Synthesizing information

-As stated by the author of the book, it is vitally important to consider the factor of intelligence when we talk about one’s personality. 

-As reported by one of our journalists, last night events were just unheard of.

-As claimed by Anthony Robbins, life is an eternal journey.

-Based on the information we gathered, we realized the importance of computers in education nowadays.

-According to the recent research, people’s eyesight will be getting worse every year.

-The New York Times claims that stock exchange has been tampered with. The Economist agrees with this claim when it states that one of their journalists had this information way before recent events happened.

-According to both sources, the future of the hover board doesn’t look very bright.

-The combined conclusions seem to indicate that person’s IQ cannot be precisely calculated by counting the test score.

-The evidence shows that Peter doesn’t want to finish the project before the deadline.

-Mary Smith is correct that sunlight can be really dangerous to humans.

-Candice Anderson makes a persuasive case when she argues the importance of being an influencer nowadays.

-I agree with his conclusion that sometimes nurture is what matters in person’s life.

-The article asserts that the virus comes from an animal origin, yet recent research offers a different perspective by specifying the reasons why it might have been made in the lab.

-Scientists would likely disagree when it comes to the controversy about human brain.

-My view, however, is contrary to what Jane Paint has argued. I don’t consider Van Gogh to be the greatest painter of all times.

-I argue that exercise and diet are the best solutions, though The Fitness magazine offers a different option.

-In contrast, I would like to suggest a different view to the opinions expressed by our professor.

-While my colleague makes a compelling argument, I would disagree on the view expressed in his work.

Text 1:

Why Soft Skills Matter

Making Sure Your Hard Skills Shine

Stand out from the crowd.

To get, and keep, a job you typically need a repertoire of technical skills. Dentists need to know how to fill cavities. Secretaries need to type 100+ words per minute. Accountants need to be certified.

Beyond the technical skills, though, which dentist do you go to? The one who is pleasant and takes time to answer your questions; or the one who treats you like a number in a long line of numbered mouths?

Which secretary do you retain when times are lean? The one whose attitude is positive and upbeat, and who is always willing to help; or the one who is inflexible and has a hard time admitting mistakes?

Likewise, think about accountants. The one who has a great work ethic and encourages his colleagues is the one who will, most likely, excel in his position and organization.

In these situations, and all the others like them, it's the soft skills that matter.

While your technical skills may get your foot in the door, your people skills are what open most of the doors to come. Your work ethic, your attitude, your communication skills, your emotional intelligence and a whole host of other personal attributes are the soft skills that are crucial for career success.

With these soft skills you can excel as a leader. Problem solving, delegating, motivating, and team building are all much easier if you have good soft skills. Knowing how to get along with people – and displaying a positive attitude – are crucial for success.

The problem is, the importance of these soft skills is often undervalued, and there is far less training provided for them than hard skills. For some reason, organizations seem to expect people know how to behave on the job. They tend to assume that everyone knows and understands the importance of being on time, taking initiative, being friendly, and producing high-quality work.

Assuming that soft skills are universal leads to much frustration. That's why it's so important to focus as much on soft skills training and development as you do on traditional hard skills.

Text 2:

Workplace Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills – Which are More Important?

Hard skills and soft skills are two skill sets employers consider when evaluating job candidates. Hard skills are easier to identify and measure during the screening and interview processes. Soft skills are intangible and more difficult for an employer to measure. So is one set of skills more important than the other?

Hard Skills

Let’s first look at hard skills. Career expert Lei Han defines hard skills this way: “Hard skills are skills where the rules stay the same regardless of which company, circumstance or people you work with.” A few examples include:

Computer proficiency

Typing

Speaking a foreign language

Operating machinery

Soft Skills

Workplace soft skills are associated with an employee’s personality and are tough to quantify. According to CareerBuilder, 77% of hiring managers and HR professionals surveyed in 2014 said soft skills are just as important as hard skills. And 16% of those surveyed felt that soft skills were more important than hard skills.

The top 5 most popular soft skills employers are looking for when hiring are:

1) Strong work ethic – 73%

2) Dependability – 73%

3) Positive attitude – 72%

4) Self-motivated – 66%

5) Team-oriented – 60%

Find a Balance

For employers who are weighing the importance of both skill sets, our suggestion is to hire employees with a good balance of both hard and soft skills. Obviously, each company is different and each hiring scenario is unique. So in some situations, one skill set might take precedence over the other.

If you need help evaluating a candidate’s skill set, you should consider using a Skill Assessment service. This type of service is offered by some staffing firms and it can include both hard skill and behavioral assessments that help an employer determine if they’re choosing the right hire.