Hard skills are teachable abilities or skill sets that are easy to quantify. Typically, you will learn hard skills in the classroom, through books or other training materials, or on the job. Examples of hard skills include:
- Proficiency in a foreign language
- A degree or certificate
- Safety Training Certification
- First Aid Certification
Soft skills are the personal attributes you need to succeed in the workplace. These are often related to how you work with others – in other words, these are people skills. Soft skills are different from hard skills, which are directly relevant to the job you are applying for because hard skills are often more quantifiable, and easier to learn. A hard skill for a nurse, for example, might be the ability to use medical equipment or provide CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation).
While certain hard skills are necessary for any position, employers increasingly look for job applicants with particular soft skills. This is because, while it is easy for an employer to train a new employee in a particular hard skill (such as how to perform a specific medical procedure), it is much more difficult to train an employee in a soft skill (such as flexibility). Soft skills are subjective skills that are much harder to quantify. Also known as "interpersonal skills", soft skills refer to the way you relate to and interact with other people.
Examples of soft skills include:
1. Communication
- a. Written Communication. Poor writing not only makes exchanges of ideas and information less efficient, but it also makes you look bad more quickly than almost anything else. Learning to write well has an important side effect: since a clear, readable text is also well-organised, straightforward, and concise, learning to write also teaches you to speak and to think better.
- b. Verbal Communication. Verbal (also called “oral”) communication skills are essential for those with jobs in a traditional workplace and for employees whose tasks include extensive contact with people. Anyone who has to interact face-to-face with patients and colleagues needs to be able to express themselves clearly and concisely.
- c. Nonverbal Communication. Nonverbal communication includes vocal tone, eye contact patterns, body language, and more. Nonverbal communication often carries more information than speech and has a much greater impact on relationships with patients especially and colleagues as well.
2. Problem Solving Abilities
The five primary steps in problem solving are:
- Analysing the factors or causes contributing to the unwanted situation
- Generating a set of alternative interventions to achieve your end goal
- Evaluating the best solutions
- Implementing a plan
- Assessing the effectiveness of your interventions
