If you want to succeed in today’s modern workplace and land the best-paying roles, it’s time to start taking the soft approach. That’s the advice coming out of this latest study by the team at CashNetUSA.
The study, which looked at US job advert data for roles in the top 25% wage bracket, showed that the hard-nosed business approach just doesn’t cut it anymore. Instead, employers are looking for talented staff with soft skills; those personality traits, social skills, and communication abilities that help us navigate our environment, work well with others, and achieve our personal and professional goals.
So which soft skills are the most in-demand?
Strategic thinking came out on top, appearing in over 67% of all job adverts analyzed in the study.
Want to become a better strategic thinker? The best place to start is with a copy of Max McKeown’s “The Strategy Book: How to think and act strategically to deliver outstanding results.” Considered one of the definitive works on developing this soft critical skill, it’s full of practical advice on how to shape your (and your business’s) future.
The art of negotiation and the power of persuasion are the next two most in-demand soft skills for today’s highest-paying jobs.
And while raw intellectual skills like problem-solving are still super important, there’s an increasing demand for emotional intelligence in the workplace. The (very human) ability to recognize and manage our own feelings, as well as those of others, is now a requirement for just under half of the best-paying jobs in the USA.
See what other soft skills made it into the list in the charts and infographics below.
The Soft Skills Most in Demand for Highly Paid Jobs, courtesy of CashNetUSA