Obviously technical skills are important to get a job in the IT industry, but have you considered the importance of soft skills for tech talents?

Soft skills are personality traits and interpersonal skills that directly affect your relationships with other people. We’re talking about abilities like communication, leadership, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and so many others.

These skills can sometimes be harder to develop than technical skills. And the company you interview with can be very watchful about it. Soft skills can be the difference between who gets hired and who doesn’t.

What are the most important soft skills for tech talent to have?

You might be thinking that there are too many soft skills out there, how can you know which ones are the most important for tech talent to have? We have listed 5 really important soft skills that companies are looking for.

Communication

Being able to communicate effectively is a key quality to have – and it becomes more important each day in the work environment. Communication is not about how well someone speaks English, but how well they can understand each other. Teams need to be able to work together, work with other departments, and with clients – good communication between everyone is imperative to keep things working.

So don’t hesitate in exercising your communication skills to improve more and more. You need to be able to communicate your ideas and listen to others’ too.

https://blog.vanhack.com/blog/communication-skills-for-workplace-success/

Teamwork

Besides communication skills, another soft skill companies are really looking for in a candidate is the ability to work with – and as – a team. Share experiences, assist in solving problems, discuss solutions and help everyone improve are some of the things you can do to show your teamwork abilities.

The better you are at teamwork, even if you work independently often, the more attractive you will look to companies.

https://blog.vanhack.com/blog/how-can-your-behavior-impact-your-recruitment-process-performance/

Problem Solving

This skill goes beyond the solution of problems the company asks you to fix in a project or product. When talking about problem-solving we are talking about a mindset too. It will make you think ahead, observe better and be able to predict – and solve – problems you may face at work.

A good tip to develop this ability is to focus less on the problem and more on the solution. Have you tried to do that? How did it work?

https://blog.vanhack.com/blog/how-to-use-the-star-interview-method-like-a-pro/

Leadership

Even if you are not in a management position, leadership skills are very appreciated. Being “a leader” means being technically competent, but also able to share knowledge and level up with teammates. It’s not about bossing people around but rather mentoring the team, solving problems, and boosting the team’s skills. Being able to manage people and projects can be required – and you can also help in the decision-making process of your company. People in leadership positions usually demonstrate these four main qualities: technical ability, decision making skills, experience, and mentorship skills.

https://blog.vanhack.com/blog/what-does-a-senior-developer-actually-mean/

Adaptability

Tech professionals often have unexpected changes or setbacks in their jobs – this can range from a last-minute issue or a larger technical problem with their project.

You need to be able to adapt yourself to be able to pass through these changes and issues and be ready to find a solution.

https://blog.vanhack.com/blog/important-leadership-skills-for-workplace-success/

Improving your soft skills as a tech talent

There you have it, the top 5 soft skills tech talents need to be successful. 

You need to be aware that soft skills can – and will – be asked of a professional (not only tech talents) and that they can be the difference in who gets hired and who doesn’t.

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