What are soft skills?

Soft skills are essentially interpersonal attributes that play a crucial role in enhancing job performance. These skills include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability, which are vital for interacting effectively with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. Unlike technical or hard skills, which are specific, teachable abilities (like coding or operating machinery), soft skills are more about how individuals interact and work with others. They contribute significantly to creating a positive work environment and can often influence career advancement and job satisfaction.

In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of workplace competencies. Technical skills refer specifically to the know-how required to perform particular tasks. Certifications pertain to recognized qualifications in specific fields and show proficiency but do not encompass the broader, more nuanced interactions that soft skills cover. Hard skills highlight fundamental academic knowledge or specialized knowledge that is often measurable and can be taught directly, lacking the interpersonal elements found in soft skills.