Question

The job market's most sought-after skills can be tough to spot on a résumé. Companies across the U.S. say it is becoming increasingly difficult to find applicants who can communicate clearly, take initiative, problem-solve and get along with co-workers.Those traits, often called soft skills, can make the difference between a standout employee and one who just gets by. While such skills have always appealed to employers, decades-long shifts in the economy have made them especially crucial now. Companies have automated or outsourced many routine tasks, and the jobs that remain often require workers to take on broader responsibilities that demand critical thinking, empathy or other abilities that computers can't easily simulate. As the labor market tightens, competition has heated up for workers with the right mix of soft skills, which vary by industry and across the pay spectrum-from making small talk with a customer at the checkout counter, to coordinating a project across several departments on a tight deadline. In pursuit of the ideal employee, companies are investing more time and capital in teasing out job applicants' personality quirks, sometimes hiring consultants to develop tests or other screening methods, and beefing up training programs to develop a pipeline of candidates. "We've never spent more money in the history of our firm than we are now on recruiting," said Keith Albritton, chief executive of Allen Investments, an 84-year-old wealth-management company in Lakeland, Fla. In 2014, the firm hired an industrial psychologist who helped it identify the traits of its top-performing employees, and then developed a test for job candidates to determine how closely they fit the bill. In the increasingly complex financial-services world, advisers often collaborate with accountants, attorneys and other planning professionals, Mr. Albritton said. That means the firm's associates must be able to work in teams. "You can't just be the general of your own army," he said. A recent LinkedIn survey of 291 hiring managers found 58% say the lack of soft skills among job candidates is limiting their company's productivity. List several soft skills important to career success? What areas of business rely more on soft skills than hard skills? Elaborate. i want the case study answer for this question.

Answer 1

The most improtat soft skills needed in contemporary work environment are

(a) Communication skills which includes speaking, listening, comprehending, observing and empathising skills.

(b) Empathy is one of the most important skills that helps a person to put in another person's shoes, and helps to be considerate, caring and concerned about others.

(c) People skills. It includes getting along with the people, interacting with them and building long lasting relationships, both on professional and personla level.

(d) Leadership skills, which are essential and prepares one to take higher responsibilities.

(e) Negotiation and conflict resolution skills.

(f) Ability to multitask and prioritise the tasks. This is essential in today's work environments where one works on a number of tasks at a time.

(g) Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines.

(h) Cultural tolerance, empathy and adaptablity to accept and respect members from different cultures. This is particualrly true in today's work environment that has multicultural attributes.

(i) Happiness index of the employee. Any person who sports a smile and looks cheered up makes up a day for many. Being happy and content is always appreciated at work.

(j) Other preferred traits are a positive body language, way of dressing and carrying oneself at work, personal hygiene and a presentable persona.

2.

The areas where there is more interction with customers are the ones that need higher degree of soft skills than others. It includes roles related to marketing, customer relationship management, public dealing, negotiations, business communication, grievance redressal, after sales service and strategic relationship management among others. The industries where soft skills play a greater role are the event management, hospitality, healthcare, wellness, edcucation, public relations, media, social services etc.