Summary
Soft skills are personal and interpersonal abilities that help you work effectively with others. Acadia’s Career Services and Experiential Learning (CEL) office offers workshops, advising, and hands-on opportunities to help students build these skills through work, volunteering, and extracurricular involvement.
Body
Soft skills are the personal qualities that help you thrive in school, work, and life. They include things like:
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🗣️ Communication – expressing ideas clearly and listening actively
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🤝 Teamwork – collaborating respectfully and contributing to group success
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🔄 Adaptability – staying flexible and positive when things change
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🧠 Problem-solving – thinking critically and finding solutions
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⏱️ Time management – balancing tasks and meeting deadlines
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💡 Initiative – taking action and showing leadership
These skills are just as important to employers as your GPA — and CEL can help you build them.
Here’s how:
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🧭 Workshops – Learn and practice soft skills in a supportive setting
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💼 Volunteer roles and part-time jobs – Gain real-world experience and grow your confidence
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🧑🏫 One-on-one advising – Get personalized feedback and strategies
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🧪 Experiential learning projects – Apply soft skills in community or research settings
You don’t need to be perfect — just open to learning and growing. CEL will meet you where you are and help you take the next step.
📘 Helpful Definitions:
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Soft skills: Personal qualities that help you interact effectively with others and succeed in various environments
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Hard skills: Technical or academic abilities like coding, writing, or lab techniques
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Experiential learning: Hands-on learning through work, volunteering, or projects
📎 Suggested Links:
📝 Special Notes:
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You can start building soft skills in your first year — CEL offers support for every stage
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International students are welcome to participate and can benefit from cross-cultural communication workshops
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Soft skills are often what set candidates apart in interviews and group settings