Soft Skills Needed for Any Technical Candidate

Soft Skills Needed for Any Technical Candidate

Are soft skills really that important for technical and knowledge workers? And if so, which ones are the most important? 

We’ll provide answers to those two important questions in this post. But first, let’s take a step back and review what soft skills are. From the online investment website Investopedia:  

“Soft skills are character traits and interpersonal skills that characterize a person’s relationships with other people. In the workplace, soft skills are considered to be a complement to hard skills, which refer to a person’s knowledge and occupational skills.”

Our recruiting and staffing professionals have seen some exceptionally skilled tech workers fail because they didn’t have a few essential soft skills. We always recommend that knowledge workers continuously build a foundation of three crucial soft skills. 

 

Technology workers need to have the ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization.  

Technical and professional workers have to have the ability to communicate complex, often abstract concepts to marketing, sales, operations, and executive-level personnel and teams. 

Exceptional communication skills are required for almost every job placement that we engage in. The good news is that these skills can be honed and developed. Coursera and MDC Training are just two companies that offer online business communications classes.  

 

Critical thinking skills can be developed in knowledge workers. 

Critical thinking goes beyond math, coding, and engineering skills. It’s the way you approach problems and problem-solving. What are your go-to critical-thinking algorithms when you’re approached to solve a problem? 

Could you use a little help? Indeed and Master Class offers some great starting points. 

 

Highly skilled technical workers need to adapt quickly to new teams, projects, and work environments. 

The AI professionals at IBM Watson point out that knowledge workers spend up to 30% of their workdays on non-core tasks, like searching for the information they need to do their jobs. That takes adaptability.  

Learn to adapt to new situations by asking the right questions to the right people early in the project. It’s similar to asking for directions when you’re lost. Don’t wait! And ask someone you can trust who knows the answers.   

Regardless of where you are in your career journey, we can help. Our expert recruiting teams know the national hiring markets intimately. At 619 recruiting, we understand both sides of the hiring equation. Our unique insights into the hiring markets add massive value to our employer and candidate clients alike.  

 

Are you a candidate looking for your next outstanding job opportunity?

At 619 Recruiting, we help clients just like you find their dream job every day! We might just have a great employer looking for a great candidate like you right now.

Our team will help you find employment opportunities that align with your skills, experience, short-term employment goals, and long-term career objectives. Call us today at (866) TEAM 619, or get in touch online. Our expert recruiters are waiting for your call.

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