The Importance Of Soft Skills For Engineers Transitioning Careers

I’ve worked with countless leaders, candidates, and high-performing teams across the CPG space, and one thing stands out above all else: the best people aren’t just skilled, they’re easy to work with. You can have the most impressive résumé, the sharpest skills, and a portfolio of achievements, but if people dread collaborating with you, success will only go so far. Being easy to work with means: > You communicate clearly. No one should have to decode your emails or guess at your intentions. > You bring solutions, not just problems. Teams thrive on collaboration, not complaints. > You adapt to different work styles. Flexibility builds trust and rapport. > You’re approachable. Being open to feedback and ideas fosters a culture of growth. What’s often overlooked is that this “soft skill” has a massive impact on career growth. Why? Because opportunities follow trust. Managers advocate for team players. Colleagues recommend those who make their lives easier. Clients stick with people who listen and deliver. Leaders, When evaluating candidates, don’t just focus on their qualifications—ask yourself, “Would I enjoy working with this person every day?” For professionals, Whether you’re climbing the ladder or pivoting to a new role, remember: technical skills open doors, but collaboration keeps them open. What’s your take? How do you measure “easy to work with” when hiring or building teams? #Leadership #Headhunting #Hiring #CareerSkills #Teamwork

As a Data Science Hiring Manager, I often see candidates with impressive technical skills but lacking the essential soft skills needed to perform well in interviews, often leading to rejection. Whether you're a Data Analyst, Data Scientist, or Machine Learning Engineer, here are the key soft skills that have made a world of difference in my career: 🔹 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Simplifying complex ideas and working well with others is crucial. I remember presenting data findings to senior executives – making the data story simple was key to getting their approval. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Can you describe a time when you had to explain a complex technical concept (like Causal Inference) to a non-technical audience?" 🔹 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴: When data doesn’t make sense at first, digging deeper can reveal important insights. Once, my team and I uncovered a major product insight by looking closer at an outlier. Solving problems in a structured way is essential in our work. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Describe a situation where you identified a problem that others had overlooked. What steps did you take to resolve it?" 🔹 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Handling multiple projects and deadlines can be challenging. Prioritizing tasks has been a lifesaver for me. Balancing urgent requests with ongoing projects requires smart time management. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "How do you prioritize your tasks when you have multiple projects with tight deadlines?" 🔹 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: The tools and techniques we use are always changing. Being flexible and open to learning is crucial. I had to quickly learn a new visualization tool for a project – it was tough but very rewarding. I encourage my team to embrace change and keep learning new skills. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Describe a situation where you had to adapt to a significant change at work. How did you handle it?" 🔹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻: Leading teams and projects is about inspiring and guiding them. Managing a data governance project taught me the importance of strategic thinking and making ethical decisions. Knowing the business context of your data makes your insights more valuable. Today, I help my team align their work with product goals to deliver real value. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Can you describe a time when you led a project or team? What was the outcome?" Developing these soft skills has not only complemented my technical expertise but also empowered me to make a meaningful impact as a leader. What soft skills have been game-changers in your data journey?

The best engineers I’ve worked with weren’t just great coders. They were great communicators. Great listeners. Great teammates. You can write the cleanest code in the world, but if you can’t: ➡️ Explain your ideas clearly ➡️ Collaborate with others ➡️ Handle feedback ➡️ Or stay calm under pressure… You’ll struggle to ship anything meaningful. Soft skills aren’t “extra”—they’re essential. I’ve seen: • Brilliant engineers who couldn’t get buy-in for their ideas because they didn’t know how to tell the story. • Talented devs who stayed stuck because they didn’t ask for help soon enough. • Teams fail, not because of bad code—but because of bad communication. In my own career, the biggest growth came when I started focusing on: • Writing better documentation • Having honest 1:1s • Giving feedback in a way that actually helped • Knowing when to speak up—and when to listen Here’s the truth: You don’t get promoted for just being good at code. You grow when you make the people around you better, too. Soft skills ARE technical skills. What’s the most important soft skill you’ve developed as an engineer? #SoftwareEngineering #CareerGrowth #Leadership #TechSkills #Teamwork #Communication #EngineeringExcellence

What are employers REALLY looking for? It can be intimidating to see a job posting with a looonnnnggggg list of desired skills, software, certifications, and requirements (and wondering how you’re ever going to convince the employer that you’re the right fit). But as a former recruiter, let me tell you this: ❌ It’s not about meeting 100% of the requirements. Most of these job postings are copied and pasted and are more ideal wishlists than anything. If you meet around 70% of the requirements, you’re doing pretty well. Not only that, but most candidates also discount their soft skills when making a career pivot— Soft skills are JUST as important, if not more important, than hard technical skills. I’ve hired hundreds of people in my career and quickly realized this: You can teach someone new software and skills and train them on how your company operates, but it's VERY difficult to teach someone how to be: 🌱 A strong, assertive, confident communicator 🌱 Concise in speech 🌱 Lead with empathy 🌱 Think strategically 🌱 Problem solve creatively 🌱 Be proactive or use critical thinking 🌱 Or manage their time well, to name a few In other words, employers are seeking and valuing soft skills in a candidate, NOT just ticking off boxes for hard skills. While some of the skills listed may be a basic requirement for the job, beyond that, the best, most qualified candidates will also possess strong soft skills like communication and emotional intelligence. As a career coach, I'd like you to ponder these questions today: 1. Which soft skills am I gifted with? 2. How can I shine a light on this in my job search? Standing out is believing you have something valuable to offer to the world! LMK in the comments your super power and check out my first ever Black Friday sale for 1:1 jobseeking services and programs! #jobseeker #opentowork #hiring #careercoach

Technical skills get you hired. Soft skills tell how far you'll go. After 15+ years leading medical teams and companies, I've learned: Skills gaps stall career, not technical limits The good news? These patterns are predictable and fixable Here are the critical soft skills that make or break high performers: 1/ Time Management 🛑 Always late to meetings or deadlines ✅ Use time-blocking to prioritize tasks. Every minute counts. 2/ Communication Style 🛑 Dominating conversations without listening to anyone ✅ Actively listen by summarizing others' points 3/ Handling Feedback 🛑 Getting defensive when receiving criticism ✅ Ask for specific examples to improve performance 4/ Stress Management 🛑 Becoming overly frustrated under pressure ✅ Practice stress-relief routines, like deep breathing. Pressure reveals character. 5/ Teamwork 🛑 Only working alone and rarely collaborating ✅ Offer to help others with projects and brainstorm ideas 6/ Conflict Resolution 🛑 Not addressing issues, hoping they'll disappear ✅ Address conflicts directly and share your concerns 7/ Emotional Intelligence 🛑 Not read the room or hear other perspectives ✅ Ask others about their challenges. Critical in high-stress environments 8/ Problem-Solving 🛑 Escalating issues without trying solutions ✅ Suggest multiple ideas along with problems 9/ Creativity 🛑 Sticking rigidly to old processes ✅ Find new and creative ways to work 10/ Continuous Learning 🛑 Never updating your skills or knowledge base ✅ Dedicate 30 minutes daily to relevant news and education 11/ Networking 🛑 Avoiding events and not interacting with people ✅ Have lunch with a different colleague each week 12/ Professionalism 🛑 Gossiping and speaking negatively about coworkers ✅ Redirect negativity to problem-solving. Gossip destroys trust. 13/ Self-Motivation 🛑 Needing constant supervision to stay on task ✅ Break projects into manageable tasks with real deadlines 14/ Leadership 🛑 Micromanaging and struggling to delegate ✅ Trust based on strengths and give autonomy. Trust your team or lose them. __ P.S. Which soft skill is your strongest? (Or needs work?) Share below 👇 ♻️ Follow me and share this to help others 📌 Save this post for future reference!⁣⁣⁣⁣ If you're a high-performing founder, grab my top 60+ infographics (free): 👉 Signup here: www.PeakProtocol.co