What are soft skills and why are they so important for tech professionals?
Discover what soft skills are and why they’re vital for success in tech industries. Learn how communication, adaptability and emotional intelligence can future-proof (and AI-proof) your career when developed alongside technical skills.
In today’s job market, possessing technical know-how is just one piece of the career success puzzle. As the demand for tech talent grows, so too does the need for professionals who bring more than just certifications and "hard skills" to the table. Increasingly, employers are seeking well-rounded individuals who demonstrate strong interpersonal and cognitive capabilities, commonly known as soft skills.
These human-centric strengths are essential in areas such as cybersecurity, software development, data analysis, cloud computing and project management.
This guide explores the role of soft skills in tech career paths, why they’re essential in a digital-first workplace, and how you can develop them to enhance your employability and long-term career growth.
Written by
Chelsey Murray is a dedicated Careers Services Consultant at Learning People, bringing a wealth of recruitment experience and deep expertise in the tech and project management job markets.
What are soft skills?
Soft skills refer to the interpersonal, emotional and cognitive abilities that allow you to communicate, collaborate and adapt effectively.
Unlike hard skills, which are job-specific and teachable, like Python programming or understanding network security protocols, soft skills are human capabilities that are valuable and transferable across many industries and roles.
Examples of soft skills
Some of the most common and in-demand soft skills include:
- Communication: Expressing ideas clearly, listening actively, adapting your message for different audiences.
- Problem-solving: Approaching challenges with creativity, logic, resilience.
- Adaptability: Thriving in changing environments and embracing new tools and processes.
- Emotional intelligence: Recognising and managing your own emotions while responding empathetically to others.
- Teamwork and collaboration: Working harmoniously with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
- Leadership: Inspiring and guiding teams, regardless of job title.
These are the skills that help you navigate real-world workplace scenarios, especially in fast-paced, innovation-driven industries like tech.
Soft skills matter to employers
84% of managers believe that soft skills must be demonstrated by candidates and potential new employees, according to Forbes.
Why soft skills are critical in tech
Tech continues to reshape industries at a fast pace. From cloud computing to the rapid developments in AI, new tools and methodologies are constantly emerging. In this climate, the ability to collaborate, communicate effectively and embrace change isn’t just helpful, it’s vital.
Here’s how soft skills elevate your value as a tech professional:
1. Strong communication and collaboration fuel success:
Whether you’re explaining a technical issue to a non-technical stakeholder or working in an Agile development team, being able to communicate with clarity and empathy keeps projects on track and teams aligned, especially in hybrid and remote work environments.
2. Problem-solving and critical thinking drive innovation:
Modern tech roles often require creative, proactive solutions. Critical thinking enables professionals to interpret data, anticipate problems and implement effective fixes; skills that are crucial in areas like cybersecurity or data analysis.
3. Adaptability keeps you ahead of the curve:
The tech landscape is constantly evolving. Professionals who embrace continuous learning and adapt quickly to new systems or frameworks are far more likely to succeed in the long term.
4. Emotional intelligence fosters better workplace relationships:
Whether it's managing client expectations or resolving internal team conflicts, high emotional intelligence helps build trust, improve collaboration and maintain a healthy work culture.
5. Leadership and teamwork build resilient teams:
In tech, leadership isn’t just for managers. It’s about taking initiative, guiding peers and contributing to a positive team dynamic, qualities that are just as critical as your ability to code or manage a Gantt chart.
What soft skills are most important for IT?
Data from 2024 provided by Statista showed that problem-solving was the top soft skill for the IT sector globally, with 21% of professionals looking to actively improve on this skill. This was followed by communication (14%) and relationship building (11%).
How to develop your soft skills
Like any valuable skill set, soft skills can be cultivated through conscious effort, practice and learning.
There are certainly business soft skills courses you can do to seriously uplevel your professionality in this area, but there are also less formal things you can start doing immediately.
Here are some practical steps to help you grow:
- Seek feedback regularly: Ask colleagues, mentors, or managers how you can improve your communication, teamwork, or leadership abilities.
- Invest in learning: Enrol in soft skill development courses that focus on public speaking, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and other core areas.
- Take on diverse projects: Working across departments or disciplines introduces new perspectives and challenges, helping you become more adaptable.
- Practise self-awareness and empathy: Reflect on your responses during stressful situations and actively listen to others’ viewpoints to build emotional intelligence.
- Explore role-play simulations: Platforms like Udemy offer AI-powered tools to help practise interpersonal scenarios in a realistic, interactive way.
The number of people looking to proactively improve their soft skills is on the rise in the UK and around the world. The chart below, based on data from the IMARC group shows the current size of the global soft skills training market and how this is set to grow massively over the coming years.
Ask a career advisor...
We asked Career Services Consultant Sophi Barnes what advice she gives about soft skills when advising people through career changes and transitions.
She told us, "I think a lot of people I advise don't think they have soft skills when, in reality, they are just overlooking them. It's become second nature and therefore, people don't register it as a "skill".
"In reality, you are practicing and honing those skills every day in life and in work, it's about knowing how to display them and provide appropriate evidence and context on your CV and in interviews to demonstrate how they benefit your potential employer."
Soft skills in practice across tech disciplines
While these skills are universally beneficial, certain roles highlight specific soft skills more prominently:
- Cybersecurity professionals must combine attention to detail and analytical thinking with the ability to communicate complex threats clearly.
- Software developers rely on patience, creativity and team collaboration to write, test, and optimise code.
- Project managers need strong leadership, organisation and negotiation abilities to balance timelines, resources and stakeholder needs.
- Data analysts thrive when equipped with critical thinking, curiosity and the communication skills to present insights to decision-makers.
By aligning your soft skills development with your chosen tech pathway, you’ll not only improve your performance but also increase your potential for progression.
Learning People: Empowering you with in-demand tech and soft skills
At Learning People, we understand that success in the digital age requires more than technical credentials. That’s why our career-ready courses in cybersecurity, data, software development, cloud computing, and project management are designed to integrate technical learning with essential soft skill development.
Whether you’re upskilling for a new role or advancing within your current career, our learning pathways are curated to equip you with both the hard and soft skills needed to succeed in modern workplaces.
Ready to future-proof your career with a mix of soft and hard skills?
Soft skills are no longer optional, they’re essential. By developing these human-centric abilities alongside your technical expertise, you’re not just increasing your employability, you’re unlocking your full potential.
Request a call-back to speak to one of our expert Career Consultants today to find out how we can support your journey to becoming a more confident, capable, and in-demand tech professional.
Alternatively, you can browse our tech courses and accreditations library before getting in touch.
