{"id":1856,"date":"2021-04-29T21:13:02","date_gmt":"2021-04-29T21:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.skillup.online\/?p=1856"},"modified":"2024-05-21T07:12:45","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T07:12:45","slug":"7-valuable-soft-skills-to-advance-your-it-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skillup.online\/blog\/7-valuable-soft-skills-to-advance-your-it-career\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Valuable Soft Skills to Advance Your IT Career"},"content":{"rendered":"
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An IT career is a stable and growing one. In times of economic uncertainty, that\u2019s not a given for a lot of jobs. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects computer and IT occupations to not just remain stable but to grow 11%<\/a> from 2019 to 2029, faster than all other occupations.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not all. The European Union reported that IT employment was \u201crelatively resistant\u201d<\/a> to the numerous financial and economic crises that the Union had gone through over the last decade. So not only are there plenty of IT jobs to go around, but you\u2019re quite secure in them too.<\/p>\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean you can rest on your laurels. You still need to continue investing in yourself. In its Future of Jobs Report<\/a>, the World Economic Forum said that business leaders even expect you to pick up new skills. This doesn\u2019t necessarily mean learning new technologies. Instead, it might mean polishing your soft skills.<\/p>\n

What Are Soft Skills?<\/h2>\n

Soft skills are the personal, non-technical skills that determine how you interact with other people, how you solve problems, and how easy you are to work with. It\u2019s often said that hard skills get you a job and soft skills keep you in it, but that\u2019s an understatement. More than ever, companies want to hire and promote those who have good soft skills<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Because soft skills are fairly intangible, it might seem as if they\u2019re something that you\u2019re either naturally good at or not. But nothing could be further from the truth. Just like technical skills, you can learn and get better at soft skills too. All it requires is a conscious effort, time, and dedication.<\/p>\n

Which Soft Skills Are Important?<\/h2>\n

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Empathy<\/h4>\n

Empathy is a foundational soft skill. All other soft skills are grounded in empathy, both for yourself and the people you\u2019re interacting with. The more you\u2019re aware of people\u2019s feelings, needs, and concerns, the easier all other soft skills will become.
\nPut yourself in the shoes of the other person. What are they thinking? How are they feeling? Why are they feeling this way? Don\u2019t judge, but understand. See things from their point of view. You\u2019ll automatically become a more caring individual, which in turn will unlock new career opportunities over time. Plus, the ability to put yourself in someone else\u2019s shoes could translate into building better products, an intuitive user interface, and more, because you understand their needs and concerns.
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Active Listening<\/h4>\n

Many people hear, but they don\u2019t listen. They wait for the other person to finish speaking so they can say what they\u2019re thinking. Those who genuinely listen have a step up in the workforce. Active listening means being patient, giving the right verbal cues, asking good questions, and summarizing what the other person said.<\/p>\n

Becoming a better listener means you\u2019ll remember more of the conversation. This, in turn, can improve your productivity, help you make better decisions, and allow you to navigate the politics of your workplace better.<\/p>\n

A Growth Mindset<\/h4>\n

More than perhaps any other industry, a job in IT is a job where you\u2019ll need to keep learning. The technologies and machines you\u2019re using today will seem antiquated a decade from now, or sooner. Having a growth mindset<\/a> is vital for your professional success.<\/p>\n

This needn\u2019t be exhausting. If anything, it\u2019s exciting! Being able to pivot to something new when required will make you so much more valuable to the company you\u2019re working for. If they know you\u2019re willing to learn and adapt, you become a candidate for jobs that you might not quite have the skills for yet.<\/p>\n

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Giving Feedback<\/h4>\n

Anyone can give feedback, but being good at giving feedback<\/a> is a rare skill and will help you grow beyond an individual contributor to become an excellent manager. Good feedback is constructive, neutral, and doesn\u2019t hurt the person on the receiving end. The best feedback does the following:<\/p>\n