Lydia Dobyns
I must admit I’m perplexed about the controversy over whether so-called “soft skills” such as work ethic, collaboration and critical thinking should be taught in school. This debate should be a non-starter. What’s so soft about skills valued by Fortune 500 companies?
According to a report by the Associated Press (AP) released in June 2013, “companies increasingly want skills that don’t show up in a college transcript or a sit-down interview.”
“What the employers want is a well-rounded student,” said Jean Manning-Clark, director of the Colorado School of Mines’ career center, in that same AP report. “The ones that get 10 to 12 job offers are the ones who have strong soft skills.”
Every company looks for a different mix of skills and experience in the employees it hires. In today’s business climate, it’s no longer enough to be a functional expert. To accompany the ‘core competencies’ needed to fulfill a specific job, there are certain “other” skills companies look for in a potential hire.
Read the full blog at Huffington Post