Soft skills can be loosely defined as those skills that make a workplace run more smoothly. Hard skills are specifically task-oriented, such as driving a forklift or operating a machine. But soft skills easily transfer between industries – and, increasingly, manufacturing employers are prioritizing them.

Here are a few soft skills that can land you a manufacturing job, even without much experience.

Positive Attitude

Everyone wants the workplace to run a bit more smoothly and to be a little more pleasant. That’s why a positive attitude is so important. If you’re a good team member with a can-do attitude, and you go out of your way to make other people feel valued, it will be much easier to land your desired position.

Problem Solving

Things will go wrong on the manufacturing floor. A machine might suddenly stop working. A coworker could get sick. Your team might be in danger of missing a production deadline. If you have good problem-solving skills, you’ll be able to rise to these challenges. The ability to calmly assess a situation and decide on the best course of action is priceless.

Communication

Manufacturing relies on teams. You’ll need to be able to communicate well with everyone around you, even those who are very different from you. If you’re a great communicator, you might even be tasked with collaborating with other departments, including managers. This will get you noticed, and perhaps even put you in line for a promotion.

Flexibility

Remember how things will go wrong on the manufacturing floor? Sometimes solving problems means working overtime, taking on new job duties, or learning a new type of technology. Being able to roll with the punches and make things happen is an essential soft skill for any manufacturing employee.

Attention to Detail

Manufacturing means turning raw materials into finished goods. But as you know, raw materials are often imperfect. Machine settings may be imprecise. And human error is inevitable. If you have strong attention to detail, you’ll notice these things when they occur. You will be able to perform quality control checks to make sure only the best goods go out to your customers.

Looking for A New Job In Upstate SC?

Phillips Staffing has been matching job seekers with open positions in manufacturing, distribution, and other industries for over 55 years. We also offer soft skills training that can help you land and succeed in almost any job. If you’re in Greenville or Upstate South Carolina and are looking for your next role, get started today!