Leadership, organisational, language and interpersonal skills are four highly valued soft skills, yet job seekers often overlook their importance when applying for their next role.

Candidates tend to focus on the technical or hard skills required for a role and brush over the soft skills on an employer's wish list. Yet the latter are highly sought after by employers, who typically look for a candidate who not only has all the technical requirements needed to perform the role, but who can also bring soft skills to the organisation.

There is a shortage of candidates with the right technical skills, as well as the additional soft skills that employers seek in the candidate they will employ. Some employers are becoming more flexible in their requirements and will offer training to a candidate who is otherwise a good fit for the role. But others will hold out for a candidate that matches all their skill requirements - both hard and soft.

That's why it is crucial to promote your soft skills in your resume and in interviews, and to seek out opportunities in your current role to improve your skills.

Next week, learn how to improve on the four soft skills for employers. 

Emma Charnock, regional director, Hays (Hong Kong and China)