“What do you think is the most important soft skill in this increasingly automated world?” Our team at Reeracoen set out to answer this pertinent question via a LinkedIn survey. 51% of respondents voted communication as the most important soft skill.

Of course, this is not to say that other soft skills like creativity, stress management and teamwork are not essential. These skills must work in tandem to give you that competitive edge in the workplace, regardless of which industry you’re currently in.

Importance of Soft Skills in the Age of Automation

Unlike technical expertise obtained through your education and career (also known as hard skills), soft skills are not quantifiable. As meta skills, they are not job-specific and thus easily transferable.

Even as the pace of technological transformation quickens with the rise of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools, soft skills remain valuable. In fact, it is arguably even more important for you to cultivate soft skills in an automated workplace. Only you can deliver that human touch—not robots!

If you lack the requisite soft skills, you may not be able to land your dream job. What makes the hiring manager pick one candidate over the other when they both possess similar qualifications? Communication, creativity and critical thinking. Even if your technical competency gets you in the door, you still need soft skills to thrive in your role—and eventually be promoted.

Skills Demand for the Future Economy Report 2022

In the latest Skills Demand for the Future Economy Report, SkillsFuture Singapore listed 16 Critical Core Skills (CCS) you must develop. These CCS are a combination of digital, cognitive and socio-emotional skills which Singapore employers deem most critical to their business. They are grouped into three distinct categories:
(i) Interacting with Others,
(ii) Staying Relevant and
(iii) Thinking Critically.

It is interesting to note that the study derived seven unique work-role archetypes—and the respective CCS necessary for each archetype. For instance, the top 3 CCS for Managers are Self Management, Collaboration and Digital Fluency. This is contrasted with the top 3 CCS for Deal-makers, which are Problem Solving, Creative Thinking and Decision Making.

How to Identify Your Soft Skills

In order to advance your career, you have to first identify the soft skills you’re naturally good at as well as those you need to work on. Are you adept at generating new ideas and thinking out of the box? Do you need to be more adaptable whenever unexpected situations arise? This can be done by utilising numerous soft skills assessment tools including the DiSC model and MBTI.

Besides spending some time in self-reflection, you can also ask those around you. The feedback from your manager and colleagues can unveil some blind spots you may have, thereby heightening your self-awareness.

Soft Skills Training

After you’ve identified which soft skills need improvement, it’s time to take action. Don’t be too discouraged; like any other skill, soft skills can be gradually developed over time! Your abilities are not set in stone. You can get better at the CCS, whether it be collaborating with your team members or solving problems.

And you don’t have to do it alone. SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) offer numerous courses by qualified training providers. There’s a wide variety—ranging from vision leadership to business etiquette—for you to choose from. You can even learn how to engage in performance appraisals positively. Be sure to capitalise on these opportunities!

Seeking Your Next Career Move?

Visit our job portal or Submit your CV.

We’re also hiring—join the Reeracoen family today!

Read more:

How Much can Fresh Graduates in Singapore Earn?

We Asked ChatGPT If It’ll Make Us Jobless