5 Soft Skills you need to accelerate your career

The saying goes, “Hard skills get you hired. But soft skills get you promoted.” So, what is a soft skill?  

Soft skills are interpersonal attributes, otherwise known as people skills. They directly relate to how you interact with colleagues, solve problems, and manage your work. 

Soft skills are necessary across all levels of the workplace, from entry-level roles to top-level executive positions. They are transferable across roles and industries, which is why they are essential in building a successful and lucrative career. 

Keep reading to find out the Top 5 Soft Skills needed to accelerate your career. 

1: Communication

Good communication skills might be the most important of all the soft skills to learn. It’s impossible to become a valued team member if you interrupt, don’t actively listen, or speak in a negative way.  

You don’t have to become the next Shakespeare! Fortunately, becoming a better communicator is as simple as learning to listen without interrupting, speaking in a positive tone, watching your body language, and using clear and concise language. 

If you struggle with communication skills, you can always invest in a professional communication course. These short courses prove invaluable when it comes to accelerating your career. Check out our Become a better communicator short course, which can be completed online and at your own pace.  

2: Teamwork 

If you cannot work well within a team, you’re very unlikely to rise through the ranks and progress your career. That’s why teamwork is a critical soft skill to learn. With effective teamwork, your team will become more productive, deadlines will be met, and the workplace will run much smoother. A good team member is supportive and positive, communicates regularly and actively listens to each team member.  

If you feel that your teamwork skills are lacking, why not enrol in our Workplace Conflict Management Course Online? 

During this short course, you will learn how to: 

Expand your range of conflict management skills and develop your conflict intelligence. 

Be assertive and use active listening in the face of conflict to resolve it. 

3: Problem solving 

No matter where you work, or what business you’re in, problems will arise and they must be resolved. Problem solving skills help you solve issues quickly and effectively. They are critical soft skills because they show employers that you are self-reliant and can take initiative.  

Problem-solving requires observational skills, lateral thinking, and critical analysis abilities. Using a combination of these skills can help you identify the issue, develop a solution, and implement your new strategy. 

4: Adaptability

Businesses need to adapt to survive, but not everyone copes in a positive way when faced with change. Being able to quickly and successfully adapt is a critical soft skill. They show employers that you can confront challenges confidently, can approach your work with a ‘can-do’ attitude.  

5: Reliability 

This is definitely an underrated soft skill! To become an integral part of a team, it’s paramount to show people that you can be depended on. We’ve all had that one team member who called in sick constantly, was always showing up late, or couldn’t be trusted to complete their own tasks.  

Being reliable means that you do what you say you will, when you say you will. A reliable person is a trustworthy person and an invaluable workmate.