We are all trying to receive interviews or get hired for a job. There are different technical skills required for the job you are trying to seek. And everyone should have soft skills that make you stand out. But first lets define the difference between technical and soft skills.
Technical skills are skills that are required for the job you are trying to receive as stated by Doyle (2014). These skills are easier to be taught to someone, and is usually listed on resumes. Technical skills is also known as “hard skills.”
Soft skills is also known as “generic skills.” Doyle explains that these type of skills is how you interact with other people, or with your client (2014). It is much harder to teach people soft skills because they may be an introvert, and not able to interact with people as well as an extrovert.
Since we know the difference between technical and soft skills, you are probably wondering which technical skills are employers seeking? And which soft skills can help me stand out from everyone else?
Well being a computer science major I’ll list the top five technical skills for computer science majors that employers are seeking.
1. Programming
Programming should be a no brainer. If you can’t program then you will not have a great chance of success in landing this type of job. The company you’re applying for should tell you which language you should be familiar with whether it is Java, C, C++, or others.
2. Development Methodology
Companies divide people into small groups. These groups are used to satisfy customers needs on a certain product. Having experience in this will increase your chance of being hired. Most companies are embracing the Agile development methodology since it is collaborative among the team members, and flexible to the clients’ needs.
3. Analytical Skills
Analyzing the problem at hand should be a given. If you do not know what the problem is, then how can you find a solution. You should be well rounded analyzing the problem.
4. Problem Solving/Critical Thinking
When there are tasks at hand, the employer would like to see how you would accomplish this task. Employers like the creative thinking of their new employee.
5. Technical Writing
When the project is all finished, your boss is probably going to want a documentation of your process. Being able to write well written reports is a must. It shows that you understood your project well enough to document every step along the way.
We can be taught these five technical skills, but they’re not good if our soft skills do not support them. So here is the top five soft skills that can put you on top. It does not matter your what field you are in. Everyone should have these soft skills when applying for a job.
1. Leadership/Management Skills
Employers are interested in those who can take charge. Although people can be trained in leading a group, and taking charge. It is best to already have this skill before an interview. It shows the employers that you can manage a team.
2. Interpersonal communication
Having this technical skill paired up with the leadership skill will draw interest to you. This is an ability to help relate to your co-workers, and encourage others to participate in the project. This is a relationship builder with your team. Also communication is used when talking with clients
3. Listening
Listening is definitely a top soft skill. If people cannot listen, then they will not be able to listen to their boss about the project at hand, or listen to their client on what they want for their product.
4. Time Management
Time management is a skill potential employers seek. They want to know if you can handle a project over a long period of time, and always keep up with the task. Always being able to release a product on time makes you stand out.
5. Commitment
Employers want people who are committed to their work. They want people who are dependable when assigning a project to them. If you are committed then the employer will not have to supervise you every hour of the week, and make sure you are always on task.
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