Employees with technical skills and targeted specialties are in high demand by companies of all sizes. With new and emerging technology, changing customer expectations, and an increasingly growing number of competitors that offer the same product or service with their own unique twist, employees are expected to know, and do, more than ever.
But employees looking for higher earning potential, and the desire to make a lasting impression with employers, need to turn back to a basic source: soft skills.
While having the ability to collaborate with teams seems straightforward, the dependence on technology, and communication/collaborating online, has caused a slight breakdown with effective communication skills.
“‘Soft skills’ refer to a cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes and social graces that make someone a good employee and compatible to work with,” outlines Kate Lorenz, author of Top 10 Soft Skills for Job Hunters. “Companies value soft skills because research suggests and experience shows that they can be just as important an indicator of job performance as hard skills.”
Employees who demonstrate an aptitude for soft skills, in addition to technical abilities, earn an average of 10% more than employees who excel in just one area. It’s just one of the many findings highlighted in a recent research paper by Catherine Weinberger of the Institute for Social, Behavioral and Economic Research at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and discussed by Katie Simon, author of Well-Rounded Workers: 2 Skills That Boost Earning Potential.
Katie notes that 30 years ago, having both sets of skills – soft and technological – accounted for a higher earning average of just 3%, as compared to the 10% for having both today.
What’s driving the growing wage gap? The answer lies in the evolution of the entry-level job. Many “traditional” entry-level job responsibilities are being automated and replaced by software. Now, employers are demanding new employees bring something else to the table.
“[Employers] are increasingly looking for workers who also possess ‘soft’ skills, like being able to collaborate on teams and interact smoothly with clients,” says Katie.
While having the ability to collaborate with teams seems straightforward, the dependence on technology, and communication/collaborating online, has caused a slight breakdown with effective communication skills.
Fortunately, much like learning how to code, soft skills can be developed – and learning these soft skills can reverse the breakdown in workplace communication as outlined above. And in addition to becoming a more well-rounded worker with higher earning potential, soft skills are also useful for better personal, non-work related interactions.
For a primer on people skills that every employer (and client) loves, brush up on the skills outlined in Laura Vanderkam’s article 4 Soft Skills That You Need To Learn.