The importance of soft skills
THERE is a growing need to leave university with soft skills as well as technical qualifications. It is central to technical and vocational education and training that students are given the necessary knowledge and skills to prepare them for employment.
Getting a degree from a good university will provide you with technical skills, but employers look for two more things. They want graduates to have had some real-world exposure so that graduates are able to apply their knowledge in a business environment. They would also like graduates to be equipped with a set of soft skills that enable them to work effectively from day one.
But what do we mean by “soft skills”? Here are a few expectations placed on today’s graduates when they leave university.
l Presentation skills – If you are invited to an interview, you will likely be asked to give a presentation. If you have never done one before, you will be nervous and, quite frankly, not very good at it.
Giving good presentations does come with practice, so you should take any opportunity to hone this essential skill and draw on the expertise of others. Watch lecturers who enjoy listening to and ask yourself how they are different from the lecturers who are not so engaging.
YouTube videos, especially channels such as TEDx Talks, are an excellent resource. In my view, there is nothing as bad as just reading text off a presentation slide.
At the University of Nottingham Malaysia, we provide other opportunities for students to develop public speaking skills. Our Toastmasters Club has a mission to empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.
We also invite recent graduates to address the graduation audience. We know this is daunting, but what a fantastic opportunity it is to talk to an audience that is willing you to do well. Report writing – Writing a report is different from writing an essay or scientific paper. A thesis or dissertation may come close, but even those are different.
When writing a report, you may be required to collect or analyse data, structure the report, make recommendations, provide an executive summary, provide references and try to win others over to your point of view.
It is worth looking at well-written reports so that you know how to present them. Like public speaking, you should take every opportunity to write reports, especially if you can get feedback. Debating – In a business environment, you will attend a lot of meetings. You should confidently participate and be able to get your point across in a concise and coherent way. When you are in a meeting, make sure your voice is heard in a way that is constructive to the discussion that is taking place. Leadership – It may not be obvious how you can develop your leadership skills at university, but being part of the student association, leading corporate social responsibility activities and organising charity events are all ways that you can develop this important skill, which can help further develop your career.
These four points barely skim the surface of skills that employers look for. When considering a degree programme, ask the institution whether this type of training is built into the curriculum rather than being offered as separate (or perhaps even optional) courses.
It is only by continually developing your soft skills will they be at the level required by employers, giving you an edge in the job market.
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Prof Graham Kendall is chief executive officer, provost and pro-vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham Malaysia. Twitter: @Graham_Kendall
They want graduates to have had some real-world exposure so that graduates are able to apply their knowledge in a business environment.