Soft skills training is no longer an optional extra. It is essential to people who wish to be recruited into an organisation at whatever level. If you’re not convinced, just take a closer look at today’s situations vacant pages. Where once a list of technical skills were the only requirements for a job, these employers now also seek things such as ‘a good sense of humour’.

When employers ask for a sense of humour, leadership or great team skills, they are making the most of a buyer’s market. They can ask for extras as they will receive many applications from people with the requisite technical skills so they may as well look for people with enhanced soft skills in preference.

In short, organisations seek employees who have more to offer than the basic job skills. For example, leadership is not only essential for management or supervisory positions. It is also required if you would be expected to rise through the organisation over time.

Many organisations also place a high value on being a good team player and will often prefer someone who can get along with their colleagues to a star performer.

Self motivation is also a prized commodity as is communication and the aforementioned sense of humour.