IT careers: 5 essential soft skills to strengthen the job competitiveness

Soft skills are not frequently looked at compared to technical skills in the realm of IT professions. Soft skills can be difficult to develop since they are often neither quantitative nor objective, and they are easy to ignore on a day-to-day basis when working.

This is especially true in today's workplace, as we are all adjusting to working remotely while still balancing our personal and family duties. There are skills- known as soft skills – those employers are always looking for when deciding to hire, promote or retain an employee. Here are some soft skills that will enhance your career and not only it may assist you to greater success in your job, but also prepare everyone for life beyond quarantine.

You might think that someone who will be in the IT sector is required to master the technical skills, good with coding in C+, C++, python, java, and any other programming language that is crucial to have. But what about the soft skills that are specifically needed for an IT job? Soft skills are as momentous as technical skills, with the right soft skills you will be able to rise to the top in IT and tech.

Communication Skills:

Communication skills are very essential in every aspect of daily life or in a working place and there are numerous tools of interactions that are required when communicating. But it is not easy. There are many facets to communication, from knowing what to say to know when to be quiet.

Communication is the first and most critical soft skill you will need. Yes, it may sound cliché, but most occupations will demand you to communicate well. However, we're not just talking about everyday communication; as an IT professional, you'll need to interact with your bosses, co-workers, and most importantly, your clients. From the beginning to the conclusion, you will be required to guide someone with less knowledge in the IT industry than you. Writing skills, as well as the ability to explain technical concepts to individuals who aren't tech-smart, are all a part of communication too.

Problem Solving:

IT occupations are among those that involve problem-solving. Have you ever had a good time trying to find out why your computer, printer, or phone isn't doing what you want it to do? If you do, then a job in information technology might be ideal for you as many of the technical skills required trial and error. To come up with successful solutions, problem-solving necessitates creativity and thinking beyond the box. Interviewers frequently inquire about your problem-solving skills and how you used them to improve a situation or achieve desired results. Managers admire problem-solving abilities because it relieves them from a load of troubleshooting and problem-solving.

Eager to learn:

IT workers who enjoy learning new things and who genuinely want to understand how things work to have a distinct advantage when it comes to becoming competent IT people. It necessitates a great deal of investigation, and curiosity is a crucial component of that. For example, the finest security specialists have an intrinsic interest in how things function behind the scenes, such as how to breach systems. They wouldn't be as inventive in applying security measures to corporate procedures if they didn't have this feeling of wonder. The process of sharpening your soft skills in an IT field however can make you stand distinctively from the others. Having soft skills is as important as having technical skills. Thus, given how quickly technology evolves, it’s important to be aware of upcoming changes in IT innovation. Eager to learn new things can help you from finding yourself stuck with outdated or unreliable tools.

Teamwork:

Nowadays, a huge proportion of IT workers are working remotely. Not only that, most of the company has opted to transition to working from home. Because most meetings will be conducted electronically, the ability to successfully cooperate and come together as a team becomes even more crucial in these situations. It is quite beneficial to have someone who can effectively use technology to connect and keep an open line of communication. Additionally, someone with the ability to discern when to take the lead on a project or step back and take direction, depending on what is required, will prove themselves to be an indispensable asset. However, working well with others, relating well to others, and resolving conflict may boost productivity and help the office function more smoothly. Having a reputation for being "easy" or "excellent" to work with may help you advance to a leadership position or open doors to additional chances through networking. Teamwork and collaboration are other examples of interpersonal skills.

Project Management:

Technology integration is frequently performed through project execution, which requires skilled project managers. Professionals can receive a variety of certifications to better their project management abilities, including schooling related to project management information technology. Developing a gut check for how a project is going may also help with overall project management. To acquire this talent, you'll need a lot of practice.

Soft skills should be considered essential: they are becoming increasingly important when recruiting C-suite executives and across the entire IT business. According to LinkedIn's annual Global Talent Trends 2019 report, the top two trends in hiring and retaining talent are soft skills and flexible working.

They are numerous other soft skills options to learn how to sharpen your IT skills. These are just a handful of the skills that today's IT professionals need to acquire in order to be future-proof. Do you already have one or two of these? If not, register with Recruitable.asia to upskill your current talents and find appropriate learning or training opportunities. This is not a passing phase. As remote work becomes more common in an ever-changing environment, IT workers with polished critical abilities will be in high demand.