Hard skills or soft skills? Findings about importance of various skills in work

Abstract

Getting a job requires many things: hard skills, soft skills, the right attitude and motivation. To develop the degree programme in Business Information Systems in Oulu university of Applied Sciences (Oulu UAS), three surveys were conducted, to study importance of skills and knowledge in professional life: a graduate career survey in 2013, an employer survey in 2014, and a student survey in 2015. According to the results, readiness for change, learning skills and basic ICT skills seem to be the most important skills. To succeed at work, an adequate basis of hard skills, soft interpersonal and communication skills are needed. Also problem solving and pressure endurance seem to be very important.