What are soft skills?
In an often quoted, simple competence model, soft skills are social and personal competences, in contrast to technical and methodical competences. The latter are called hard skills. In simple terms, one could say that soft skills form the personality of an individual. Their name often leads one to take these aspects less important in career planning. They are more difficult to grasp than hard skills, which can be certified in job references and diplomas. Personal skills become apparent above all in the behaviour of people in certain situations. However, we are not sufficiently aware of it. We also assume that our behaviour is nothing special and that other people act in the same way in comparable situations. This is not the case. If we want to develop a feeling for our own qualities, we have to acknowledge the differences of people on the level of their behaviour.
Relevance of soft skills in the job
Because soft skills are harder to grasp and communicate, people focus too much on their hard skills in career development. Social and personal skills are also often smiled at and considered less professional. As a result, many people neglect the best they have to offer. The more qualified the job is, the more important these characteristics become. If, for example, a manager feels that an important member of the team does not feel comfortable, he can take action. This may help him to avoid an expensive resignation. A manager with interpersonal and negotiating skills can enter into a strategic cooperation with another company. This puts her one step ahead of the competition. The more qualified the position, the more the hard skills become hygiene factors. They are a prerequisite for being considered for a position. Soft skills make the difference and thus the success.
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