Hard Skills vs Soft Skills: How to Balance Them

The most indispensable employees are those with a strong mix of hard and soft skills. Trends say hard skills can be taught, but soft skills come from within.

As companies grow, it becomes difficult to manage their employees, be it office evaluations, staff demands, job training in new areas, etc. So they identify candidates who will help the company grow rapidly.

As technological progress is on the upward trend, it has become very timeless for candidates to apply for jobs for all kinds of roles. But for that matter, it also means that the competition among the candidates increases to get that one job. So, how does HR choose the right one for the job in this pool of talent war? Here the skill set of a potential candidate comes into the picture.

Most talented employees are indispensable even though they are difficult people; organizations must deal with them as they cannot be easily replaced. So what separates them from the crowd of ordinary people? The perfect combination of hard and soft skills.

What are hard skills?

Hard skills are those skills that determine a person's ability to perform a task. For example, if you want to hire an accounting assistant, you will see whether he is good with numbers or knows how to read financial statements, right? It's a hard skill that, once hired, can hit the bull's eye.

Here are some examples of hard skills that anyone can learn going into any field-

Technical / Computer Skills

You can consider web development (HTML, C++, JavaScript), STEM skills, prototyping, automated billing systems, payment processing, CRM platforms, etc.

Analytical skills

Data Representation, Research, Forecasting, Resource Management, Data Engineering, Metric Interpretation, Reporting, Diagnostics etc.

Marketing skills

Email Marketing, Writing, SEO, SEM, PPC, Social Media Management, CRM, UX Design, Funnel Management, Google Analytics, Data Visualization, etc.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills determine whether you'll be the right fit for the company's culture. Unfortunately, there is no training related to soft skills. These soft skills can't be taught in an afternoon; Rather, these personality traits are acquired through life experiences. They include people and social skills that define how you interact in the workplace, handle responsibility, or seek improvement.

Here is a list of soft skills that should be included in your resume, irrespective of the field you go into-

Time management:

Time management means working efficiently and effectively. Employers in every industry look for employees who can make optimum use their time at work.

Communications:

The best employers need leaders who value their ability to listen and respond to customers and fellow employees.

Adaptability:

Adaptability in the workplace means being flexible and being able to change to be successful.

So how essential are hard and soft skills?

Hiring managers keep trying and testing various methods to find the right candidates for this talent war. But without any doubt, even today, a referral is one of the best hiring sources. Whether through social media or company programs, employers use referrals to tap networks that the company can access. For employers adopting new technologies and next-generation recruiting platforms, activating employee-based social referrals is becoming an increasingly important aspect of their recruiting strategy.

A social recruiting strategy, however, cannot be based solely on posting and tweeting job openings on social media. Organizations must adopt and leverage the latest two-way communication methods with their socially savvy audiences and stakeholders. For most targeted candidates and top talent circulating social media, employee referrals have taken on a whole new meaning.

Employers pay close attention to the following traits: teamwork, attitude, communication, creative thinking, work ethic, decision-making, positivity, work drive, leadership, time management, motivation, flexibility, problem-solving ability, critical thinking, conflict resolution, Compassion, hard work, etc. Hence, having the right balance of hard and soft skills is equally essential for career growth and success in one's dream full-time or part-time job!