Nearly a third, or 31% of employers say soft skills have the highest impact on the effectiveness of their organisation, according to research from Hays.

Of the 3,400 organisations in Australia surveyed for the Hays Salary Guide, 62% of those who intend to add permanent staff to their organisation this financial year want candidates with problem solving skills. A futher 58% want strong communication skills while 47% want critical thinking skills.

While soft skills carry weight in hiring decisions, Hays also found that 52% of employers still rate technical skills as having the highest impact.

Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand, commented, “Technical skills aren’t all it takes to get a new job this financial year.”

“While technical capabilities ensure you can do a job, it’s soft skills that allow someone to share and discuss ideas, forge effective relationships with stakeholders, work with others to solve problems and accurately look at information to come to the best conclusion,” Deligiannis said. “It’s these soft skills that allow someone to function well in a workplace. They distinguish candidates who otherwise possess similar technical skills and so play a vital role in your job search and subsequent career progression.”