3 Soft Skills Every STEM/Business College Student Must Have

1. NETWORKING. It is my belief that this skill will put you farther ahead and enrich your life more than any other professional skill you develop. Upon cultivating this talent, you will be able to sidestep roadblocks and shoot straight to your goals as you begin your professional journey. To demonstrate the power of networking I’ll discuss my first internship. At the first company I interned at, several months into my time there my manager was looking for a second intern. He believed the most reliable candidates would be students I recommended to him. He wanted to go through me. If any of my friends would have been qualified, interested, and asked me if my program was looking for another intern, then they would have almost certainly gotten the job. I introduced one of my engineering friends to my manager and he’s still interning there today.​
2. ​LEADERSHIP. This skill is essential because management/leadership is one of the most common routes for promotions in the corporate world. If you demonstrate leadership qualities to a recruiter/manager, they will know you could have a future ascending through the manager tract at their company. 
3. PUBLIC SPEAKING. This skill is rare but transfers over to so many areas in job searching and corporate work. Developing your public speaking skills will make you better at speaking to recruiters/managers, interviews, developing self-confidence, thoroughly conveying your ideas on the job, developing rapport with senior management, and expanding your network.