Besides “hard” skills such as writing, mathematics and science, which have always been valued in both academics and in the workplace, some “soft” skills are also important for students to develop during high school and college in order to do well in their future career field.

As reported by U.S. News, there are five important soft skills that college students must have.

1. Collaboration
Nowadays, a majority of careers require collaboration. This might prove challenging for students who prefer to study alone during college. In order to develop skills to collaborate, college students can participate in athletics and extracurricular activities.

2. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
College students are immersed by the prevalence of electronic devices. However, developing good face-to-face communication skills not only helps college students do well in job interviews, but also finish their job efficiently in a workplace. Students are recommended to engage more with professors or obtain internships to develop this soft skill.

3. Problem-solving
Students will receive less help when they face unexpected challenges in life and in their careers. In order to improve problem-solving abilities, college students should try to take classes that use experiential learning rather than rote memorizations. Placing themselves in an unfamiliar and more challenging situation, such as a debate club, also helps a lot.

4. Time Management
In a college setting where students’ schedules are usually flexible and self-serving, developing good time management skills can benefit students long after graduation. College students can improve this skill by increasing their responsibility consciousness, gaining internships and doing volunteer work.

5. Leadership
Leadership skills are necessary within both the college and workplace settings. The best way for college students to develop this skill is to actively seek out leadership positions such as captains of an athletic team or positions within student government.

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