Engineering is all about technical skills, right? Yes, but that’s not the entire picture. Soft skills are just as important as technical skills when it comes to long-term success. Engineers don’t work in isolation. They must be able to navigate complex professional relationships, political landscapes and a multitude of egos and personalities. Let’s examine some of the most important soft skills to look for in engineering talent.

Communication

Engineers have to communicate with other engineers, but they also have to communicate with lots of non-technical people throughout the course of their work. Interactions between partners or clients are rife with opportunities for misunderstandings. In order to be effective, engineers must be excellent speakers, presenters, writers and listeners.

Collaboration

The success of any engineering project depends not on individuals, but teams. Engineers must be able to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. It is critical that candidates possess the ability to work with others, learn from others, take and provide feedback and share in both successes and failures.

Flexibility

It is rare for any engineering project to go off without a single hitch along the way. Challenges and roadblocks are everyday occurrences and engineers must be able to face those obstacles and overcome them in order to move forward. The rapid pace of change in technology also has a major impact on the way engineers work. You want to hire people who aren’t derailed by the unexpected and who can modify and adjust their approach according to the circumstances, without getting mired down in “the plan” or “the way things have always been done.”

Creativity

People don’t often think of engineers as a “creative” bunch, but in truth, they must be creative in order to succeed. Engineering innovations and advancements don’t fall out of the sky; they come from creative minds that decided to step outside the box and take a new approach.  Creative people find ways to do things more efficiently and design processes or products that are faster, better and cheaper. Creative engineers are excellent problem solvers and make valuable assets to a team.

Leadership

Whether an engineering position is supervisory or not, leadership qualities are important for success. Leadership is about being able to convince people to follow a great idea, it is the ability to assess risk, take action and make decisions under pressure and under uncertain circumstances – all critical qualities for effective engineers.

If you are looking for skilled, experienced engineering professionals with both the technical and soft skills to help your firm succeed, contact the recruiting experts at PEAK Technical Staffing today.

About PEAK

PEAK Technical Staffing is a leading provider of engineering staffing services, offering contract staffing, contract-to-hire and direct hire solutions throughout the United States. With nearly fifty years of technical recruiting experience, we find solutions that meet more than just your technical requirements.

We work closely with you to make sure that every candidate fits your company’s unique needs and culture. See some of the engineering jobs we have recently filled for our clients:

Quality Manager

Electrical and Controls Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

If you are looking for skilled, experienced engineering professionals to help your business succeed, contact the recruiting experts at PEAK Technical Staffing today.