Grades make you a better professional or more employable?

No, No and No!

Your marks certainly make you a temporary eye-candy, but your skills take you forward. Does your IIT degree or first division make you a good professional? Or do they make you more employable?

Are you resilient, pragmatic and empathetic in your approach when dealing with a problem or you take sides and shun off responsibility? Well, latter makes you a mere employee, whereas the former makes you a professional poised for success.

You acquire some skills through experience, introspection and perspective. These are beyond grades and top university degrees.

Soft skills prepare you for life chances and opportunities.

We are constantly viewing our worth through degrees and grades. We believe that the society, our parents, and our peers are constantly judging us. Such a sense of validation forces us to undermine the importance of soft skills. Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making and time management skills are critical for an uncompromised self-awareness.

In the contemporary corporate world, you have to be outstanding compared to your peers to be considered an asset to the organization. Soft skills and your self-awareness have a significant impact on making an employee stand out from the rest. Clear communication, empathy, confidence in the team, and willingness to delegate are critical soft-skill ingredients of a successful employment. Control and command approach to problem-solving is a camouflage for the average . Excellence is a habit that arises from a sustained application of soft skills.

Interpersonal skills transform the way you are accepted and give you an edge over others. Maintaining your calm during a crisis and demonstrating unyielding integrity are the true hallmarks of a successful professional.

Displaying high intelligence quotient gives your resume an edge over others. High emotional intelligence guarantees it. Establishing strong interpersonal relationships within a team are pivotal to successful outcomes.

Machines can be graded on efficiency and productivity. Humans are graded on emotions and soft skills.

Are you competing for mechanized tasks or human-augmented opportunities?