Soft skills are important: the basic skills individuals need for jobs in an office setting. A few of the soft skills professionals in the workplace should exhibit include strong communication, enthusiasm, and professionalism.
Soft skills are a bare minimum needed to work in an office environment. A strong work ethic, critical thinking, and teamwork skills are also necessary, especially in admin and office support roles.
What Are Soft Skills?
The United States Department of Labor defines soft skills in the workplace as basic skills that business leaders across the country seek in future employees. Examples of soft skills include:
- Reading
- Critical thinking
- Professionalism
- Teamwork and collaboration skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Adaptability
- Time management
- Writing
- Oral communication
- Work ethic
In addition to these soft skills, many jobs require other, more specific skills. Continuing education and higher learning opportunities remain important in the hiring process. Showcasing a strong resume with soft skills and hard skills can give you an advantage in potential interviews.
Soft Skills and Hard Skills
While soft skills may seem simple, they require frequent communication, collaboration, and interaction with others to build the strong skills needed to succeed in an office support position. Soft skills may be the foundation of a career, but hard skills should not be forgotten.
For instance, certifications, hands-on experience, and degrees are considered to be essential for job performance. These hard skills can help individuals gain available positions and achieve promotions. However, without the much-needed soft skills for interacting with others, hard skills can become useless.
Key Roles in Office Support Requiring Soft Skills
There are key roles in office support requiring soft skills. The following office support jobs offer specific positions for those with strong soft skills:
- Office managers – manage supplies and employees, support team productivity, and oversee office operations
- Call center representatives – assist customers with inquiries, deliver positive communication, and resolve issues
- Human resources – handles onboarding, recruitment, employee relations, and compliance
- Data entry clerks – ensure timely and accurate entry of critical business records and information
- Administrative assistants – provide day-to-day support through organization, communication, and scheduling
Individuals with strong soft skills may succeed in the job positions listed above, as soft skills are highly valued in these roles. Connecting with customers effectively, communicating with coworkers positively, and remaining professional in all aspects of the workplace will help build rapport with colleagues and maintain powerful bonds with fellow workers.
How to Find Employment
Although you may possess both hard and soft skills required to work at various jobs, you will still need to take part in a job search, which can prove challenging. Despite the difficulty in finding available jobs, there are ways to improve your chances of standing out among other potential candidates.
For instance, many companies identify these skills as needed to secure a job:
- Networking – speaking with other professionals about job and career opportunities
- Communication – actively listening and providing appropriate information to others
- Enthusiasm – showing an eagerness to learn more about your position and the company
- Professionalism – dressing appropriately, arriving on time, and remaining productive
- Teamwork – relying on others and completing tasks with coworkers
Chances are, you possess several of these skills already. If so, you are already one step closer to finding your dream job. Remember your soft skills, practice them, and begin your job search.Office Staffing Support
Find Employment Today
At LH Global Consulting, we offer global staffing consulting. Not only are we efficient at quickly hiring employees, but we also help identify and match jobs with the ideal talent. Whether you want to hire a potential employee with soft skills or you have soft skills and are currently on the job hunt, contact us today to learn more about our organization and let us help you find your dream job.
