Soft Skills for IT Professionals

Soft skills are competencies that support a person’s ability to develop and maintain relationships and interact with others. They include listening, communication, conflict resolution, leadership, decision-making, problem-solving and goal-setting. Marshall believes that “technical and ‘soft’ skills go hand in hand for today’s workforce” – which is clear when you consider how much technology and people impact each other and the organization. IT professionals especially must be able to communicate information simply and effectively to their organizations.

A study from business and technology consulting firm West Monroe found that more than three-quarters (78 percent) of HR leaders say they’ve become more focused on finding technology employees with strong soft skills. Sixty-seven percent say they have withheld a job offer due to a candidate’s lack of soft skills.

Tech professionals looking to bolster their competitive edge should strive to cultivate these soft skills