MARKET PULSE: If you’re good with people, know how to get your way around a problem without offending anyone and can bring a team with you, get set for a pay rise. These days, in a world of high powered artificial intelligence and other technology, the skills valued in a job turn out to be good old fashioned human skills – or “soft” skills.
By this, recruiters mean interpersonal abilities to interact effectively with others. Unlike technical skills, they are often unmeasurable. Think communication, teamwork and problem-solving, as well as contributing to a positive work environment and fostering professional growth.
According to recruitment company Robert Walters, employers are now searching for candidates with strong soft skills.
In research involving more than 2000 white collar professionals the company found that 96 per cent of respondents indicated that soft skills were equal to or more important than hard skills. Of the employers surveyed, 92 per cent admitted that they had rejected candidates due to insufficient soft skills.
The firm’s chief executive for Australia and New Zealand, Shay Peters, believes AI will “replace all hard skills in white collar industries.
“This means that soft skills will take centre stage in talent acquisition, as the human touch becomes the distinguishing factor.”
Peters added that Australia would also be at the brunt of this change after the country was named “the most AI-addicted in the world” after the nation was reported to have more than 2.2 million searches for ChatGPT every month.
There’s a catch – soft skills are in short supply
The problem for the employment market is that Australians seem to be not overly endowed with these soft skills (perhaps because of the tech addiction). According to 90 per cent of recruiters responding to the survey, the lack of soft skills is directly related to failures in the workplace – so hiring managers are now increasingly willing to pay a premium for candidates with exceptional soft skills.
Among soft skills most important for employers, communication skills came out on top, which was sought after by 55 per cent of employers responding to the survey. This is followed by teamwork and collaboration skills, counting for 52 per cent, adaptability (48 per cent), problem solving (48 per cent) and tech savviness (40 per cent).
Jobs news
Richard Griffith was one of several people we recognised at last week’s UN Global Compact Australia conference, and it turns out he’s in a new gig. After nearly eight years at Edge Environment, including 2.5 years as its global head of growth, he’s joined sustainable furniture company Koskela as a commercial advisor after leaving his previous role last month.
He said on social media that he had contributed to the company’s growth from “a dozen in one office” to “100 in six offices across four countries”.
At his new contract role, Griffiths is helping the sustainable furniture company refine its “product as a service offer” and will advise chief executive Sasha Titchkosky.
He will continue as an associate with Edge Environment as well as his board duties as non executive director at GECA, along with a mix of plans to return to the UK, where he held multiple senior roles at the UK Green Building Council, and to take a career break until next year.
Jobs on offer
People who read The Fifth Estate are not necessarily looking for a job. Until they see yours on our jobs board.
Here’s what caught our eye this week: the City of Sydney has several jobs advertised on our jobs board, and now, with Clover Moore back in the saddle for another term as Lord Mayor, you know you will be in safe, secure hands!
- See the jobs on offer here: Jobs | The Fifth Estate
AGL has an electric sense of humour
Extra kudos to AGL’s product & technology leader for electrification and innovation, Hilton Garcia. He created a very enticing job ad for a new delivery lead in his division.
“Come and help me put shivers down the spines of gas industry executives by electrifying everything!
“This role will suit someone who can drive outcomes, has a can-do attitude and isn’t afraid to challenge. If that sounds like you, check this role out, working within our Electrification & Innovation business helping Australians electrify & decarbonise their homes.”
Elsewhere, the NTRO (National Transport Research Organisation) at Fortitude Valley in Brisbane is looking for senior sustainability/environmental and infrastructure materials engineers. The team is responsible for the research and development of recycled materials being applied within the Australian road and rail network, which is a direct result of the SMP team. The two jobs on offer can be based in either Perth, Melbourne or Brisbane. But people who live elsewhere are also encouraged to apply.
And it’s good to see there’s demand ramping up for reporting skills in sustainability, this time from Grant Thornton, who we confess we didn’t know was so active in that space. The company is looking for a sustainability reporting manager in Sydney to lead greenhouse gas reporting and climate risk projects.
And RMIT in Melbourne is also on the hunt for an advisor, sustainability, carbon and reporting. It’s an 18-month contract based in the Melbourne campus and involves overseeing carbon management, offsets, utility budgets and sustainability reporting to ensure RMIT meets its carbon-neutral commitments.
Other jobs we noted included head of climate change and sustainability for the City of Port Phillip in Melbourne and Frasers Property Australia which is looking for a group sustainability manager.