Presenter: Dan Crady, CDHL Transition Specialist

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

What is difference between hard skills and soft

skills?

Hard Skills

Examples of hard skills include:

Proficiency in a foreign language
A degree or certificate
Typing speed
Machine operation
Computer programming

These hard skills are often listed in your cover letter

and on your resume, and are easy for an employer or
recruiter to recognize.

Soft Skills

Soft skills, on the other hand, are subjective skills that

are much harder to quantify. Also known as "people
skills" or "interpersonal skills," soft skills relate to the
way you relate to and interact with other people.
Examples of soft skills include:
Communication
Teamwork
Flexibility
Patience
Persuasion
Time Management
Motivation

Why is soft skills

important?

https://blog.udemy.com/soft-skills-training/


When you were a child, your parents probably
reprimanded you if you treated your siblings or
friends wrongfully. If you thought that was harsh,
brace yourself for an even more stringent job market!
Poor soft skills will get you fired and win you a
couple of bad recommendation letters. Your hard
skills are the concrete you need to build a successful
career. Your soft skills on the other hand, are the
man power required for the concrete to be turned
into one solid building (Mikoluk, 2013).
https://blog.udemy.com/soft-skills-training/


Your colleagues and supervisors also need a sociable
and reliable worker who can effectively work in a
team. Team work is definitely not possible without
good communication and leadership skills.
Soft skills are broader and arguably much more
critical than hard skills. They are your personal
attributes which determine how well you get along
with people, your career prospective and overall job
performance.

DEAFNESS, COMMUNICATION AND

ISOLATION
IN THE WORK PLACE

https://www.rit.edu/ntid/hccd/system/files/DEA
FNESS%20COMMUNICATION%20AND%20ISOLA
TION.pdf

Communication Barrier

Writing is especially important for deaf and hard-of

hearing individuals since English can be a second
language for many students, so writing, in general,
can be a challenge.
Some people turn to written communication as a
replacement for what hearing people share verbally.
However, this is far from ideal for many deaf
employees. For those deaf from a young age, English
acquisition and, subsequently, reading and writing
proficiency are often affected. Therefore, handwritten
notes or other written materials cannot adequately
replace all spoken communication (Parnes and
Richardson,n.d.).

Communication Skill

Communication skills are ranked first among a job

candidates 'must have' skills and qualities
*According to a 2010 survey by the National
Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Find more at:

http://www.skillsyouneed.com/general/communic
ation-skills.html


Professionally, if you are applying for jobs or looking
for a promotion with your current employer, you will
almost certainly need to demonstrate good
communication skills. For example, the ability to:
speak appropriately with a wide variety of people
whilst maintaining good eye contact, demonstrate a
varied vocabulary and tailor your language to your
audience, listen effectively, present your ideas
appropriately, write clearly and concisely and work
well in a group all require good communication skills.
Many of these are essential skills that employers seek.

Title 1 : ADA

Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act

prohibits employers, employment agencies, labor
unions and joint labor-management committees
from discriminating against persons with disabilities.
ADA obligations are placed on employers of fifteen
or more people.

http://www.ada.gov/ada_title_I.htm


Employers should consult with deaf and hard of
hearing employees about the type of accommodations
that are needed in order to make its facilities and work
environment accessible. The accommodation that is
appropriate for one deaf or hard of hearing employee
may not be successful in achieving effective
communication for other employees.

http://www.ada.gov/ada_title_I.htm

PN2

http://www.pepnet.org/about-us/

http://www.pepnet.org/user/login

That Deaf Guy by Matt

and Kay Daigle

http://www.thatdeafguy.com/

http://www.thatdeafguy.com/

http://www.thatdeafguy.com/

ANY QUESTIONS???

RESOURCES

* Parnes, A. and Richardson, D.C. (n.d.), Deafness, Communication and Isolation in the Workplace. Retrieved from:
https://www.rit.edu/ntid/hccd/system/files/deafness%20communication%20and%20isolation.pdf

* http://www.skillsyouneed.com/general/communication-skills.html
* http://www.ada.gov/ada_title_I.htm
* http://www.pepnet.org
* Daigle, M and Daigle, K.(2015). That Deaf Guy. Retrieved from: http://www.thatdeafguy.com/
* Mikoluk, K. ( 2013). Soft Skills Training: Because Hard Skills Are Not Enough. Retrieved from:
https://blog.udemy.com/soft-skills-training/