Soft Skills vs Hard Skills: Which One Is More Important?
When it comes to growing in your professional career, you’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of hard skills like quantitative analysis, coding etc. But what about soft skills like communication, critical thinking? Aren’t they important too? Let’s take a closer look at the difference between hard skills and soft skills to see which one is more important for your career.
Hard Skills: The What of Your Job
Hard skills are the specific, measurable and technical abilities that you need to perform a certain task or job. For example, if you want to be a doctor, you’ll need to know how to use a stethoscope and read X-rays. If you want to be a web developer, you’ll need to know how to code in HTML and CSS. Hard skills can usually be learned through formal education or training.
Soft Skills: The How of Your Job
Soft skills, on the other hand, are the interpersonal skills that you need to succeed in any job. They’re also sometimes called “people skills” or “interpersonal skills.” Examples of soft skills include communication, problem solving, time management, and teamwork. Unlike hard skills, soft skills can’t be taught in a classroom; they have to be learned through experience and specialised learning programs.
So which one is more important? Soft skills or hard skills? The answer is… both! While hard skills are certainly important for getting your foot in the door, it’s often your soft skills that will determine whether you excel in your job and move up the ladder. So if you’re looking to boost your career, don’t forget about those all-important soft skills!
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