New Survey Results: Most Important Hard and Soft Skills

COM15AE_3_9_16_SoftSkills_AmericaDependability Is Top Soft Skill For Third Year; Hard Skills: Experience Matters More Than Education

Express Employment Professionals recently released new survey results revealing the most important hard and soft skills a job applicant should have.

Respondents were asked, “What are the five most important soft skills an applicant should have?”

At the top of the list, for the third year in a row, was dependability/reliability at 72%, followed by motivation (48%), verbal communication (44%), teamwork (39%), and commitment (39%).

COM15AE_3_9_16_HardSkills_AmericaRespondents were also asked, “What are the three most important hard skills an applicant should have?”

Experience topped the list with 95%, followed by technical ability (67%) and training (60%).

“While we’ve seen some fluctuation year to year in the skills ranking, it’s clear that the best job applicant is one who can show experience and demonstrate dependability,” said Bob Funk, CEO of Express. “After all, if an employer can’t depend on you, then nothing else matters.”

“On the hard skills side, it’s always noteworthy to see that education doesn’t make the top three. That’s not to say education doesn’t matter, but it is an important reminder that when looking for a job, an applicant should connect his or her education with the real-world skills and talents the specific employer needs.”

What are some of the most important soft skills you look for in a job candidate? Which hard skills are most important? Let us know in the comments section below.

Refresh Leadership is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

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