As we’ve covered before, many business leaders are proclaiming the importance of soft-skill development as a key area of growth for all employers. The ability to hire individuals who work well within the existing company culture and who can communicate while working with the team helps talent acquisition make a true impact on the overall organization.
In addition, applicants who are able to interview and communicate well are more likely to get their chosen job. So soft-skill development is equally important for both the employer and potential employee.
There are many recent stories being published that demonstrate this trend. Here are a few articles that show how colleges and business leaders are trying to address the soft skills gap:
Viewpoint: Business Leaders value the soft skills
William Browning discusses the results of a survey of Denver area business leaders and the traits that they value for those in leadership positions. This helps to understand what traits leaders are looking for in order to calibrate our efforts to prepare students for their future.
Colleges respond to industry demands for ‘soft skills’
Many business schools in Canada are now focusing on developing their students’ relationship-building skills as well as teaching the technical skills that will help students succeed. By integrating soft-skill development into their curriculum and forming partnerships with employers, these Canadian business schools ensure that their students are industry-ready upon graduation.
Soft Skills Matter: Can They Be Taught?
Businesses tend to feel that college can’t teach millennials soft skills, but employers also rarely have a mechanism in place to ease the transition. While the soft skills gap definitely has generational factors, employers must strive to create an environment that allows a diversity range of workers to thrive.
These news stories show that there is still the perception that many students have not built the soft skills they need to succeed by the time they graduate college and enter the workforce. But both business leaders and colleges are beginning to identify this issue and find ways to help younger employees find success in the early stages of their careers.
To see how InterviewStream is helping universities, colleges and workforce development boards promote soft-skill development, view our recorded webinar, Bridging the Soft Skills Gap.