
As competition in the labor market intensifies, having mere
technical skills can never get a person his or her desired job or enable him or
her to thrive in the workplace. For participants in Nigeria’s booming sectors
as technology, oil and gas and financial services, it is not enough to have
academic degrees or technical competencies. More and more employers are looking
for individuals who can express themselves verbally, deal with change and work in groups.
These are qualities that are now commonly labelled as ‘soft skills, ‘and these
have proven to be real game-changers in the Nigerian employment market.
In a recent study conducted by Jobberman in 2022, it emerged
that the majority of employers in Nigeria today place a higher premium on soft skills
than technical skills at 60 per cent. Also, LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends
report shows that 92% of recruiters regard soft skills to be as important as
hard skills that help a candidate succeed. One can merely assume how much more
challenging it is to foster soft skills in professionals in an uncertain
economic environment such as Nigeria.
In this particular post, the things to be resolved include
the relevance of soft skills in the Nigerian context, how these skills can be
enhanced, and practical methods of marketing the skills during an interview and
in the course of working.
What Are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are also known as transferable skills and
include the behavioral side of the working process and behavior in general.
Soft skills, therefore, are different from the skills that are clearly defined
and easily quantifiable, such as coding, accounting or data analysis skills.
Some of these skills are; communication skills, emotional skills, time
management skills, problem-solving skills, and flexibility skills.
In Nigeria for instance, the competition in the labour
market is very high and any extra positive quality that separates an individual
from other qualified individuals is very useful. Most of these skills are
important when it comes to interacting with people in the workplace or even
different organizations.
Why Are Soft Skills Crucial in Nigeria's Job Market?
1. Bridging the Skills Gap
Lack of job remains a nightmare to many as the National
Bureau of Statistics revealed that the unemployment rate in Nigeria is over 33% in
2021. This is a big problem because most fresh graduates display exceptional
academic performance but lack interpersonal skills that can enable him or her
to cope with the modern-day working world. Employers are in search of people who
can not only execute the required job but also bring about the best in your
interaction with other people in organizations and the company at large.
2. Driving Career Success
Personal attributes define how far one can go in his or her
career notwithstanding academic or work accomplishment. For example,
leadership and emotional intelligence of an employee are significant predictors
in managerial positions. Those, who develop the skills highlighted, are more
prepared for the corresponding challenges at the workplace, to influence people
and build effective working relationships.
3. Enhancing Workplace Productivity
Businesses benefit from the people skills, as well as inter
and intrapersonal communications and problem-solving skills that are displayed
within the organization. Collective ideas are usually more productive than an individual, and, therefore, clear comprehension of proposals, as well as
effective conflict-solving, will create favorable conditions for an increase in
productivity.
Soft Skills That Nigerian Jobs Can’t Do Without
To stand out in Nigeria’s job market, focus on developing
these key soft skills:
1. Communication Skills
Most managers underline that they need good oral and written
communication skills to succeed at work. Most employers wish to hire
Nigerian professionals who can enunciate ideas well, understand
others, and convince others using information.
2. Emotional Intelligence (EI)
EI as a process includes emotional self-awareness and
self-regulation in addition to the ability to comprehend the emotions of others.
High EI results in improvement in relationships, teams, and leadership.
3. Adaptability
The Nigerian economy is dynamic. It is a flexibility that opens opportunities to evolve for new changes and
complexities, accept technological advancement, and flexibility in various
workplaces.
4. Problem-Solving Skills
Managers expect well-equipped and capable professionals to
analyze problems, and come up with efficient techniques of addressing
challenges. Single-handedly problem-solving skills reflect creativity, thinking
abilities and determination.
5. Time Management
In Nigeria, fast fast-growing industries efficiency has been a
key factor that demands time management, commitment, and work schedules. The
proper use of time indicates reliability and productivity at the workplace.
6. Collaboration and Teamwork
Most jobs require an individual to work in a team. Group cooperation and collective efforts are vital to the realization of organizational objectives.
7. Leadership Skills
Management is not synonymous with leadership. Or, a leader
is somebody who assumes responsibility, motivates people and has the power to make
the right decisions.
How to Develop and Improve Soft Skills in Nigeria
Developing soft skills is not a passive process and
therefore must be done deliberately. Here’s how Nigerian professionals can
enhance their soft skills:
1. Seek Training Opportunities
Take soft skills training in Nigeria classes from other
professionals, and companies such as Jobberman, and Lagos Business School, and also
find online classes from Coursera and even Udemy. These courses include
interpersonal communication, managing organizational dynamics, and self and
team management.
2. Practice Active Listening
If speaking, it’s acceptable to talk and express oneself
without interrupting or altering the content to be discussed. This enhances
your interpersonal skills as far as strengthening wonderful relationships is
concerned.
3. Join Professional Networks
Peer and professional networks offer a variety of outlooks
to consider, so networking with other people also enhances interpersonal
abilities.
4. Elect Yourself to Leadership Positions
Offer to lead projects in a community organisation or a
professional association. This in a way strengthens your confidence as well as
the ability to decide the future.
5. Embrace Feedback
Acknowledging that criticism is an extremely useful tool for the positive development of any organism, constructive criticism has its
definitely pros. Resume your manager and other experienced employees to know
about your weaknesses in the workplace.
6. Read and Learn
It’s easiest to learn soft skills from books and some
popular books that help in this regard include, Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by
Travis Bradberry and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
How to Showcase Soft Skills During Job Interviews
It is extremely important to show your soft skills in job
interviews to ensure that you can perform them in case of a job offer. Here’s
how to make an impact:
1. Highlight Specific Examples: Explain instances that show
how you include soft skills in causing the organization or team to benefit, for
example, when managing a conflict or when working on a successful project.
2. Use STAR Technique: Organize your answers under four
sections namely S-T-A-R for every role that you’ve held to demonstrate your
problem-solving and leadership capabilities.
3. Demonstrate Confidence: Enter and leave the room with
confidence when speaking to your superiors show professionalism walk tall,
look them in the eye and enunciate.
4. Ask Thoughtful Questions: You build good rapport with
your interviewer by expressing your interest in the position and the firm, and
by posing thoughtful questions.
Soft Skills in the Workplace: Practical Applications
It is important to also understand soft skills are critical
even after getting hired in an organization. Here’s how to apply them in the
workplace:
- Communication: Communicate with your team telling them about
the progress being made and what issues might arise. Learn how to use email,
meetings, or instant messaging properly.
- Collaboration: Work collaboratively on group assignments and
help others around them as far as developing a good working relationship is
concerned.
- Problem-Solving: Do not wait for challenges to come and then
scream, instead identify them early and then look for creative solutions.
- Time Management: As they work on projects that need to be
completed they should make use of organizational tools such as calendars and to-do lists.
Conclusion
Soft skills are now mandatory for any employee in Nigeria
and have become imperative as far as employment is concerned. Where technical
resources are easily procurable, interpersonal or soft skills such as
interpersonal communication, personality, and flexibility make a global
difference. These transferable skills will enhance the employment prospects of
Nigeria’s professionals, their performance in assignments and organizational
effectiveness.
One should dedicate time and money to the development of the
soft skill set Nigeria trained and practiced the skills and looked for more
opportunities to apply them. The instant you turn up for an interview or are
already on the job, the employers will notice these skills in you. With the
kind of economy Nigeria is developing today, professionals who place a big
emphasis on soft skills will then have the capacity to manage any arising and
emerging problems and innovations.