The Top 16 In-demand Soft Skills for 2022 You Need to Master
Excel in your job search and your career with these top in-demand soft skills.
This article was originally published on the HiHello blog on February 16, 2022.
Whether you are updating your resume for job applications, looking to earn a promotion, or just want to be more content with your job, developing these 16 soft skills can help you get there. Soft skills can be that extra easy skill that puts you at the front of the pack. Keep reading to find the top soft skills employers look for in 2022 and the best soft skills to learn for your professional development.
What soft skills are employers looking for?
Keeping up with the latest skills can feel impossible as the job market changes quickly. However, showing employers that you have mastered these soft skills will show that you can handle whatever they throw at you, even if it’s a skill you don’t know yet.
1. Adaptability
As we all saw with the shift to remote work, adapting to changing environments is essential. Adaptability means being able to work in varying environments. It also means learning new skills quickly and adjusting to changes within the workplace.
2. Communication
Communicating your ideas, views, and opinions concisely and straightforwardly isn’t an easy skill to master. But being able to share ideas quickly is more important than ever before. Business moves fast in the world of technology. You have to be able to communicate powerfully and with speed.
3. Critical thinking
The ability to think critically has become a hot topic for employers. As a result, interviews will often include questions to test critical thinking skills.
4. Digital literacy
The days of writing Microsoft Office on your resume are over. Employers are looking for people who can pick up any digital tool quickly, like a new task management system, design tool, or even a digital business card. Every company uses various digital tools and knowing everyone is impossible. With digital literacy skills, you tell an employer it doesn’t matter if you’ve used a specific tool before because you can learn quickly.
5. Time management
Companies have to trust that employees manage their time well in remote work. Demonstrating strong time management skills in a hands-off environment shows potential employers that you can meet deadlines.
6. Take initiative
Stand out by taking the initiative. Meeting expectations is excellent, but you can impress employers and progress your career much faster by taking the initiative and going above and beyond.
7. Teamwork
Most jobs don’t exist in a bubble. Being able to work with a team is essential. Prove you can work effectively in a group to accomplish tasks. Teamwork means being able to manage conflict, collaborate, and share ideas.
8. Leadership
Even if you aren’t in a leadership role, there may be instances where you have to take control of a situation. Showing leadership skills tells employers you can manage others and work well within a team.
9. Be proactive
If you see a disaster waiting to happen, jump into action and fix it. Be observant and get things done early. Employers love to see their employees solve problems before they wreak havoc.
What soft skills do I need to develop that could enhance my career?
Learning new soft skills isn’t only about the job hunt. These soft skills can help you feel better in your current role and help set you up for better opportunities in the future.
10. Networking
Making connections and growing your network is the key to professional advancement in 2022. Networking doesn’t look like it used to, though. With social media, virtual events, and fewer classic networking events, it’s time to adapt your networking skills. We recommend starting with HiHello. Create a virtual business card that can be shared in any networking situation, even on Zoom.
11. Life-long learning
Having the curiosity and drive to continue to learn for life is the only way to keep current in the quickly changing business world. Show that you can take the initiative to stay present when you learn new skills. Use tools like LinkedIn Learning to make learning easier.
12. The art of negotiation
While pay transparency is becoming more common, salary negotiations are still essential to the job search. Know what you are worth, and make sure your future employer knows it too.
13. Self-care
Burnout is an ever-present issue in the workplace. Learning to manage your work-life balance is the key to being happy in your job and at home. Practice taking some time away from work each day, completely unplugging from the office, even for 30 minutes, can help reduce work strain.
14. Emotional intelligence
Also known as EQ, emotional intelligence is the key to understanding emotions, both your own and the feelings of those around you. Being able to process how others are feeling, what motivates them, and why they behave the way they do can help improve your personal and professional life. Good EQ skills help promote better collaboration, more robust communication, and better leadership.
15. Confidence
An estimated 70% of people experience imposter syndrome in the workplace. Imposter syndrome can feel like you don’t deserve your accomplishments and don’t belong. Learning to be more confident in your abilities can help overcome those fears of not being good enough. When you become more confident in yourself, it shows in your work.
16. Resilience
Everyone runs into roadblocks at work, and sometimes they just keep coming, but learning to be resilient is the best way to make it through. Learn to let go of negative emotions and instead focus on sustaining a positive mindset to work towards a solution. Not only will you be more successful, but you’ll also feel better while you do it.
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