Unveiling the soft skills employers value most and how to showcase yours

In 2023, if you’re a young adult eyeing a career in the tech world, it’s time to realise that while technical skills are important, they’re not the only things that matter. Employers these days are really into what we call ‘soft’ skills – the kind that deals with people and feelings – and they’re pretty crucial for making it big in this ever-changing tech landscape.

Here’s a handy guide on how to show off your skills when you’re chasing tech jobs:

Top 3 skills you need as a young techie in 2023

Communication:

This one’s a biggie. Tech work often means working with folks from all over the world, across time zones and cultures. So, being able to chat and collaborate with all kinds of teams, whether they’re next door or on the other side of the globe, is super important.

Problem-solving:

Doesn’t matter if you’re a coder, a security guru, or a project manager; you’re going to run into some tricky problems. Show off your talent for coming up with fresh ideas and clever solutions.

Adaptability:

Tech is all about change. Show how you’re cool with switching gears when projects shake up or when the company decides to change its entire structure.

How to show off your soft skills 

Just saying you’ve got these skills doesn’t cut it. What really makes you stand out is giving solid examples of how you’ve put these skills to work for your past employers and how they’ve helped you grow in your career.

Instead of just saying “I’m a problem solver,” get specific. Say something like, “I cooked up a custom solution that saved our team X hours of mind-numbing work every month.”

Here’s how you can showcase those skills:

– Learning on the Fly: List the skills you picked up in your previous gigs and how they made you awesome at what you do.

– Flexibility and Roll-with-the-Punches: Share a story about how you smoothly handled a project shake-up or a big change in your company’s setup.

– Embracing Change: Talk about a time when you welcomed change and how it had a positive impact.

– Problem-solving: Go deep into your creative solutions to challenges and what awesome stuff came out of it.

– Communication:  Tell tales of how you worked with all sorts of teams, juggled lots of people’s opinions, and got your point across to colleagues from different corners of the globe.

Key Takeaways for Young Techies:

Hard skills are essential, but they can change depending on the tech job you’re after. To really wow employers and make a name for yourself as a young tech pro, show off your soft skills. Think about your past jobs, and make sure you’re developing and showing these skills in your current gig. That’s your golden ticket to success in the ever-shifting world of tech.