In today’s job market, employers are placing more emphasis on soft skills over the hard skills that relate specifically to a particular job description. A research study conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation and Stanford Research Center concluded that 85% of job success comes from having well‐developed soft and people skills, and only 15% of job success comes from technical skills and knowledge. This further supports the idea that it is critical for potential new hires to possess, not only hard technical skills, but also soft skills, to be successful.
When hiring managers are interviewing candidates, often they tend to focus solely on the hard skills, such as experience, using specific programs or applications, or holding a specific degree, while overlooking those important soft skills that can be leveraged. While hard skills may be easier to learn and showcase someone’s understanding of a measurable ability, soft skills demonstrate a person’s innate capability of building relationships in the organization and can also help determine the success of working with clients and business partners.
Organization, communication and problem solving are just a few soft skills that can make or break job success. Emotional intelligence is another skill that shows a person’s ability to effectively empathize with their peers, as well as a component of being self-aware to identify their own strengths and weaknesses. Communication skills are essential to a vast majority of positions in the workforce, especially when it comes to collaborating with their peers and other members of the organization. The importance of having effective communication skills increases team collaboration, work productivity and fosters a culture of building sustainable relationships and trust amongst colleagues.
As the workforce continues to evolve to a modern approach including remote and hybrid work options, employers must become understanding in their hiring selections to ensure they are choosing the best candidates in this competitive job market. Soft skills are not only necessary, but highly valued in the claims management industry because adjusters are working with policyholders after they have suffered a loss. The decision to focus on a person’s soft skills rather than their hard skills and selecting them for a new position proves to employees that the company is invested in their overall personal and professional growth. As a result, this will build confidence and trust between the employee and the company, which leads to increased work productivity, loyalty and longevity.
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