Battle of Skills: How Soft and Hard Skills Impact Your Career

Contents: 

• What are soft skills?
• What are hard skills?
• How they are interconnected?
• How HR specialists evaluate applicants' soft and hard skills
• How to develop and improve skills
• Useful resources for study

Literally, these concepts are translated simply. Soft skills are soft (flexible) skills that reflect personal qualities. Hard skills are the hard, technical knowledge and experience an employee needs to excel in their field. It's all simple and complex at the same time.

Lerna HR specialist Anastasia Banketik helps us understand this complex topic. Together, we'll delve into the world of soft and hard skills. And we will find out why skills are relevant in the labor market, and how their development can affect success in the professional field.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills are personal qualities that shape a person's ability to interact with others. Moreover, skills affect both the professional sphere and personal life.

— Soft skills play a key role in shaping a successful professional career. Effective communication skills, for example, allow you to build normal relationships with colleagues and clients. Leadership qualities determine the ability to effectively manage a team, — Anastasia shares. — Of course, it is difficult to measure the level of these skills on any scale. But there are different types of interviews, tests, methods, assessment centers and trainings that allow you to both evaluate and develop soft skills.

Soft skills include:

• Communication skills.How clearly and distinctly a person conveys information, listens and understands the interlocutor. Communication skills extend to verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Leadership.Can an employee organize and motivate groups of people to achieve a common goal? Can they make decisions, take responsibility for them, and delegate tasks?
• Stress Resistance.How effectively a person works under high pressure and uncertainty, maintaining productivity and emotional balance.
• Time Management.Can an employee plan and use working time effectively, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines?
• Creativity.The ability to think outside the box, find new solutions and approaches to problems, generate original ideas.
• Teamwork.The ability to work effectively in a team, exchange ideas, respect the points of view of colleagues and achieve joint results.

And these are just a few soft skills. There is also empathy, honesty, self-presentation, adaptability, self-organization, conflict resolution - everything that shapes an employee as an individual and defines his place in the team.

What are hard skills?

Hard skills are the knowledge and abilities with which employees perform their professional duties. These skills are measurable, verifiable, and are obtained as a result of professional training.

— Hard skills reflect an employee's technical competence. And when considering a candidate, the applicant's practical skills are always a priority. Theoretical training, confirmed by diplomas or certificates, does not reflect the depth of an employee's knowledge and skills, — says the expert. — A person who can practically perform assigned tasks is better suited for a team and a business than someone who has received formal training, but has not yet matured professionally.

Examples of technical skills include:

• Programming Languages.Ability to write and read code in a specific programming language to develop programs and solve technical problems. Measurement method: passing tests or projects, solving problems during interviews, having certificates in the relevant languages.
• Proficiency in graphic design tools.Ability to create and edit graphic elements, work with images, layouts, and retouching. Measurement method: portfolio with completed projects, tests on the use of design tools, having certificates.
• Foreign language proficiency.Ability to communicate competently in a foreign language in writing and orally. Measurement method: language certificates (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS), results of interviews in a foreign language, successful completion of written assignments.
• Office skills.Ability to effectively use office programs to analyze data, create tables and reports. Method of measurement: knowledge testing, completing assignments on the use of office applications, the presence of Microsoft Office certificates.

How soft and hard skills are interconnected

It is impossible to achieve career success by developing only technical skills or focusing exclusively on personal qualities. Success lies in their harmonious combination and balance.

Soft skills complement hard skills, making them more effective. For example, a creative designer with strong graphic editing skills becomes even more valuable if they have empathy and can communicate with clients. This allows them to create visually appealing projects and better understand client needs.

Skills interact at different levels. For example, communication skills help effectively convey information, which improves efficiency in data analysis programs.

— Employers evaluate the combination of both types of skills when hiring, but often decide on soft skills. While technical expertise is important, the ability to work in a team, adapt to change, and communicate with colleagues or clients are decisive factors, Anastasia shares. In my practice, there was a case where an employer selected a junior designer who had learned the profession independently for the position. Although there were also designers with extensive experience and competencies among the applicants, it was the applicant's soft skills that were the deciding factor in the selection. Her independence, determination, and desire to develop were key. She seamlessly complemented these with her professional skills.

How HR specialists evaluate applicants' soft and hard skills

Skills assessment directly influences hiring decisions. It provides an idea of ​​the candidate and their potential in the work environment.

— In my work, I strive for a balance between soft and hard skills. It's important to conduct not only a technical assessment of the candidate, but also to understand how they will fit into the team, how they will react in stressful situations, and what values ​​​​they will bring to the organization, - notes the HR specialist. - Cases and role-playing games help to reveal those personality traits that cannot be measured through technical tests. I am against stress interviews. If you win the interviewee over and create a trusting atmosphere, it becomes easier to reveal their qualities and determine their skills. Usually, to find out the personal qualities of candidates, HR specialists use different techniques: aria-level="1">Interviews with scenario questions.Through them, candidates demonstrate communication, empathy, and problem-solving skills.

But the assessment of technical competencies also requires a thorough approach. And here come to the rescue:

• Technical interviews.The candidate solves problems or answers questions directly related to the requirements of the job activity.
• Practical tasks.Tasks that the candidate performs in real conditions or on test projects.
• Testing. Special tests that help assess knowledge of programming languages, level of proficiency in tools, and other technical skills.

How to develop and improve skills

Soft and hard skills are not static, but rather dynamic skills that require constant development. And there are many strategies for how to improve them. The Skillbox.by editorial team, together with Anastasia, analyzed and developed a universal strategy for developing both skills. Let's take a closer look.

Soft skills:

• Personal conversations and workshops.Participate in discussions, meetings, and development workshops, actively communicate and share experiences with colleagues.
• Trainings.Develop empathy, conflict resolution skills, and other personal qualities in group or individual trainings with experienced coaches.
• Literature. Read books on psychology, leadership and interpersonal relationships, and emotional intelligence.

Hard skills:

• Online courses and training.Specialized courses in programming, design, marketing, and other topics help systematize technical skills.
• Projects and internships.Participate in real-world projects and internships. This will give you the opportunity to apply what you've learned in practice.
• Certification.Earn a professional certificate that confirms the level of technical expertise.
• Self-educate. Technologies are constantly changing, so stay up-to-date with trends in your field through professional resources and news.

— When developing your skills, you shouldn't limit yourself only by formal methods, — Anastasia believes. — It is important to constantly analyze your weaknesses, learn from mistakes and set new goals.

And in order to present yourself at the interview, the HR specialist recommends preparing for it in advance, namely:

• carefully read the vacancy;
• Gather your strengths and experience and present them, applying them to the vacancy;
• Write down your experience and achievements in a diary;
• Use simulators for passing technical interviews.

Useful resources for study

Together with Anastasia, the editors of Skillbox.by have compiled a database of literature and online resources that will help you improve your skills.

Literature:

• Daniel Goleman "Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ" - in the book, the author explains why emotional intelligence plays a decisive role in success. Why it is more important than intelligence quotient (IQ), and examines its impact on personal and professional aspects of human life.
• Maxim Dorofeev "Jedi Techniques" - the book provides readers with practical tools and strategies for developing leadership skills and achieving success in the professional field.
• Carol Fleming's "Speak Easy" offers readers practical strategies and tools for developing effective communication skills, helping them overcome communication barriers and achieve success in their professional and personal lives.

Internet resources:

• Google Interview Warmupis an online training tool designed to prepare for interviews at Google. There you can find tasks and questions similar to those encountered in real interviews.
• How to Gain Control of Your Free Time— A video lesson from time management expert Laura Vanderkam will teach you how to manage your time wisely.
• CodeSignal is a free service with tasks and training blocks that will help you prepare your hard skills for presenting in an interview.