Soft skills describe various aspects of how you work and interact with others. Other ways to describe them can range from core skills, and essential workplace skills, to even power skills, as I’ve recently read. Examples of these would be such things as the ability to communicate effectively, work ethic, time management, conflict resolution, and the ability to work with & treat others respectfully. They can be broken down into more specific examples, of course, but why are they so important to students?
First off, soft skills are developed throughout a student’s career, are modeled every day, and by the time they get into their upper high school years, should be refined to the point where they allow the student to complete simple tasks, navigate an adult conversation, hold down a job, get through college, or climb the ladder in their chosen career field. Why mention this then if they are constantly taught or demonstrated throughout school?
I mention this as a reminder to students to be attentive to these things as you, our precious students, move through your high school years because your future employers will want these attributes, and surprisingly, they are seeing evidence that soft skills in young people are decreasing. It is important for you to take some time to evaluate where you are at with these character attributes in your daily routine because they are details that show up often and affect your productivity. Do you show up on time to school and class? Do you answer emails appropriately or respond to teachers when asked? Can you make eye contact when spoken to? Are you able to work with others and take direction even if you don’t know them that well to accomplish a task? I could go on and on with how to measure these skills, but if you feel you are lacking in these valuable areas, now is the time to give them some attention because they will benefit you now and long term.
