Though it’s essential for software engineers to have confidence in their abilities to use programming languages, create data structures, and test projects, these skills aren’t the only things to focus on for those who want to be professional software engineers.

Successful software engineers must have a number of other skills that stretch beyond the technical. Soft skills for software engineers are just as important to successfully complete a project as any technical knowledge.

Best Soft Skills for a Software Engineer

Honing your soft skills will give you an advantage whenever you’re looking for a job or starting to work with a new team, and there are quite a few good soft skills for software engineers to focus on. Skill development is an ongoing process, so there’s always a chance for you to identify new areas to work on.

Resilience

Resilience enables you to recover quickly when you make mistakes and stay concentrated on your goals. It requires both mindfulness to handle stressful situations as well as the tenacity to stay focused on the task at hand and see it through to the end.

Resilience is vital to growth. Software engineers may face a great deal of adversity, so the ability to motivate themselves through trickier problems becomes critical. It’s important to learn from failure and adapt to new, future engineering challenges based on knowledge you’ve gained from your experiences.

Strong Work Ethic

Having a strong work ethic means you’re committed to the quality of your professional efforts. Those with a strong work ethic show up and accomplish their tasks, even if they have to shift or shimmy a bit if something comes up. They’re reliable, which is crucial in the workplace, and especially for software engineers. A strong work ethic grounds you, helping you make the right choices about how to work through what you have on your plate.

Not Afraid of Making Mistakes

Some people feel like they need to do everything right the first time, but perfectionism is not a synonym for doing a good job.” Sometimes making mistakes is a fundamental part of growth