Think that technical skills alone will guarantee your career success? Think again.
Technical skills determine whether you can do the job, like knowing the textbook process from the start to the end, knowing what software to use or data to analyse, or proficiency in programming languages like Python.
However, in today’s hiring environment, we are seeing employers place a stronger emphasis on soft skills. Soft skills determine how you interact with your stakeholders, solve complex problems, think critically, and manage yourself, and they are becoming the hallmark of success.
Employers are keen to understand how your soft skills can enhance your contributions and align with team dynamics.
In this article, we will explore the reasons why more interviewers are interested in your soft skills, what soft skills are important, and how your soft skills are being assessed during job interviews.
why soft skills matter more than ever with AI
It's no secret that the way employers view skills is changing.
With automation, digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) handling more routine tasks requiring basic (and sometimes, advanced) technical skills, where can employees add value? This is where soft skills come in.
However, soft skills that were once highly sought-after differentiators, like communication, time management, and basic teamwork, are now considered the baseline as AI apps have helped automate some of them.
Working from home has also made clear communication a basic requirement as employers expect everyone to write clear messages and emails for efficiency. For example, ChatGPT and Grammarly have helped improve our writing to ensure clear communications.
Professionals are now expected to be able to organise, prioritise, and meet deadlines without constant supervision. These days, there are apps like Evernote and Notion to help us keep track of our to-dos and deadlines.
Instead, the soft skills that employers look for now are those that preserves traits that are inherently human and compliments AI.
top 5 in-demand soft skills in the age of AI
With the integration of AI in our daily work, it’s important to build our capabilities where AI cannot replace. In this article, we’ll look at the 5 skills that AI cannot mirror.
1. critical thinking
As AI becomes more integrated into the workplace, the ability to apply human logic alongside machine intelligence will be a key differentiator. While AI excels at processing vast amounts of data and identifying statistical patterns, it often lacks the nuanced judgement and contextual awareness that humans bring to the table.
This is where critical and logical thinking brings value, as they can interpret AI-generated insights, question their validity, and draw valid conclusions and make decisions that are both rational and fair.
Critical thinking is a crucial skill that goes beyond simply processing information and coming out with a logical outcome. It’s about deeply understanding, shrewdly questioning, and seeing beyond the obvious to anticipate what's next. While it certainly involves dissecting complex issues and spotting patterns, true critical thinking is more than mere analysis.
Beyond analysis, critical thinkers apply systems thinking, seeing the big picture and understanding how different parts of a problem or organisation interact. They have the foresight to predict roadblocks before they even appear rather than just reacting when it is already too late.
We are already seeing how job and skills requirements have changed due to AI integration.
Customer Service Officers or Guest Relations Officers are now being transitioned into Customer Experience Officers where they work in an office environment to monitor and update digital interactions using AI-powered chatbots, and intervene at the appropriate time. This is similar to the automation of airport check-ins, where employees are now moving into roles that focus on improving the customer experience, particularly in luxury travel.
In this way, thinking critically is not just about keeping up with technology but about leading it with wisdom and integrity.
2. proactiveness
Proactiveness, involving anticipating challenges and initiating solutions without direct supervision, or simply asking a question to improve your understanding is a trait that is highly valued in any fast-paced working environment.
According to the NTUC Learning Hub Special Report 2024, 41% of employers prioritise problem-solving skills, which demand proactive identification of inefficiencies.
It's about seeing what's coming and acting on it before it becomes a problem. For instance, consider a project manager who proactively allocates resources well in advance to reduce potential delays in an important product launch or to ensure that nobody in the team is overworked.
Your CV is your opportunity to not just state, but demonstrate your proactive mindset. Instead of simply listing ‘proactive’ as a skill, integrate it into your achievements and responsibilities using strong action verbs and quantifiable results. For example, instead of saying you ‘managed’, try ‘anticipated’.
To prove your proactiveness during the job interview, you can share a problem you identified in a previous job or project and how you resolved it without being prompted. It could be an inefficient process, a looming technical issue, or a potential client dissatisfaction.
Explain how you took the initiative to address it, detailing the steps you followed and the positive outcome you achieved. Emphasise that you acted without being explicitly told, and how you managed to influence your stakeholders to prioritise it as this will highlight your proactivity and stakeholder management.
3. curiosity
Curiosity is a soft skill that can significantly boost your impact in an organisation. At its most fundamental, it could mean asking questions about what the upcoming projects are that you will be working on after you are done with your current one, or how you can improve.
Curiosity becomes even more powerful when it prompts you to ask the right questions about the bigger picture. This could involve digging deeper into a persistent problem at work or seeking to understand how the business itself is changing beyond just day-to-day operations.
By doing so, you can identify entirely new ways to add value. For example, imagine if your company decided to change the brand of the laptops that you will be using. Your curiosity would immediately kick in, compelling you to ask questions about whether the company has a new digital agenda that requires different laptops and what it will mean for you.
This inquisitive mindset also fuels the generation of new ideas and approaches, which is highly sought after as companies are always looking for new ways to improve internal efficiencies or create new solutions for customers.
4. business development skills
Business development skills have transformed from finding customer contacts from telephone books and calling customers on the phone in the 1980s.
While being persuasive in pitching ideas and fostering client relationships remains the core, the methods of execution are now significantly different. These days, business development involves studying customer data to identify patterns and opportunities, and being resourceful enough to use different sources to create high-impact potential customer lists. It is also being able to anticipate a customer problem and using different marketing tools and creative writing to resolve them.
5. professionalism
Professionalism at work reflects your dedication and respect for your organisation. However, hybrid work has rewritten the rulebook for professionalism.
The boundaries of what is considered acceptable have expanded excitingly. It is now perfectly normal to work in your cosy home office, and you can embrace a more relaxed dress code like a t-shirt when there are not any customer-facing meetings on the calendar.
However, some people have gotten a little too comfortable working from home over the years. For example, leaving in the middle of the day to run errands without informing the team or to take a quick nap. While there is a desire for greater autonomy, it is more important to let your immediate team or manager know that you are stepping away for a couple of hours than to completely disappear from their radar.
The real game-changer in professionalism today includes two things.
- consistently update on your progress and delivering results
- mastering clear and respectful communication across every digital platform
This means showing up not just on time but being engaged and present in every online meeting, ensuring your virtual backdrop is appropriate, and being prompt when replying to messages. It also extends to being able to write clear and full sentences in messages and emails to avoid any misunderstanding, as well as updating your team on your progress appropriately.
showcasing your soft skills for singapore’s job market
In a job market that is constantly transforming, adaptability and continuous upskilling are essential. Especially as 66% of employers express concern about the shortage of talent with the right skills for 2025, and 17% specifically struggle to assess candidates’ soft skills and potential.
Our Workmonitor 2025 report reveals a new benchmark: it's not just what you achieve, but also how and why you do it. This means the soft skills you bring to collaboration, innovation, and problem-solving are more vital than ever. Conveying these skills effectively during your job interview is important, as they cannot be fully assessed from your cover letter and resume alone. This emphasises the value of "show, don't tell."
For more targeted guidance, explore our job seeker’s toolkit to learn how to showcase your soft skills and stand out to employers.