Soft skills – you may have heard how important they can be to your career. But when was the last time you focused on mastering some new ones? There are many soft skills that technical and non-technical candidates can benefit from when it comes to landing a new job. Communication is obviously high on the list, but also think about emotional intelligence, team building, organizational, and leadership skills. Here’s how they can help you take your career to the next level.

THE VALUE OF GOOD COMMUNICATION

Communication is complicated in our new world of work. Email, instant messaging, mobile phones, and other modern communication methods have really changed the way in which work is done. But, communication is still a critically important skill for job applicants to have and promote to employers.

Work is rarely done in a vacuum or on an individual level, so those speaking and writing skills are in constant demand. A candidate’s ability to discuss issues with coworkers and other stakeholders in a way that results in positive action is invaluable. In order to describe real situations where your communication skills were an asset to an employer or on a project, focus on developing those skills. Practice makes perfect and the more opportunities you get, the better you will become. Public speaking and collaborative efforts are both good examples to showcase employers in an interview. If you don’t have some case studies in your back pocket, go out there and get them.

WORKING WITH DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES

Working in a team can be tricky, especially with the diversity of experiences and personalities that come along in the tech industry. If you’re not confident in your abilities, this is an area you should work on building strength in. Employers depend on their team to collaborate and motivate each other. If you can showcase your leadership in that regard, you will make a big impression with hiring managers.

HANDLING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

Work requires some hard conversations, and if you are not skilled at navigating those types of situations, you are doing yourself a disservice in your career. Communicating (or even defending) your value to your manager and corporate leadership is critical. Understanding how to work well cross-functionally within your organization is key. If you shy away from the difficult situations that can lead to positive change, then you will only ever be as well off as you are now. And that’s unlikely to last for long considering how fast corporations and organizations are changing to keep up with a rapidly evolving market.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB?

To help you understand how some of these soft skills can really help you achieve more at work and in life, reach out to speak with a recruiter at USPRO today. We can help you bring your A-game to any interview or opportunity, and will support you along the way.