ESSENTIAL SOFT SKILLS FOR

ENGINEERS
(ROIT 7213)

1. INTRODUCTION

By
Dr. BALAMURUGAN S,
M.E.(CEM), PhD.(CEM),
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,
Dept. of CoTM, CET, BHU.

MSc. IN CONSTRUCTION ENGG. & MANAGEMENT

 Introduction
2

 Engineers need a number of skills to handle the

project.
 Engineer is expected to have strategic vision, self-
confidence, courage, execution and drive for results
as his core competencies.
 A project engineer needs keen observation to make
his team members multi-tasking
 Cont.
3

 Though before becoming an engineer he acquires

all the formal educations and gathers experiences,
he needs managerial skills which can be otherwise
said as soft skills
 Soft skills play a very vital role in the professional
life of an individual and the basics of it starts from
the foundation of ethics, integrity and values
 Cont.
4

 Although the soft skills are not directly related to

the outcome of the project, they have a lot of
importance in all the phases of a project
 Hard skills or technical skills are very important but
the output of it cannot be incorporated without the
soft skills
 All the soft skills that a project manager needs are
not one time endeavors but threads applied
throughout the project.
 Cont.
5

 Since soft skills spread widely through personal and

interpersonal attributes, it must be recognized from
the simple gesture of day-to-day activities to the
complex management activities at workplace.
 So, to fit the right soft skill at the proper place is the
need of the hour
 Hard skills and Soft skills
6

 Hard skills or technical skills like creating work

break down structure, preparing schedule plan,
preparing budget plan, etc. are very important but
the output of it cannot be incorporated without the
soft skills.
 Soft skills are considered as critical traits for one’s
career growth, and this is the reason why soft skills
are said to expose somebody’s inner self.
 So it is said that, hard skills reflect what you know
and soft skills indicate who you really are.
 Cont.
7

 Since soft skills are more personality driven, it

relates to our attitudes and intuitions, and is less
inclined to our qualifications.
 Soft skill reflects a person’s relationship with other
people through his character traits and
interpersonal skills.
 It focuses more on who people are, rather than what
they know.
 It makes the work environment too flexible and
easier to manage through subtle behaviors and
communication.
 List of the Essential Soft Skills
8
Required:
Essential Soft Skills Engineers Need to Maximise Career
Success:
 1. Communication

 2. Problem-Solving

 3. Organisation

 4. Leadership

 5. Teamwork

 6. Adaptability

 7. Creativity

 8. Interpersonal Skills and Emotional Intelligence

 9. Customer service
 One Common Career Mistake
9
Engineers Make
 Too often, engineers focus only on their technical
skills and abilities, largely ignoring soft skills.
 Soft skills, however, are very important in almost all
roles and industries.
 By paying attention to the essential soft skills for
engineers, you’ll make yourself more attractive to
employers.
 You’ll also become a more rounded engineer,
enhancing your emotional intelligence and
interpersonal skills, and improving your overall
engineering abilities as soft skills work.
 Why do Soft Skills matter
10

 A soft skill differentiates between the adequate

and the ideal Engineers
 The people who are efficient to become leaders
and leadership quality depends on the soft skills
 Technical ability and knowledge in the domain area
is important. However soft skills matter over here,
because these skills help people to work and
perform well in a suitable environment.
 Cont.
11

 Soft Skills are not only important in the

organizations for facing the clients, it is also very
important for an employee to interact with his
clients.
 That’s why employees give a lot of importance to
soft skills so that they can create a productive and
healthy environment
 Tips for Improving Your Soft Skills
12

 Embrace feedback
 Communicate regularly
 Build strong relationships
 Get outside your comfort zone
 Be ready to learn
 Be adaptable and flexible
 Take on leadership responsibilities
 Cont.
13

 You can complete training courses to improve your

soft skills.
 Experience is important, too, so be open to taking
on leadership responsibilities while also being
adaptable and flexible.
 For example, be willing to take on new roles or
projects, even if they are outside your comfort zone.
 Cont.
14

 You should always be ready to learn, embracing

constructive feedback from wherever it comes from.
 Building strong relationships and regularly
communicating with those who can help you grow
and develop will help too.
 Developing a Continuous Improvement
15
Mind-set
 Becoming a master of the soft skills above is a
lifelong objective, so don’t expect to have all of
them figured out quickly.
 Instead, focus on those you consider are your
weakest, set goals, develop a plan, and constantly
review your progress.
 The reward will be increased engineering success.