is the Difference Between Them?
It is quite simple: the main difference between the two types of skills is the ability to prove these competencies.
While Soft Skills are understood after a certain period of time spent with an individual, Hard Skills are technical qualifications that can be proven with certificates, diplomas, courses, tests, and so on…
One thing that does not differ between them, however, is that both are important not only for professionals who are already in or about to enter the market, but also for hiring companies. Is the distinction clear? Do you still have any questions? Leave them here in the comments! Also take a look at the study methodologies applied at Faculdade Fapuga.
