Skills Centre

What are hard and soft skills and why do they matter?

This is where you’ll be able to identify the hard and soft skills you already have, find out more about what hirers are looking for and how to be work ready.

What are hard skills?

Hard skills are the quantifiable skills you learn through education and training, such as being able to use Excel, Photoshop, speak a foreign language or write code. Most often, they are technical, can be tested and you’ll gain certification to prove you have them. Having the right hard skills will be critical for being able to fulfil a role in particular areas of expertise, but, in today’s working world, soft skills are considered increasingly important too

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What are soft skills?

Soft skills are the interpersonal skills you might not know you have. You might be a natural leader, hugely empathetic, a fast learner, a good critic, a clear communicator… these are all soft skills that help you to perform certain roles and functions within your teams and could be the difference between why a hirer chooses you, over someone else.

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Being self-aware

We’re all usually pretty clear on the hard skills we have. The courses we’ve studied, the grades we’ve attained, the certificates on our walls all attest to them. But sometimes it’s hard to identify our softer skills. If in doubt, ask those who know you well to describe you as they see you. Your friends, family, tutors, previous employers. You’ll find out really quickly what your most positive attributes are and you can use them to sell yourself to hirers. Weave them into your bio, give examples of how they’ve helped you and why your hard and soft skills complement each other. Identify the areas you’d like to improve on too and go for it. Be your best self.

Find out more

For Hirers

Simply fill out the form and we'll in touch

    For Students

    You can find more information for students here.