Soft skills – why they are important and how to develop them
Explore why soft skills matter and how to develop them during your time at St Andrews.
What are soft skills and why do they matter?
Soft skills (sometimes referred to as “transferable skills”, “employability skills” or “graduate attributes”), are the personal qualities and behaviours that shape how you work. They include things like communication, teamwork, problem‑solving, adaptability, organisation, and professionalism. These are skills you can use in any role, industry, or situation, which is why they are so valuable.
While having a degree is a fantastic achievement, employers look for more than strong subject knowledge or technical ability. They want to know that you can work well with others, handle challenges confidently, manage your time, communicate clearly, and contribute positively to their team.
Soft skills can also help you stand out in applications. Including strong, real‑life examples of these skills on your CV makes it more impactful and shows employers that you’re prepared for workplace expectations from day one.
The National Foundation for Educational Research recently published The Skills Imperative, which identifies six ‘Essential Employment Skills’ that will be required to navigate employment in 2035.
The essential skills they propose are:
- Collaboration – working with other people who bring different perspectives, working styles and strengths.
- Communication – explaining ideas clearly, tailoring messages to different audiences, and collaborating effectively.
- Creative thinking – generating and applying fresh ideas.
- Information literacy – including the ability to evaluate information critically.
- Organising, planning and prioritising – turning intentions into action by setting clear goals, designing workable plans and managing time effectively.
- Problem solving and decision making – approaching challenges analytically and developing solutions.
How to develop soft skills
Academic studies
You are developing these soft skills every day through your coursework.
For example:
- group assignments, laboratory partnerships → collaboration
- presentations, group work, tutorials → communication
- dissertations, design tasks, debates, and by approaching assignments in new or unconventional ways → creative thinking
- academic research, data analysis, and engagement with emerging technologies → information literacy
- balancing academic deadlines, part-time work, and extracurricular commitments → organising, planning and prioritising
- research assignments, debates, technical projects and practical experiments. → problem solving and decision making.
Recognising these skills makes it easier to showcase them on your CV or in job applications.
Extracurricular activities
Clubs, societies, sports teams and student committees give you plenty of opportunities to put your skills into practice while having fun and meeting new people.
For example:
- joining a committee builds leadership, teamwork and organisational skills
- performing arts foster confidence, creativity and communication
- sports teams strengthen teamwork, adaptability and resilience
- running events develops planning and problem‑solving skills.
These experiences also provide excellent evidence for the Saints Skills Builder Award.
Part-time work
Having a part-time job can help you build real‑world skills such as:
- communication when supporting customers or working with colleagues
- organisation while balancing shifts with academic deadlines
- reliability through taking responsibility for tasks and arriving at work on time
- problem‑solving when responding to unexpected or challenging situations.
Even a few hours of work per week can significantly enhance your employability.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a fantastic way to make a difference while developing skills that employers value.
You might:
- support local charities
- mentor school pupils
- help coordinate events
- join student‑led volunteering groups.
Volunteering is particularly effective for building empathy, teamwork, initiative and leadership.
Adding soft skills to your CV or job applications
When writing your CV or job application, avoid simply listing soft skills such as “teamwork” or “communication.” Employers want examples that demonstrate how and where you have used these skills in real-life situations.
For example:
- Teamwork: Collaborated with four peers to deliver a group presentation for a 3000‑level module
- Communication: Delivered efficient front‑of‑house bar service, taking orders and resolving customer queries
- Problem-solving: Completed a complex independent research project requiring critical analysis and decision-making.
By evidencing your skills clearly, you’ll make your CV more engaging and persuasive.
Careers Centre support
Book an appointment with a Careers Adviser to discuss your soft skills in detail and receive tailored guidance on how to strengthen and evidence them effectively. You can also have your CV reviewed by a CV Adviser to help you communicate your skills and experiences effectively to employers.
Additional links
- CVs (Careers Centre)
- Charity and voluntary work (Careers Centre)
- The importance of extra-curricular activities (Prospects)
- Why extracurricular activities will help you get hired (TargetJobs)