“I needed to learn this in my first year as a faculty member”

"Soft” skills for an Academic Career

Abstract

Organizations expect professionals to have excellent hard skills and soft skills. Researchers have examined different facets of soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, interpersonal, collaboration, and networking, among others, in different workplace contexts, including academia. In this ongoing qualitative study, researchers conducted eight semi-structured interviews with school library faculty members to learn more about the “soft skills” required in academia. Some of the key soft skills identified include time management, collaboration and teamwork, communication and conversations, leadership skills, understanding power structures, and managing people.