The quick answer…YES!
Strong technical skills are necessary for anyone wanting to work in the IT field; however, in today’s job market, employers have placed even more focus on soft skills. Soft skills are people skills (or, basic human skills) that characterize how an individual interacts with the world around them. Common examples include communication, active listening, adaptability, problem-solving, teamwork – the list goes on and on.
So, why do employers care so much about these skills? Soft skills have become an integral part of the success of individual employees and companies as a whole in the IT industry. Skills such as the ones mentioned above allow an IT employee to have better engagement with clients, to produce more effective products, and to relate better to those they work directly with. All of these outcomes translate to greater success for the company and the employee.
In addition, studies have shown that 93% of HR Managers say technical skills are easier to teach than soft skills. That means, if you can show hiring managers that you have great soft skills, you can actually beat out competition that may have stronger technical skills.
Programs like Centriq Training provide students with the opportunity to hone these soft skills and deliver job search training to guide them on how to showcase their soft skills to hiring managers. Through hands-on learning in a fast-paced environment that focuses on a combination of independent research, team-based projects, and public speaking, Centriq students can further develop the key soft skills that will make them successful in today’s IT industry.
Interested in learning more? Contact us and one of our education consultants will help out!