What are Soft Skills?
In today's competitive job market, technical skills are essential, but soft skills have become the most valued skills for today's workforce. Soft skills are the skills apart from an individual's qualification and experience. Unlike professional or technical skills, these soft skills are generic in nature, rather than job-specific, and are common to all workplaces across all industry types. Examples of soft skills include communication and teamwork. The ability to build maintain effective relationships is critical to success in any career. With a well-developed set of transition skills like networking and interviewing, you are better prepared to progress to and within your work.

Soft skills - Wikipedia
Soft skills include teamwork and leadership among others. These skills are desirable in all professions. Now, in the 21st-century, soft skills are a major differentiator for success in life.

21st-century skills - Wikipedia
21st-century skills comprise skills and abilities that have been identified as being required for success in 21st-century society and workplaces. Many of these skills are associated with teamwork. These skills enable people to be flexible and adaptable in different roles or in different work fields.

Skills Gap Crisis
Many education systems have not effectively prepared students with the critical skills they need for success in the real world. The Society for Human Resource Management found that education systems have done little or nothing to help address the skills shortage.

But are these abilities that important?:

• According to a Wall Street Journal survey of nearly 900 executives, 92% said that soft skills were more important than technical skills.

What Skills are Most Wanted
Teamwork
In any organization or enterprise, working in teams or groups is essential to reaching set goals. Teamwork skills are crucial for achieving shared goals while maintaining a friendly and passionate team environment. These skills are associated with communication skills and understanding of group culture. With workplaces becoming increasingly diverse and inclusive, the ability to work well with people from different backgrounds and expertise is critical for success. Teamwork skills have always been necessary for a productive and smoothly functioning workforce.

Networking
Many students believe that good grades and strong technical skills are all that is needed for work success, but few recognize the true power of networking. With thousands of other graduates with the same degree and major, building soft skills through networking is essential for gaining a competitive edge. Networking allows you to expand your professional network through face-to-face meetings and online interactions, providing opportunities to enhance your graduate skills and career success.

Begin networking with people you know, such as family, friends, neighbors, church groups, social groups, and volunteer organizations, and build your network to include:

• People who know something about your chosen program.
• People who know others who have influence.
• People who know a lot of other people.

• Contact at least 10 people per day.
• Get 2 new referrals from each contact.