Most In-Demand Soft Skills to Future-Proof Your Career

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Importance of Soft Skills for Career Growth
• Online Courses that improve Soft Skills 
  • Executive Diploma in Business Communication
  • Diploma in Managerial Psychology
  • Mastering Public Finance - Budgeting & Controls
  • Basics of Leadership Styles & Theories
• Conclusion
• Bonus Points

Introduction

In today's competitive job market, businesses are looking for Professionals who bring something more to the table. That edge usually comes from having strong, soft skills, the intangible attributes that distinguish successful candidates from others. 

According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report, 92% of talent professionals believe that soft skills are no less important than hard skills when it comes to hiring. Furthermore, 89% believe that a lack of critical soft skills is the main reason for failures among new hires. 

Soft skills are your secret superpower in crucial situations, provided you are able to identify them early enough. From acing job interviews to influencing office dynamics, soft skills are the unsung heroes of success. As organizations continue to focus on employees who can manage their interpersonal relationships and contribute positively to workplace culture, developing these skills is an essential investment in your career.

Importance of Soft Skills for Career Growth

• Adaptability in a Changing Environment: 

The contemporary work environment is characterized by rapid technological changes, changing organizational structures, and continuous changes in consumer demand. Therefore, adaptability is very important. Those who are confident and adaptive have fewer problems with stress management and promptly change their approach according to new requirements. 

Be it transitioning to remote work or adopting innovative tools, employees who are comfortable with change contribute to higher team performance.

• Communication Skills: 

Communication is the bedrock of collaboration. Whether giving updates on the status of projects or facilitating a team meeting, your ability to communicate can either make or break a project. Great communicators listen actively, give constructive feedback, and frame ideas in ways that are meaningful to people with differing perspectives. 

• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: 

Every day comes with new challenges. Therefore, problem-solving and critical thinking skills are vital. This is, perhaps, the reason why employers look for employees who can closely analyze a situation, think out of the box, and come up with reasonable solutions to problems. As you develop your problem-solving skills, you create a solution-driven and innovative environment.

• Emotional Intelligence: 

Emotional Intelligence encompasses one's ability to recognize, understand, and manage his own emotions and those of others. Emotional Intelligence is crucial for Leaders, as it keeps them tuned to employee perspectives and customer experiences and builds trust in the workplace. Emotionally intelligent leaders build inclusive environments that inspire open dialogue and lead teams to do their best work. 

Online Courses That Improve Soft Skills

While trying to live and work our way through modern work life, some soft skills have emerged as being in high demand from employers. At UniAthena, we recognize that acquiring and refining soft skills is the key to empowering your career growth. 

Here are a few courses that will help you enhance your skills:

• Executive Diploma in Business Communication

The four-week online Executive Diploma in Business Communication prepares professionals to have the key competencies in communication for a successful career. This course places an emphasis on group communication, conflict resolution, and efficiency in meetings so as to develop unity with organizational goals and core values. 

The activities and quizzes in this self-paced program are very effective for enhancing employee productivity and helping business organizations gain a competitive edge. Furthermore, get a chance to elevate your credentials by earning a Blockchain-verified certification upon completion.

• Diploma in Managerial Psychology

This Diploma in Managerial Psychology serves as a comprehensive 1-2 week course exploring fundamental psychological concepts relevant to managerial effectiveness. Participants in this course will get an understanding of patterns of thinking, motives, and opinions that will contribute to making better decisions, enhancing leadership and problem-solving capabilities, and fostering human relations in general. This self-paced free learning course, upon completion, will provide you with a Blockchain-verified certification to demonstrate your skill.

• Mastering Public Finance - Budgeting & Controls

This Mastering Public Financial Management course will provide you with key knowledge in Public Finance and an overview of the Public Financial System. It will present a budgeting process and effective ways of implementing the budget, as well as financial control and execution strategies. 

Conveniently delivered in byte-size modules, this self-paced online course enables you to learn at any time from anywhere, with a learning duration of one week. Upon successful completion, you will earn yourself a certificate from Cambridge International Qualifications, UK, validating your expertise in Public Financial Management.

• Basics of Leadership Styles & Theories

This Leadership Styles course introduces the varying kinds of leading styles, their pros and cons, and the meanings of the terms associated with Leadership styles. You will explore the theoretical underpinning of leadership, including the difference between managers and leaders, and an evaluation of the implications of alternative leadership styles on organizations. 

After reviewing these concepts, you will be able to conclude which leadership style is best for you and build a more motivated and efficient team. This self-paced and free course will take 4-6 learning hours to complete and, upon completion, will equip you with a certification from Cambridge International Qualifications, UK.

Conclusion

In today's world, the development of soft skills is not considered to be an option but rather a requirement for career development. Besides adaptability, the other key career competencies that will help you successfully work your way through the modern workplace include effective communication, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. 

By investing time and effort to develop these soft skills further, you will be able to present yourself as an asset to any organization. Take the next step in enhancing your soft skills by considering exploring courses offered by UniAthena which will gear you toward success in your professional journey. Benefit from this the opportunity to learn and grow and see your career flourish with these in-demand soft skills. Get started today!

Bonus Point:

• Develop a growth mindset where you can believe in your capability to learn and grow and accept challenges and setbacks for the possibilities they bring in terms of development. 
• According to Forbes, 48% of Hiring Managers chose not to hire a candidate lacking in soft skills. So don’t neglect them in your professional upskilling!