Being a young professional in the 21st century can be challenging. It's easy to feel lost at times, whether you're figuring out your path in life or what you want to do with your career. One of the most important aspects that can aid your career is soft skills. 

According to the Future of Jobs 2020 report, soft skills such as critical thinking, complex problem-solving, resilience, flexibility, creativity, originality, initiative, and emotional intelligence will increasingly become important to global employers in the years leading up to 2025.

It is particularly intriguing to see a large number of soft skills on this list as soft skills are traditionally perceived to be inferior to hard skills. Maybe that's because hard skills are easier to quantify and measure than soft skills. School programmes systematically measure and grade hard skills such as literacy and numeracy. However, the same cannot be said for teamwork, empathy, and resilience.

Perhaps this is also why most adults are hesitant to list too many soft skills on their resumes. Ultimately, it is easier for us to demonstrate our hard skills by providing evidence such as degrees, diplomas, or certificates, isn’t it?

After the Covid-19 Pandemic, the push to adopt technology and automation has accelerated in the workplace, which has put soft skills at the forefront of the future of work. Here we outline three reasons why Soft Skills are Key to Career Survival:

1. Employers need soft skills

Work's future is uncertain. With technology increasingly transforming the way we work, hard talents can quickly become obsolete. Experts suggest that hiring employees with soft talents may help organisations succeed. Hiring managers share this sentiment.

According to the LinkedIn 2019 Global Talent Trends Report, as automation alters the job market, 92% of talent experts and hiring managers feel that applicants with good soft skills are becoming increasingly crucial. In fact, 89% of respondents claimed that terrible employees often lack soft skills. ‍

2. AI can’t replace soft skills

While advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, and machine learning allow for the automation of an increasing number of human tasks, machines still lack emotional and social skills, as well as higher cognitive skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, and systematic decision-making, and so on.

This is why as machines and AI are replacing humans in several jobs, people with skills that technology cannot replace will continue to be in demand in the job market.

Through 2030, there will be an increase in demand for higher cognitive abilities such as creativity, critical thinking, decision making, and complex information processing.

3. Without soft skills, hard talents are insufficient

Here’s the hard truth: you may have all of the hard skills required to complete projects at work, but if you lack the ability to understand what the clients want from these projects, or the ability to communicate with and motivate their team members to complete these projects – all of which require soft skills – whatever you create will not meet the needs of the clients and you will fail.

So, in addition to knowing how to code, software engineers must have the business acumen to grasp what consumers want to do so that they can help design what is truly valuable for them. Similarly, sales and marketing professionals must not only know how to sell, but they must also have strong interpersonal and communication skills in order to connect with potential clients. And degrees or qualifications do not guarantee success as a manager. Successful managers understand how to engage and encourage their teams.

After all, anyone may take a course, become certified, and learn a hard skill. But ironically, soft skills are learnt the hard way. Soft skills are what distinguish you as a true winner and propel you forward in your profession. 

When you are trying to set yourself apart from the crowd, seek advice from someone who can support you and advise you. We at KidsChaupal are here to help you! Talk with us today to take your first step towards soft skill development.