Businesses are struggling to find qualified candidates and a third say it’s because applicants are lacking these skills.

If you’ve got soft skills, employers want you.

Soft skills are becoming more valuable to employers and businesses are having trouble finding candidate who possess them. This is according to a new Harris Poll survey, which found that more than half (59%) of businesses say finding qualified applicants for open positions is one of their greatest difficulties, and a third (33%) say one of the main reasons is that applicants lack soft skills.

The findings follow a December 2020 Harris Poll survey which found more than half of hiring decision-makers believe soft skills are very important or absolutely essential in a job candidate, and that 73% of companies value soft skills more than ever before. Moreover, almost 1 in 5 said they believe soft skills have become more valuable than hard skills and that this shift in the workplace is permanent.

The most sought-after soft skills, according to the most recent survey are:

Willingness to learn (81%)

Dependability (81%)

Communication skills (75%)

Adaptability (75%)

Problem-solving skills (75%)

Ability to take initiative (72%)

All of these skills are increasingly important, probably because of the changing nature of the workforce and the business landscape. Employers who offer flex work policies and allow people to work remotely are going to want people who are dependable and able to take initiative.

The pandemic has also made us aware that disruption can strike at any time and that all of our business and employment situations may change at any moment, making employees who can adapt to changes, solve problems, and learn new skills more desirable. And communication skills of all kinds are always in demand, perhaps more so now because of the many different ways in which we communicate and work together as teams, be it remotely or in person.

Highlighting your soft skills when applying for jobs will give you an advantage. So, find ways to demonstrate these skills during the hiring process.

You say you’re willing to learn? List all the courses you’ve taken lately and talk about your new skills. You say you’re a good problem solver? Find a way to talk about a problem you solved. You say you’re a good communicator? Prove it by communicating well.

And keep working to develop your soft skills. It will help you in every aspect of your career.