Why are soft skills important?
If you are applying for a job in Finance there is a good chance you will already have the technical know-how, hard skills, relevant qualifications and market knowledge. But what makes you different to all the other candidates who are in the same boat? Now more than ever, it’s imperative that you can demonstrate the soft skills that will set you apart from the competition and the value you can offer.
Having the relevant soft skills will reflect your capabilities outside of the technical box that can be learned and refined. Soft skills are reflective of your personality, ambitions, drivers, interpersonal abilities, and social abilities and show how you might use them to tackle a tricky situation e.g., dealing with a difficult client.
Having the hard skills just isn’t enough anymore. Defining the unique soft skills you can bring to the table and how they might fit into the company culture and dynamic is crucial. You need to indicate how you would use them in your role and to benefit the company missions e.g. how you might diffuse a situation or negotiate a contract.
These are the top 7 soft skills that will set you apart;
1.Critical Thinking
Taking an objective outlook, analysing situations and making informed decisions is a great attribute that employers will look for. It shows that you are a problem solver, can take initiative and that you can take on challenges and find creative solutions that will support your business development.
2.Work Ethic and Drive
Although you may think it’s a given, showing passion and drive in a role is incredibly appealing for an employer. It shows that you are willing to strive for success, not only for yourself but also for the company, leading to business success and surpassing expectations without expectation of returns.
3.Curiosity
Simple yet one of the most important that links back to drive. Demonstrating genuine interest in the finance industry, the market trends, the technologies, and how relevant news, updates and economies might impact the finance world will show the employer a proactive and an informed personality that is fundamental for success.
4.Communication
Arguably a basic human skill, being able to communicate and convey ideas clearly and succinctly isn’t always the easiest skill to master. In the finance world, being able to communicate specialist knowledge to clients, candidates and key stakeholders has its advantages. It will establish strength in character and the ability to negotiate which will be vital when closing a deal or discussing a contract.
5.Agility & Adaptability
Tying in with technical skills, showing that you can adapt and adopt new technologies, software and processes is important for an employer. With new ways of working and the constant churn of technology advances, being able to navigate data processes, automation and AI is a must.
6.Time Management
Often overlooked, time-management is key in the finance industry. The industry is a fast-paced environment, as the day-to-day functions are no different. Finance roles will often have strict deadlines and cycles to follow e.g., monthly and quarterly reporting and staying productive, and on top of your workload and making the best use of your time will reflect strongly on your organisational and management skills.
7.Leadership
This skill will guarantee a successful career path in the finance industry. Coming to an interview with a proactive personality and approach to projects and teamwork, will increase your chances of being taken on with the possibility of stepping into a more senior role in the future. Bringing new ideas to the table, providing guidance, applying effective processes and embracing continuous learning and personal development will radiate you potential for future leadership.
These are just seven of the most relevant skills to bring to the table, however, there are many more out there. Having a combination of hard-skills and soft-skills will guarantee success in your job hunt as it demonstrates both your technical and interpersonal capabilities.
At IN2 Consult, we think cultural fit is an integral part of matching our candidates to our clients and we support our candidates by assessing what soft skills they have and tailoring our job search to align those skills to specific companies and roles.
We only ever submit candidates to live vacancies if we have had a thorough screening call, video meeting or met in person to ensure they not only carry the technical know-how and experience but also the soft skills that all our clients now look for when building their teams.