Why your professional knowledge is not so important

Many employers think they find potential in someone who has a lot of knowledge of the profession. In job interviews, the focus is still often on education, knowledge of software and programs, languages you speak, et cetera. Of course professional knowledge is important, but these so-called "hard skills" are fairly easy to learn. Soft skills, on the other hand, are more difficult to learn and therefore much more expensive. Think of flexibility, listening, critical thinking and decision-making skills.

These soft skills are just as important - if not more so - than the hard skills. This is because these skills benefit you on a daily basis and they also make it easier to pick up new professional knowledge better. Yes, soft skills are harder to learn, but it is not impossible. Below we share some soft skills you can start working on.

Working together

It is important that you know how to work in teams. This is why you are often pushed into this during your education. After all, within a team there are different visions and talents. If you know how to work together effectively, you will achieve better results. You will also broaden your horizons: you will come up with new ideas, learn from each other and get to know your own strengths and those of your colleagues.

Tip: On our online learning platform you will find the e-learning "Working in teams". In it you will learn how to get more out of collaborations and what skills you can work on, such as: listening, summarizing, questioning and more.

Do you have leadership skills?

Not every position is a leadership position, but many employers value leadership skills. This shows that you are strong and can support yourself and also colleagues well. Examples include making decisions, taking the initiative to solve problems or handling stressful situations. If you know how to handle such situations, you can have a positive effect on the work climate. This is nice for the organization, but also for you.

Maintain a positive attitude

A positive attitude is greatly appreciated by your supervisor and colleagues. This is how you motivate others, as well as yourself. By working on your positive mindset, you create more enthusiasm, respect and friendliness in the workplace. This contributes to your own job happiness as well as that of your colleagues. Plus, by starting to look at things positively, you will become more stress resistant and prevent burnout.

Tip: To work on your positive attitude, you first need to know where your positive energy comes from, but also where your negative energy comes from, so you can eliminate it. Find out in the Drives scan on our online learning platform. That way you'll know what to look out for to create a positive work environment.

Learn to communicate effectively

Having communication skills is important in almost all jobs. However, communicating well is more than being able to talk or write. It is about being able to make a connection with another person, and that really is an art. In fact, you have to know how to respond well to each other's signals. So a skill that is also important here is the ability to listen well. Every interlocutor is different, so knowing how to deal with different signals is very important.

Also getting started with soft skills?

With the above soft skills, you can get by for a while. Or maybe you have already mastered some of them! On our online learning platform you will find many more trainings on different soft skills that you or your employees can work on. Start learning today!

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