Written by Carmen Garcia

Thumbnail and Banner Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

Making the decision to get a degree typically means you have a specific goal in mind, like earning one to land your dream job. We often hear about the importance of excelling academically and mastering technical skills in our university studies, but there's something equally, if not more important that often gets overlooked, called “soft skills”. Soft skills are “people's ability to communicate with each other and work well together.” Fortunately, there is another way to develop or further develop these soft skills, which is through societal involvement. These transferable skills being learnt in a society setting are highly valuable and looked at by future employers to set you apart from other candidates when it comes down to who lands the job.

What are Soft Skills?

Unlike hard skills, which are specific teachable skills like tax accounting or graphic design that you would learn in the classroom, soft skills are more about how we do things, how we interact with others, solve problems creatively, and manage our time more effectively. While technical skills are ever-changing, soft skills remain the same. As a result, they can be applied to various roles and serve as a basis for making those hard skills being taught easier to build upon, explaining the high demand for soft skills among hiring employers.

Soft Skills’ Transferability

The beauty of soft skills lies in their transferability. Transferable skills are abilities or talents relevant to all professions and facets of life. Transferable skills are lifelong skills that can help you meet qualifications for a job you may not have in your hard skill sets, but still relative to the field you are interested in. Employers want to hire people who can provide value to their company beyond just meeting their technical skill requirements.

Learning Soft Skills Through School Societies

In my opinion, university is one of the best places to develop these essential soft skills that will greatly help you as you progress professionally. Societies give students opportunities to develop essential soft skills not always gained in a classroom setting. There are a number of soft skills that can be developed in societal involvement which include; communication, teamwork, leadership, and time management skills.

Communication Skills:

Communication is the ability to express yourself or transfer information to others in an efficient way. By participating in a society, students regularly interact with peers, mentors, and sometimes professionals. It is through these interactions that students can refine their communication skills, both verbal and written, as well as active listening which are vital for success in their role as a society executive or member, which can later be applied to their role in the workforce. Saint Mary’s University offers a wide range of societies built upon making new connections and learning new skills that students can and should use to their advantage. The SMU Journal for example, serves as a great way to develop and strengthen your writing skills, or the SMU Debate Society to develop and strengthen your verbal skills. Improving your communication skills in societies goes beyond just written and verbal communication though, and involves the use of active listening. Listening is an essential part of communication, allowing for engagement among groups of individuals. In a society, active listening which serves as a two way communication process, to not only hear but to understand and interpret what is being heard, is one of the best ways to build and establish closer connections with team members, that can foster collaboration, and improve overall communication.

Teamwork Skills:

While employers place great emphasis on communication skills, because they enable seamless work and the ability to move forward in projects, communication skills also have an impact on the development of other soft skills including leadership and teamwork skills. Since being a part of a society means being a part of a team, this requires effective communication skills. However, for this to work, a commitment must be made to the success of the team, not just oneself. Learning through society participation on how best to understand team dynamics will allow this aptness to work with others to reassure your employer of your usefulness.

Leadership Skills:

Taking on a leadership role in a society provides students with hands-on experience in managing teams, making decisions, and motivating their peers. The leadership skills developed in these settings are highly valued by employers based on recent LinkedIn data “Hard skills can help you get the recruiter’s attention, but soft skills can help you land the job.”

Leadership requires you to inspire the confidence of others and make the team believe you are working towards their success. Employers look for people who can take initiative, so, an individual who can show past leadership can let employers know their potential to guide and influence those in the workplace for the job they are being considered for.

Time Management Skills:

Balancing classes with a commitment to a society/societies requires effective time management. Students learn to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines, all while juggling multiple responsibilities at the same time. Between the planning of events, the execution of events and ongoing work going on behind the scenes, society members, especially executives members, are constantly working. This added role on top of being a student excelling academically and mastering those technical skills in the classroom, without a doubt require time management and these skills are not only valued by employers but can foster confidence in employers that you have the ability to handle multiple tasks in a work setting.

With that being said, technical abilities can only take you so far; it’s the mastering of soft skills like time management that truly sets an individual apart. In today's fast-paced world, soft skills aren't just an added bonus, they're essential for long-term success. So, while people can possess technical abilities suited to their jobs, it is their soft skills that provide them with career durability, empowering them to adapt, grow and stay resilient no matter what challenges come their way.

Building Success Beyond Academics: The Role Societies Play in Developing Soft Skills