What are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are "people" skills which enable you to interact effectively with others. Such skills include leadership, communication, teamwork and time management.
Why are Soft Skills Important?
Even if you have all the right technical skills to land a job in your field, you will be limiting your chances of career success if you lack people skills. Also, soft skills are becoming increasingly vital to employers when choosing between candidates with similar experience and education.
Luckily, many such skills can be learned and there are a number of great MOOCs that will help you develop the traits employers find most valuable:
Leadership
Strategic Leadership and Management Specialization
By the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via Coursera | 7 courses
Leading People and Teams Specialization
By the University of Michigan via Coursera | 5 courses
Organizational Leadership Specialization
By Northwestern University via Coursera | 6 courses
Inspired Leadership Specialization
By Case Western Reserve University via Coursera | 5 courses
Inspirational Leadership: Leading with Sense Specialization
By HEC Paris via Coursera | 4 courses
Inclusive Leadership Professional Certificate Program
By Catalyst via EdX | 3 courses
Management and Leadership Program
By The Open University via Futurelearn | 3 courses
Communication
Communication in the 21st Century Workplace
By University of California, Irvine via Coursera | 4-8 hours
Improving Communication Skills
By University of Pennsylvania via Coursera | 8-12 hours
Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation Specialization
By the University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera | 4 courses
Business English Communication Skills Specialization
By the University of Washington via Coursera | 5 courses
Improve Your English Communication Skills Specialization
By The Georgia Institute of Technology via Coursera | 4 courses
Effective Communication in the Globalised Workplace Specialization
By The National University of Singapore via Coursera | 5 courses
Business Communications
By University of British Columbia via EdX | 6-7 weeks, 3-5 hours per week
Evidence-Based Business Communication
By Australian National University via EdX | 6 weeks, 8-10 hours per week
Communication Skills for Bridging Divides
By Catalyst via EdX | 1 hour
Business Fundamentals: Effective Communication
By the Open University via Futurelearn | 12 hours
Intercultural Communication
By Shanghai International Studies University via Futurelearn | 20 hours
Collaboration
High Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation
By Northwestern University via Coursera | 1 course
Teamwork Skills: Communicating Effectively in Groups
By University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera | 1 course
Teamwork & Collaboration
By Rochester Institute of Technology via EdX | 3 weeks, 6 to 8 hours per week
Working in Teams: A Practical Guide
By The University of Queensland via EdX | 4 weeks, 6-8 hours per week
Time Management
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal & Professional Productivity
By University of California, Irvine via Coursera | 4-8 hours
Soft skills are "people" skills which enable you to interact effectively with others. Such skills include leadership, communication, teamwork and time management.
Why are Soft Skills Important?
Even if you have all the right technical skills to land a job in your field, you will be limiting your chances of career success if you lack people skills. Also, soft skills are becoming increasingly vital to employers when choosing between candidates with similar experience and education.
Luckily, many such skills can be learned and there are a number of great MOOCs that will help you develop the traits employers find most valuable:
Leadership
Strategic Leadership and Management Specialization
By the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via Coursera | 7 courses
Leading People and Teams Specialization
By the University of Michigan via Coursera | 5 courses
Organizational Leadership Specialization
By Northwestern University via Coursera | 6 courses
Inspired Leadership Specialization
By Case Western Reserve University via Coursera | 5 courses
Inspirational Leadership: Leading with Sense Specialization
By HEC Paris via Coursera | 4 courses
Inclusive Leadership Professional Certificate Program
By Catalyst via EdX | 3 courses
Management and Leadership Program
By The Open University via Futurelearn | 3 courses
Communication
Communication in the 21st Century Workplace
By University of California, Irvine via Coursera | 4-8 hours
Improving Communication Skills
By University of Pennsylvania via Coursera | 8-12 hours
Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation Specialization
By the University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera | 4 courses
Business English Communication Skills Specialization
By the University of Washington via Coursera | 5 courses
Improve Your English Communication Skills Specialization
By The Georgia Institute of Technology via Coursera | 4 courses
Effective Communication in the Globalised Workplace Specialization
By The National University of Singapore via Coursera | 5 courses
Business Communications
By University of British Columbia via EdX | 6-7 weeks, 3-5 hours per week
Evidence-Based Business Communication
By Australian National University via EdX | 6 weeks, 8-10 hours per week
Communication Skills for Bridging Divides
By Catalyst via EdX | 1 hour
Business Fundamentals: Effective Communication
By the Open University via Futurelearn | 12 hours
Intercultural Communication
By Shanghai International Studies University via Futurelearn | 20 hours
Collaboration
High Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation
By Northwestern University via Coursera | 1 course
Teamwork Skills: Communicating Effectively in Groups
By University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera | 1 course
Teamwork & Collaboration
By Rochester Institute of Technology via EdX | 3 weeks, 6 to 8 hours per week
Working in Teams: A Practical Guide
By The University of Queensland via EdX | 4 weeks, 6-8 hours per week
Time Management
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal & Professional Productivity
By University of California, Irvine via Coursera | 4-8 hours
