Building a better you
Property Elite’s sole aim is to build better property professionals - supporting your career every step of the way, whether you are an AssocRICS or RICS APC candidate or a MRICS or FRICS Chartered Surveyor simply seeking engaging CPD.
We provide a wide range of training and support, so why not find out more on our website about how we might be able to support you? We work with candidates across all RICS APC and AssocRICS pathways, routes to assessment and geographic regions.
Don’t forget to sign up online for your free 15 minute AssocRICS or RICS APC consultation, including a review of your referral report if you have been referred. You can also book your bespoke training or support services directly through our web shop.
Not sure about signing up? Make sure you read what our recent successful candidates have to say in our Testimonials.
What is today's blog about?
This week, we will be looking at soft skills in an article written by our partner, Gradfeed, for their university information packs.
Essential reading for AssocRICS and RICS APC candidates.
You can also listen to our CPD podcast on Anchor for more free AssocRICS and RICS APC training and support.
What are soft skills?
Soft skills are general attributes that aren’t specific to a job or industry.
They are usually self developed, meaning no training is needed to build them and because they can be applied to a number of different roles, soft skills are always desirable – no matter what field you are working in.
The most successful individuals in the world of real estate have the perfect balance between honed soft skills and proven hard skills.
What are examples of soft skills?
Soft skills are a combination of many different things, including character traits and employment qualities. As a result, the number of soft skills is almost endless.
Some of the most common examples include:
Communication skills
Leadership
Problem solving
Critical thinking
Team working
Flexibility
Resilience
Negotiation skills
Why are soft skills important?
Although hard skills might be important in some industries, soft skills are important in all of them, particularly in the real estate industry.
They are what help us bond with other people around the business and help us to fit well within the company culture.
Without them, even someone with the right qualifications could end up alienating themselves in their role, or not having the right mind-set to do their job effectively.
They are also what help distinguish us from other potential candidates when we look for a new position.
What are the advantages of soft skills?
One of the biggest advantages of soft skills is that they don’t limit you to working within one industry; they are transferable skills, allowing you to demonstrate your personality and effectiveness to prospective employers, even if you have limited experience in their field.
For example, your excellent communication skills may have made you good at selling houses.
However, many other sectors outside of sales require people who can communicate well – whether it’s by attracting new customers, building relationships with suppliers or working effectively in a team.
Also, everyone has some form of soft skills. They require no formal training, and are usually picked up through previous positions or work experiences – meaning you might already have some great attributes you can use to your advantage.
Are soft skills alone enough?
Although they’re valuable, soft skills won’t always be enough to get you the job.
Industries such as property will look at work experience to get your foot in the door, and without this your soft skills may not be enough.
Soft skills are also extremely difficult to measure, meaning some employers don’t appreciate their true value until you have actively been able to demonstrate them.
How do I demonstrate soft skills on my CV?
It’s never enough to say you have soft skills – you actually need to back them up. When it comes to filling out your Gradfeed employment profile, this means adding practical examples to show times when you have put your soft skills to good use.
For example, stating you have good problem solving skills sounds fine. But saying ‘good problem solving skills, demonstrated when I successfully overcame X’ will demonstrate your level of resilience and will be viewed very positively by employers within the industry - not to mention adding value to your Gradfeed profile and automated Gradfeed CV.
Soft skills aren’t specific to the property industry - so when citing examples, be aware that they don’t necessarily have to relate to the property industry. You can show these skills through experiences you may have had in other working or leisure environments and these are considered just as valuable as industry specific examples.
How can we help?
Head to our blog archive to access even more free CPD and AssocRICS and RICS APC training and support.
Download your free AssocRICS and RICS APC resources, including e-books and revision quizzes.
Find out more about our bespoke AssocRICS and RICS APC training and support, before booking your free 15 minute consultation and signing up for your services online.
Not sure about signing up? Make sure you read what our recent successful candidates have to say in our Testimonials.
Stay tuned for our next blog post to help build a better you
N.b. Nothing in this article constitutes legal or financial advice.