Learning Outside of the Classroom

How student groups develop the soft skills employers are looking for today.

Technology is advancing at an incredible rate. Consequently, our hard (technical) skills are becoming replaceable.

This has the effect of growing the value of individuals with great soft skills, something employers and educational institutions have been paying more attention to.

Soft skills are the interpersonal qualities and personal attributes that we all possess. They determine our strength as leaders, facilitators, mediators, and negotiators. They teach us to communicate with other people, work in teams, have a positive attitude, and more. These are traits that enhance our interactions as well as job performance.

One study found that 75% of long-term job success depends on people skills, while only 25% is dependent on technical knowledge. It is also easier for employers to teach hard skills to people after they hire them than it is to teach soft skills.

The benefit for the employer is the acquisition of talent that is not easily imitable or replaceable.

The challenge for employers is that soft skills are not easily quantifiable and are rarely taught in the classroom. Although many schools are slowly updating their curriculum to integrate the teaching of soft skills, the best way for students to acquire them is through experiential learning.

This is where student groups come in.

Student groups give students the opportunity to apply the concepts learned in class in real business settings. Being on a student group is the equivalent of running a small to medium size business. Students learn to become leaders by being put in a context where they manage a budget, organize the logistics of different events, work with deadlines, work in teams, communicate with sponsors and donors, oversee their peers and supervise various projects.

This provides young leaders with the chance to test and learn from their successes as well as from their failures. Through this opportunity, students acquire soft skills that are incredibly valuable for employers and that set them apart from other candidates.

In today’s competitive world, soft skills are critical in the workplace and should be viewed as an investment. Student groups are a great resource for employers that are looking for candidates who possess those skills as their experience enables them to be the drivers of change in organizations and society.

If you’re unsure about how to connect with student groups and where to find opportunities to connect with student leaders, send us a message here and we’ll schedule a meeting!

This article is co-authored by Karina Bosca and Evan Pitchie.

Karina is the co-founder and Head of Operations of FortyOneFive, a student market research and consulting company. She can be reached via LinkedIn or email.

Evan is the co-founder and Head of Strategy of FortyOneFive. He can be reached via LinkedIn or email.