How to Identify and Use Your Soft Skills for Your Career Advantage

Are you ready to take your career to the next level?

If so, then you need to master the art of soft skills! Yes, that’s right—the key to career success isn’t just about technical skills or knowledge but also includes mastering soft skills. 

Last week, I showed you how to unleash the power of your hard skills. Now it’s time to master the soft skills and get them working for you too! 

What are soft skills? 🤷‍♂️

Soft skills are just as important as your technical skills but don’t get as much attention. 

Soft skills are a set of personal attributes and interpersonal abilities that enable you to communicate effectively, work well with others, and handle various situations with ease. I’m talking about those intangible qualities that make you stand out as a person, a team member, and a leader.

Soft skills can take many forms, but some of the most important ones include communication, empathy, adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. These are the skills that help you build relationships, resolve conflicts, and collaborate effectively with others.

How do I identify my soft skills? 🤔

👉🏼Take an inventory of your experiences. Think about your past experiences, both personal and professional, and consider what soft skills you used to succeed in those situations. Did you have to communicate effectively to resolve a conflict? Did you show empathy to a friend in need? Did you demonstrate leadership to complete a project? Write down the soft skills you used in each situation. 

👉🏼 Ask for feedback. Ask your colleagues, friends, and family members for feedback on your soft skills. What do they think are your strengths? What soft skills do they admire in you? Don’t be afraid to ask for constructive criticism, too. This can help you identify areas for improvement and give you a more well-rounded view of your soft skills.

👉🏼 Take a self-assessment quiz. There are plenty of self-assessment quizzes available online that can help you identify your soft skills. These quizzes usually ask you a series of questions about your behavior and preferences and then give you a list of your top soft skills. While these quizzes are not perfect, they can be helpful tools for identifying your strengths and weaknesses. Take the career assessment I recommend here! 

👉🏼 Reflect on your values. Think about your core values and how they relate to your soft skills. For example, if you value honesty and integrity, you may be particularly strong in communication and building trust. If you value creativity and innovation, you may be particularly strong in problem-solving and adaptability. Understanding how your values relate to your soft skills can help you better understand your strengths and weaknesses.

👉🏼 Practice, practice, practice. Once you’ve identified your soft skills, it’s important to practice them regularly. Find opportunities to use your soft skills in your personal and professional life. Seek out feedback from others and reflect on how you can improve. The more you practice your soft skills, the stronger they will become. 

What are examples of soft skills? 👌

Still a bit confused about what this whole soft skills thing is? Soft skills are the secret sauce that set us apart from the rest of the pack, and they’re absolutely essential in today’s world. 

Here are some of my favorite examples of soft skills:

💥 Communication. This is a cornerstone of all soft skills. It’s the ability to express yourself clearly, listen actively, and connect with others on a deeper level. Good communication involves everything from body language to tone of voice, and it’s crucial for building strong relationships and achieving your goals.

💥 Empathy. This is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It involves putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and seeing things from their perspective. When you show empathy, you build trust, create a positive work environment, and connect with others on a deeper level.

💥 Adaptability. This is the ability to adjust to changing circumstances and environments. It’s the key to staying agile in a fast-paced world and being able to pivot when things don’t go according to plan. When you’re adaptable, you’re able to think on your feet and find creative solutions to complex problems. 

💥 Teamwork. This is the ability to work effectively with others toward a common goal. It requires good communication, empathy, and a willingness to collaborate and share ideas. When you’re a good team player, you’re able to tackle challenges head-on and find innovative solutions.

💥 Leadership. This is the ability to inspire and motivate others to achieve a common goal. It requires good communication, empathy, and a willingness to take risks and make tough decisions. When you’re a good leader, you’re able to build a strong team, create a positive work environment, and achieve great things together.

Why are soft skills important? 🧐

In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, it’s not just about what you know, but how well you can apply it. Employers are looking for candidates who can not only do the job but also work well with others, communicate effectively, and adapt to change. 

➜ Soft skills set you apart from other candidates. When it comes to hiring, employers are often faced with a sea of candidates who all have similar technical skills and qualifications. Soft skills, on the other hand, are unique to each individual and can set you apart from other candidates. 

➜ Soft skills are transferable. Soft skills are not tied to a specific industry or job. They’re transferable and can be applied in any role or situation. This makes you a valuable asset to any employer, no matter what industry you’re in. 

➜ Soft skills are essential for building strong relationships with coworkers, clients, and customers.  Soft skills like communication and listening are essential for building strong relationships with co-workers, clients, and customers. When you can communicate effectively, you can solve problems faster and work more efficiently. 

➜ Soft skills make you a valuable team member. Teamwork is a crucial component of any workplace. Soft skills like collaboration and conflict resolution can help you work effectively with others, and contribute to a positive and productive work environment. 

➜ Soft skills increase your leadership potential. Soft skills like leadership and delegation can help you take charge and motivate others to achieve their goals. This can lead to increased responsibilities and potential for advancement within your company. 

➜ Soft skills make you more adaptable. Soft skills like adaptability and problem-solving can help you thrive in an ever-changing work environment. When you’re able to adapt to new situations and find creative solutions, you become a valuable asset to any employer.

How should I use soft skills in my career transition? 🤨

If you’re looking for a new job, you probably know that employers are looking for more than just technical skills. They want someone who can communicate effectively, work well in a team, and solve problems creatively—in other words, someone with strong soft skills. 

Making a career transition can be daunting, especially if you’re not sure what skills you need for your new career. And that’s where those soft skills come in. 

✔️ Identify your transferable skills. Start by looking at the soft skills you already possess. Are you a great communicator? Do you have strong leadership skills? Are you adaptable and able to think on your feet? These are all transferable skills that can be applied to a variety of industries. 

✔️ Research your new career. Once you have a list of your transferable skills, research the soft skills required for your new career. Look at job postings, talk to people in the industry, and do some online research. This will give you a better understanding of what soft skills are important for your new career. 

✔️ Focus on your strengths. Once you know the soft skills required for your new career, focus on your strengths. Identify the soft skills you already have that are important for your new career, and work on developing them further. This will give you a strong foundation for your new career. 

✔️ Develop new skills. If there are soft skills you need to develop for your new career, start working on them. Take a course, attend a workshop, or find a mentor or career coach (like me!) who can help you develop these skills. This will show potential employers that you’re committed to your new career and willing to learn. 

✔️ Highlight your soft skills in your resume and job interviews. Use examples from your previous work experience to demonstrate how you’ve applied these skills in the past, and show how they can be applied to your new career. For example, if you’re great at communication, talk about a time when you had to diffuse a difficult situation with a co-worker or client.

How should I develop soft skills? 👨🏼‍🎓

The good news is that soft skills are not innate, but they can be learned and developed over time.

Here are some tips to get you started. 

📌 Read and learn. One of the best ways to develop your soft skills is to read books, blogs, and articles on the topic. There are many great resources out there that can help you understand the different types of soft skills and how to develop them.

📌 Take a course. There are many courses and training programs available that focus specifically on soft skills. Look for ones that cover specific skills you want to develop, and take the time to complete them.

📌 Practice active listening. Communication is a crucial part of soft skills and listening is a crucial part of communication. Practice active listening by giving your full attention to the person speaking and asking clarifying questions. 

📌 Join a group or team. Joining a group or team can help you develop teamwork skills, leadership skills, and emotional intelligence. It also helps you learn how to work with different personalities and perspectives. 

📌 Take on new challenges. Taking on challenges can help you develop problem-solving and adaptability skills. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and take on projects that stretch your abilities.

📌 Seek feedback. Seek feedback from colleagues, mentors, and friends. This feedback can help you identify areas for improvement and fine-tune your soft skills. 

In conclusion…

Developing soft skills is essential for career development success. These skills help you navigate challenges, communicate effectively, and build strong relationships. Remember, soft skills are not innate, but they can be learned and developed with practice and feedback. So, let’s get started on honing our soft skills and taking our careers to the next level!

👇🏼 Tyche Takeaways 👇🏼

• Soft skills are personal attributes that help you interact effectively with others and succeed in your career. 
• Examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, active listening, conflict resolution, time management, emotional intelligence, and adaptability. 
• Self-assessment is a helpful tool for identifying your soft skills. 
• Look for patterns in your behavior, reflect on past experiences, and seek feedback from others. 
• Soft skills come in many forms including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, leadership, and creativity.
• Soft skills can help you understand the skills required for a new career and make a successful transition. 
• Identify the soft skills that are transferable to your new career and highlight them in your job application and interview. 
• Use concrete examples to demonstrate your soft skills in action. 
• Show how your soft skills have benefited previous employers and how they will benefit your potential employer.
• Soft skills set you apart from other candidates, are transferable, improve communication and teamwork, increase leadership potential, and make you more adaptable. 
• Read and learn, take a course, practice, get feedback, seek out new experiences, and reflect on your experiences. 
• Developing your soft skills takes practice and effort, but it’s worth it in the end.