Most Companies Say Soft Skills Just as Important as Hard Skills

Some say soft skills more important when assessing job candidates

The vast majority of employers surveyed (77%) believe that soft skills (less tangible skills associated with one’s personality, such as a positive attitude) are just as important as hard skills (skills that are learned to perform a specific job function and can be measured, such as operating a computer program). Sixteen percent of employers said soft skills are more important than hard skills when evaluating candidates for a job.

The national survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder from February 10 to March 4, 2014, and included a representative sample of 2,138 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes.

The top 10 most popular soft skills companies say they look for when hiring are:

• Candidate has a strong work ethic: 73%
• Candidate is dependable: 73%
• Candidate has a positive attitude: 72%
• Candidate is self-motivated: 66%
• Candidate is team-oriented: 60%
• Candidate is organized, can manage multiple priorities: 57%
• Candidate works well under pressure: 57%
• Candidate is an effective communicator: 56%
• Candidate is flexible: 51%
• Candidate is confident: 46%