Technical skills vs Soft Skills: What employers in India value more in entry-level hires

Breaking into your first job can feel like decoding a secret formula. Do companies care more about coding or communication, Excel or empathy? The truth is: both matter but how they matter is different. This blog unpacks soft skills vs technical skills for Indian entry-level roles, shows what to prioritise for the job you want, and gives ready-to-use examples for your resume, group discussions, and interviews.

You’ll learn: clear definitions, sector-wise priorities, resume templates, GD strategies, and a practical checklist, plus where a university like UPES can help you build job-ready skills with industry projects and mentoring.
 

Technical Skills Vs Soft Skills: The Quick Definition

Technical skills are job-specific abilities you can measure and test (e.g., Python, Tally, AutoCAD, FEA). Soft skills are people and work-habits that transfer across roles (e.g., communication, problem-solving, teamwork, ownership). For most entry-level hiring in India, recruiters use technical skills to screen and soft skills to select.

Technical Skills vs Soft Skills Examples (With Role-Wise Priorities)

Use this table to decide where to invest your prep time based on the role you’re targeting.

Pro Tip: Recruiters often start with an online assessment to check your technical skills. After you clear that bar, interviewers compare soft skills to judge culture fit, client-readiness, and leadership potential.

Soft Skills vs Technical Skills: Group Discussion (How to Stand Out)

Group Discussions (GD) are designed to stress-test soft skills under time pressure while verifying domain awareness. Here’s a mini-playbook:

A. 90-Second Setup (Your Opening)

1. Frame the topic: Define terms (e.g., Technical skills are job-specific; soft skills transfer across functions.).
2. State a stance: For entry-level hiring, technical skills get you shortlisted; soft skills decide the offer.
3. Offer a structure: Let’s compare across IT, finance, and operations, then conclude with a hiring sequence.

B. During the Discussion

• Advance the conversation, don’t dominate. Add 1 new point per turn.
• Use micro-data points: short examples (“A fresher with SQL + clear problem-framing often beats a topper who can’t explain results.”)
• Bridge and build: “Adding to Aditi’s point on client-facing roles…”
• Invite voices: “We haven’t heard from Rohan—what do you think from a design angle?”
• Stay time-aware: “We have 2 minutes—shall we converge on 3 hiring takeaways?

C. 30-Second Close

Summarise the consensus and clearly state the tech-then-soft hiring funnel: screen on technicals; select on softs.

Soft Skills vs Hard Skills (Understand the Recruiter’s Lens)

Hard skills are the “must-have” baseline that reduces on-the-job training time; soft skills reduce project risk (missed deadlines, poor communication, rework). Recruiters optimise for time-to-productivity and risk-reduction. That’s why you’ll see this pattern:

1. Shortlist: hard/technical skills (tests, portfolios, case tasks)
2. Select: soft skills (communication, ownership, teamwork, growth mindset)

Common hard skills by function (entry-level)

• IT/Analytics: DSA, Python/Java, SQL, Git, basic cloud, Excel/Power BI
• Finance/Accounting: Excel, Tally/ERP, GST/TDS basics, reporting hygiene
• Engineering Core: CAD, GD&T, estimation, QA/QC, safety norms
• Marketing/Growth: SEO/SEM, analytics tools, campaign ops, copy basics
• Design/Media: Figma/Adobe, research, prototyping/editing.

Most valued soft skills (with micro-behaviours)

• Structured thinking: turns a vague problem into steps; uses MECE lists
• Communication: concise updates, visual summaries, clear asks
• Collaboration: documents decisions; hands off work cleanly
• Ownership: flags risks early; meets commitments; asks for help in time
• Learning agility: ships quick MVPs; iterates after feedback.

Soft Skills and Hard Skills: Key Differences (At a Glance)

Hiring takeaway: Meet the technical bar to enter the room; show soft-skill signals to win the seat.

Technical Skills and Soft Skills in Resume (ATS-Friendly Templates)

When recruiters skim your CV, they’re scanning for two things: “Can you do the job?” and “Will you be easy to work with?” That’s exactly where technical skills and soft skills in your resume come in. Use the table below to see which skills matter most for different roles and how to actually build them before you graduate:

Pick one target role, double down on 2–3 technical skills and 2–3 soft skills from the table, and build real projects or experiences around them, that’s what gets you shortlisted and remembered.

What About Salaries & Growth at Entry Level?

While pay varies by city, company size, and your portfolio strength, here are broad entry-level bands in India:

• Software/Data/AI: ₹6–12 LPA (higher for standout projects/DSA performance)
• Business/Finance/Analytics: ₹4–8 LPA (boost with Excel/SQL + storytelling)
• Core Engineering (Mech/Civil/Elec): ₹4–8 LPA (site roles vary; certifications help)
• Design/UX/Content/Media: ₹4–9 LPA (portfolio quality drives offers)
• Marketing/Growth: ₹3–7 LPA (performance + certifications elevate pay)

Soft skills move you faster after landing the job—into client exposure, stretch projects, and early leadership.

Where a University Helps (Value-Driven, Not Salesy)

If you prefer structured, industry-linked learning, universities like UPES offer:

• Specialised programs in AI/ML, Cybersecurity, Cloud, Energy, Logistics, Law, Design, Media, and Healthcare.
• Labs & studios (hands-on build culture), industry projects, and capstones.
• Career services for internships, mock interviews, GD/PI prep, and portfolio reviews.
• Soft-skill scaffolding: communication labs, presentation clinics, teamwork sprints.

FAQs: Soft Skills vs Technical Skills (India Freshers)

1) Do companies really hire for soft skills at fresher level?

• Yes—after you meet the basic technical bar. Recruiters look for clarity of thought, ownership, and teamwork to reduce project risk.

2) What if my technical skills aren’t perfect yet?

• Ship a small, real project and explain it clearly. Demonstrated learning beats long lists of buzzwords.

3) How do I show soft skills without experience?

• Use college projects, societies, hackathons, internships, volunteering—highlight the situation → action → result and what you learned.

4) Which soft skills matter most for tech roles?

• Problem-framing, communication (written + visual), collaboration, and time management—especially in agile teams.

5) How should I prepare for a “soft skills vs technical skills” GD?

• Open with definitions, compare across 2–3 functions, and close with tech for shortlisting, soft for selection.

6) How does UPES help me build both skill sets?

• Through specialised curricula, capstone projects, communication labs, and guided internships that create portfolio-ready evidence.

Conclusion: The Smart Way to Balance Soft Skills vs Technical Skills

You don’t need perfect skills to start. You need enough technical depth to clear the screen and strong soft-skill signals to win the offer. Build one solid project, practice clear explanations, and show you can learn fast with others. That combination is what Indian employers consistently reward in entry-level hires.

Next step: If structured guidance, projects, and placement support appeal to you, explore programs at UPES to see how a specialised track can accelerate your outcomes.