Six must-have soft skills for freshers in 2023 (2024)

The employment sector today demands much more than an amalgamation of theoretical knowledge and technical skills. Yes, the requirement for tech skills has multiplied in the current age of AI, but companies equally value soft skills. Organisations today look for candidates who are flexible, adaptable and can grow in the continuously evolving workspace.

Every day at work, you might encounter a wide range of situations. Some might demand collaboration, others may test your problem-solving abilities. To address these — along with specific skills such as SEO, data analysis, and coding skills — you also need interpersonal skills to a great extent.

Deloitte, a globally renowned professional services network, has predicted that “soft skill intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030.” So, it’s extremely important to add various soft skills to your skill set in order to smoothly navigate your professional journey.

Here are the 6 must-have soft skills:
1) Collaboration – To work well in the corporate environment, it’s necessary to be a team player. You might be an exceptional individual , but your performance also relies on how well you coordinate with others. A project becomes a success only when everyone’s contributions come together effectively. And a powerful team is formed when different people, with their own strengths and weaknesses, come together to achieve a common goal. Being approachable, active, patient and helpful towards your teammates are starting points in this journey.

2) Decisiveness – Employers are eager to hire candidates who can make quick decisions in adverse situations. A delay in decision-making can create multiple levels of issues. To build this skill, one needs critical thinking to identify the root cause of the problem and then quickly take the best case option, based on available information and intuition. Along with data, intuition does play a role in taking decisions.

3) Creativity – Contrary to popular opinion, it is not just limited to the field of art. In the corporate sector, a data analyst can be just as creative as a graphic designer. It could show up in the creative rendering of a visualisation or the way in which an insight is presented. Unleashing the natural creativity that each one of us have and using the emerging tools, be it design tools or AI tools, can help us harness it further.

4) Strong communication – Communication has an indispensable role to play in every process that runs in an organisation. The way you express your messages, concerns and queries makes all the difference. While communicating, the prime focus should be on your tone and body language — they should always reflect a sense of warmth, acceptance and respect towards the listener. Moreover, communication is a two-way road. Hence, you should also remain open to receiving feedback and show the willingness to adapt.

5) Adaptability – With the recent changes in the employment landscape, one thing has become crystal clear: change is inevitable. Being adaptable and flexible will help you embrace the changes in your surroundings. A company’s management, structure, business needs, policies and working patterns go through changes over time. Having this skill provides a good opportunity to grow with the company.

6) Emotional intelligence – Emotional intelligence or EI is a skill that allows you to be aware of, control and manage your own emotions, and understand and empathise with the emotions of others. This skill can be highly beneficial in building strong relationships with others by analysing various nonverbal cues. For instance, your teammate hasn’t been expressing much like their usual self and you can sense that something is bothering them. So, your high EI will make it simpler for you to adjust your behaviour accordingly towards them and help them express their emotions better.

These are some of the highly preferred soft skills in the employment sector. For your personal growth, you must first assess which soft skills you need to acquire and which ones are your absolute strength.