The 5 Skills That Actually Matter at Work (And You Can Start Building Them Right Now)

We asked 900+ professionals. The #1 answer wasn't technical skills.

You probably think the most important thing you can do right now is master the technical skills for your field.

Learn the software. Get the certifications. Memorize the procedures.

And yes, those matter. But here's what nobody tells you:

When we asked over 900 professionals across every industry what skills are most important in their actual jobs, technical expertise wasn't at the top of the list.

Empathy and emotional intelligence were.

Not just in "people-focused" fields like teaching or counseling. Across every field. Engineers said it. Finance directors said it. Founders, IT managers, doctors—they all said the same thing.

The professionals we talked to told us success comes down to five skills that show up in every role, regardless of the job title.

And here's the best part: you're already building these skills right now.

In group projects. In part-time jobs. In how you talk to professors and handle roommate conflicts. Every day, you're practicing the exact skills that will matter most in your career.

Here's what actually matters at work—and how to keep building these skills before you go back to school.

Skill #1: Empathy & Emotional Intelligence

Understanding how other people feel and being able to respond with patience and care. Reading a room, seeing things from someone else's perspective, and treating people well even when things are stressful.

This was the single most mentioned skill across all 900+ interviews.

It came up from doctors, engineers, teachers, salespeople, and founders. No matter what field you work in, you're going to work with people who think differently than you, who are having a hard day, or who need something you have to figure out.

Emotional intelligence is what helps you navigate all of that.

"You have to be really compassionate and empathetic because these are kids who are maybe getting injured for the first time." — Annie, Athletic Trainer

"The most important thing is empathy — being able to have empathy for your clients, for the people you're trying to sell to, and for the people on your team, because that helps you understand them." — Connor, Co-Founder & Managing Partner

"If you don't have empathy, I think it's going to be very difficult to be highly successful in your career." — Freida, IT Manager

What you can do:

Next time someone is frustrated or upset, try to understand why before you react. Ask yourself what their day might look like from their side.

That habit—pausing to consider someone else's perspective—is the foundation of emotional intelligence.

You don't need a special class to build this skill. You just need to practice it in everyday moments.

Skill #2: Communication

Being able to express your ideas clearly and listen carefully to others. Writing, speaking, presenting, and explaining things in a way your audience actually understands.

This showed up across nearly every type of role because no matter what your job is, you need to make sure the right information gets to the right person.

It's not just about public speaking. It's the everyday ability to be clear and make yourself understood.

"I can't lead a team if I'm not articulating clearly what our goals are. I can't present to a client if I'm not explaining the work we did." — Ray, CEO and Co-Founder

"Being able to clearly communicate what you heard from a customer is really important. It is also a skill that is very transferable." — Tiffany, Senior Solution Engineer

"Being a good listener is probably the most important part of being a good communicator, because if you're just talking, you're not communicating." — Olivia, Equitable Decarbonization Advocate

What you can do:

Practice explaining things clearly to a friend. Pay attention to how you write emails and texts. When someone is talking, focus on actually listening before thinking about what you're going to say back.

These small habits add up.

Before you go back to school, practice one communication skill: write clearly, present confidently, or listen actively. Pick one and work on it.

Skill #3: Organization & Time Management

Staying on top of your responsibilities, managing your time, and paying attention to the details. Knowing what needs to get done, what matters most, and making sure nothing important falls through the cracks.

Almost half of all professionals mentioned this skill. Whether you're managing clients, juggling deadlines, or just keeping track of a busy schedule, the ability to stay organized is what keeps everything else running.

"If you're not extremely well organized, things will slip through the cracks. I've seen it countless times where people had multiple things come up and other problems suddenly got forgotten. Small things can lead to massive dollar amounts lost very quickly." — Sean, Vice President

"As a founder, as a CEO, time management is really important and also prioritization because you have a lot of things going on and you need to prioritize which one is the most important thing you have to start with." — Shirley, CEO and Co-Founder

"The ability to keep 18 balls in the air without letting one drop and to do it with a smile on your face and not getting overwhelmed." — Silvia, Realtor, Investor & Advisor

What you can do:

Start using a planner, a to-do list, or even just a notes app to track what you need to do each day. Practice putting things in order of importance.

The earlier you build this habit, the more natural it becomes.

This summer, pick one organizational system and actually use it for a week. See what works for you.

Skill #4: Relationship Building & Teamwork

Working well with others, building trust, and being someone people want to collaborate with. This includes everything from being a good teammate to maintaining professional relationships over time.

No job exists in isolation. You'll always be working with other people, and the quality of those relationships directly affects how well things go.

This isn't just about being friendly. It's about being reliable, showing up for people, and building the kind of trust that makes real work possible.

"Whenever I've had a relationship with someone, I get an answer right away. When I haven't had the best relationship with them, they'll get back to me in two weeks." — Chris, Finance Analyst

"You need to have strong relationship and collaboration skills because it requires a lot of strong connections with the parents and making sure you constantly communicate with them." — Giselle, Kindergarten Teacher

"Relationship building maybe isn't talked about enough as a specific skill, but having the ability to show up as your true authentic self and build human relationships with people that you can then count on is really important." — Joni, Executive Director

What you can do:

Be the person who follows through, shares credit, and checks in on the people around you.

Good relationships are built in small moments, not grand gestures.

This summer, reach out to one person you haven't talked to in a while. A former classmate, a coworker, a professor. Just check in. That's how you build relationships that last.

Skill #5: Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking

Being able to look at a situation, break it down, and figure out what to do next. Thinking clearly under pressure, asking the right questions, and not freezing when something unexpected comes up.

Every job has problems. What separates people who do well from people who struggle is not whether they have all the answers. It's whether they can work through things when they don't.

"I think you can do almost any job if you work hard and are a really good problem solver." — Carolyn, Director of Engineering Program Management

"We have to be the eyes, the ears and have a lot of critical thinking so that when we intervene, we're intervening early enough to catch something potentially life-threatening from happening." — Cassandra, Registered Nurse

"Wanting to figure out something, breaking it down into completable tasks — that is really the fundamental skill that I would want everyone to have." — Dosbal, Customer Strategy & Operations Manager

What you can do:

Next time you hit a problem, resist the urge to ask for help immediately. Spend five minutes breaking it into smaller pieces first.

What do you know? What do you don't know? What's the next step you can actually take?

That process is the skill.

You're Already Building These Skills

You don't need a job to start building these skills. You're already practicing them every day.

In group projects, on sports teams, in conversations with friends and family, and in how you manage your time and schoolwork.

The professionals we talked to weren't born with these abilities. They built them over time, and most said they're still working on them.

The difference is: they recognize these experiences as skill-building opportunities.

Before you go back to school this fall, pick one skill from this list and focus on it for the next few weeks:

• Practice empathy by understanding people's perspectives

• Work on communication by explaining things clearly

• Build organization by using a system that works for you

• Strengthen relationships by checking in with people

• Develop problem-solving by breaking challenges into steps

You don't need to master all five at once. Just start with one.

The skills that matter most in every career aren't technical. They're human skills that you can build right now, starting today.

Want to see what professionals in your field actually do?

Watch thousands of professionals talk about their jobs, career paths, and the skills they use every day on Advize—for free.

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