You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Employers nowadays put more emphasis on social skills. Some people believe that social skills are important in addition to good qualifications for job success. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer:
Today’s work environment is more competitive than ever before and dynamic in nature. Social skills enable us to develop our own abilities to survive in a very competitive environment while helps a team to collaborate and perform better. These days, especially in times of transition and globalisation, technical skills and academic knowledge are not enough- social skills are also required to become a successful professional.
First, some social skills are quite mandatory for an employee to work in an office where people with different designations and skill set work together. Discipline, ability to criticise oneself, communication skills, negotiation skills, ability to give and take criticism and team capabilities enable someone to work in a multinational company and become a successful worker. Lack of those social skills will put someone far back in the race. Technical skills are essential to actually execute something while corporate and social skills are essential to working in a team or serving customers. They both are essential qualities of a good employee and hence both should be present to be successful in a job.
Second, our social skills take a very long time to develop while some technical skills could be taught to employees in few months. For instance, if someone with a very good academic background and social skills tries to learn how to operate a computer, would be able to do so in six months. However, no one can guarantee how long it will take to teach someone responsibility, self-confidence and discipline. It might take forever is some cases. From this regards, hiring authorities of a company should emphasise more on social skills of a candidate along with the other important qualifications for the job.
Finally, corporate offices are like a big tree with many branches and roots. The employees are often considered as the roots of a company and if the roots are not firm and healthy enough, the tree is sure to suffer. Social skills are important for the employees to act as healthy and performing roots for a company.
In summary, there is no denying to the fact that proper qualifications along with the better social skills are essential ingredients for the success of a person in professional life. The social skills among employees are also vital for the overall growth and productivity of an organisation as well. This is why a company must put a considerable emphasise on finding employees with better social skills and also arrange seminars and training sessions to enhance the employee’s social skills.