7 Soft Skills You Need To Get Hired In 2013

Landing a job requires a lot more than just the right degree, experience or series of technical skills. "Soft" skills, otherwise known as emotional intelligence, may make a difference between an employee who can do the job and one who does it well. Soft skills include: leadership, written and verbal communication, problem solving, motivation, interpersonal skills and creativity. They aren't usually skills we learn in school (although some business schools now have programs to try to help their students improve in these areas).

When it comes right down to it, soft skills are characteristics that make us more likable. Whether or not anyone wants to admit it, likability is an important factor in the hiring process. A Harvard Business School study from several years ago found, "Generally speaking, a little extra likability goes a longer way than a little extra competence in making someone desirable to work with." In other words, when given a choice between competent jerks and lovable fools, lovable fools won out.