Soft Skills Training 

 

 

 

Soft skills often refer to how you manage yourself with other people and describe your attitude and behaviours. They describe your capability regarding how you connect with others on a personal level or while at work to help ‘get the job done’. Other names they are known by are ‘people skills’, ‘transferable skills’ or even ‘emotional intelligence’

Why are soft skills important?

Training helps individuals to know, understand and practice one or more of those skills identified as ‘soft’ – human or non-technical. When an employer is building a job profile for a role in their organisation or business they will identify the qualifications, experience and technical or job-specific skills they want from an individual as well as identifying the soft skills that are necessary for the role. This combination makes up the employability skills set.

Soft skills can be less tangible than job-specific skills but may measure, for example, behaviours expected within the organisation or a specific role and can describe both positive and/or negative behaviours.

 Soft skills training for a group of business users

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In a work scenario, soft skills are often the skills that enable an individual to go about their role effectively. They sit hand in glove with work skills, for example, being able to develop an IT programme is a job skill whilst, managing the communication and people aspects of doing so would be seen more as a soft skill.
 
Soft skills are not often taught at university or college. It is possible though to teach soft skills and this is where soft skills training comes in. 
It is useful to teach soft skills in a classroom setting where individuals have the opportunity to practice “HOW” to do things. However, it is also possible to learn about soft skills from digital online programmes. It is important to practice soft skills too – particularly those that are deemed the most valuable by your business manager or boss.
 
Being able to demonstrate your understanding of soft skills and your capability around these skills is something which employers look for during the interview process. Probably the most sought-after soft skills by employers are team-working and communication skills. However, employers will look for other soft skills either during the interview process or during personal development sessions on the job and what they look for will link specifically to the role they expect you to fulfil.
 
Skill training for a young student on a skill development course

Soft skills training for a team of workers

Team Working

Being able to demonstrate the role you play in a team situation is really important. Being able to identify it and then articulate it is critical. We all have different skills and strengths and these naturally come out during team working. Being able to identify what you can contribute and over time, what others working with you can contribute is really helpful for work. Knowing the special contributions you can make to a team is a vital piece of self-awareness.

Employability skills being taught to a group of students

Relationship building & Networking

Having the ability to build genuine meaningful relationships with individuals is a real skill that requires consistent attention. Being able to develop a professional network is a skill that is often missed by inexperienced people. Building relationships and networking are about reciprocity – helping one another.

Skill training for an individual student

Communication Skills

The most fundamental soft skills are often taken for granted. Communication skills – verbal written, non-verbal, listening and questioning skills are pivotal to most areas of one’s life. Developing these skills with training is straight forward … if you know how. Forget it at your peril.

Job skills being taught to a group

Leadership Skills

Having the ability to demonstrate your personal leadership capability is useful for most roles whether your intention is to become a people manager or not. A good leader shows compassion, confidence and character. Leadership is about relationships with others.

Work skills being considered by a young female student

Decision Making

Being able to weigh up the pros and cons in a given situation and make a decision based on the facts you are presented with is useful … being prepared to do the same when there are holes in the information you have is difficult. Making the wrong decision sometimes helps us learn. Balancing information and risk is important here.

Skill development training for problem solving tasks

Problem Solving

Having a process that allows you to problem solve is a skill many employers look for.

Someone who has the ability to analyse a situation and come up with strategies to overcome a ‘problem’ is a very valuable person to have in a team.

Skill development training courses as a motivational force for self improvement

Self-Motivation

If you are self- motivated and can get on with doing the job because of the reward you may receive from it, whether you are being watched or not, is good.

So too is having a positive mental attitude towards self -improvement.

Skills employers look for being considered by a student worried about time

Time Management

Being able to prioritise and manage the amount of time required to do a job is a useful skill to demonstrate.

It involves planning, organising and contingency planning as well as understanding how others work and behave.

Get ahead of the crowd with the IEP BUY NOW

Whether you are newly out of university or already in work, being able to demonstrate your soft skills to an employer is critical to your ongoing success. Most employers ask for both technical capabilities and soft skills. Soft skills can be developed or enhanced as much as technical skills can. Find out which of these skills are important in your (new) workplace and find a way to develop these skills.  

Have a look at the Curriculo Industry Engagement Programme – this is a soft skills development programme which helps under graduates and new graduates understand more able themselves and their skills. It will also empower those that take the course by enabling them to understand more about their ambition and how to achieve it. Contact us at: hello@curriculosolutions.com

 OR learn more about the programme: 

  www.curriculosolutions.com/industry-engagment-programme  

 
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