[Excerpt from the Soft Skills Success Plan]

Whether it is building a particular skill set or searching for keywords to put on a resume, when

people are trying to figure out what soft skills they need to achieve their goals and objectives

they often seek advice from their peers, parents, teachers, mentors, other professionals, or a

combination of them all.

That’s a great idea because although 10% of your learning comes from education, 20% of your

learning comes from others.

But did you know that 70% of learning occurs from skill-based and job-based activities? So, the

real question is how do you find the soft skills that actual companies and organizations are

looking for? It’s simple. And you probably already know this: you need to do a little bit of

research.

QUICK & EASY RESEARCH PROJECT

Go do a quick online search for 5 to 7 job descriptions for positions you would be happy to have.

Write down all of the skills listed on the job descriptions. List the technical skills (i.e.

programming, typing, creating spreadsheets, etc.) and soft skills (i.e. communication, creativity,

problem-solving, teamwork, organizational skills, etc.) in separate columns. If a skill appears

on more than one job description, only list it once, but next to it also write down the

number of times it appears.

Hint for entrepreneurs: If you plan to start your own business then research the skill sets of

five successful CEOs and/or entrepreneurs in your industry. Remember, you can also include

job descriptions for jobs and internships that you are applying for on the journey to starting your

own business.

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Want to continue working on your in-demand soft skills? Download your S3 Plan here.