Engineering soft skills: the top 3 durable skills that help you get hired

As an engineering student, you spend years developing valuable skills in mathematics, physics, problem-solving, data analysis and more. But when it comes time to land your first job, those technical skills — while essential — are not enough on their own.

In today’s job market, employers increasingly expect new engineers to possess a suite of soft skills (also known as durable skills) that demonstrate your ability to communicate, collaborate and think critically in industrial environments.

A 2024 study published in the Journal of Engineering Education analyzing over 26,000 engineering job postings revealed a consistent pattern: technical knowledge is assumed.

What often makes the difference in hiring decisions is how well a candidate demonstrates communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Siemens’ new Expedite — Skills for Industry microcredential is designed to help students gain and verify key skills for today’s engineering workplaces, including durable skills like communication and project management. Learners can enroll now on Coursera or visit our website to learn more.

What are engineering soft skills or durable skills?

Durable skills, sometimes referred to as soft skills, are core professional abilities that remain valuable across technologies, industries and career stages. Unlike programming languages or software platforms, which change over time, durable skills are foundational.

In engineering, durable skills include the ability to:

• Communicate technical ideas to different audiences
• Solve complex, ambiguous problems in collaborative settings
• Work effectively with diverse teams and across disciplines
• Show leadership and initiative

While the phrase “soft skills” might sound less important than “hard” technical competencies like AI-driven design skills, think of them as the glue that holds an engineering team together. They’re what enable your ideas to be heard, your designs to be adopted and your projects to succeed.

The top 3 durable skills engineers need to get hired

Let’s focus on the three durable skills that employers most consistently seek in early-career engineers:

Communication

This includes far more than writing reports or answering emails. Engineering communication means:

• Explaining complex concepts clearly to non-engineers
• Presenting technical findings in meetings
• Actively listening to teammates and stakeholders
• Gaining decision-maker buy-in for your ideas or designs

Engineers spend over half their time communicating in some form. Whether you’re in a stand-up meeting, reviewing design specifications or pitching an idea to leadership, strong communication is what turns ideas into action.

Jess Naab, global head of university relations and talent programs at Siemens Digital Industries Software, shares why communication is so key for engineers today.

Complex problem-solving

Engineering is about solving problems — but in the workplace, it’s rarely as straightforward as a homework assignment. You need to:

• Frame the problem accurately
• Collaborate with others to define and test hypotheses
• Evaluate trade-offs and constraints
• Adjust as new information emerges

Employers value engineers who can navigate ambiguity, adapt their approach and solve problems systematically.

Teamwork & cross-disciplinary collaboration

Engineering projects don’t happen in silos. Whether you’re developing a new product or optimizing a manufacturing line, you’ll be working with others. Engineers today are required to:

• Collaborate with other engineering disciplines (e.g., mechanical with electrical)
• Work with non-technical departments (e.g., marketing, finance)
• Coordinate on global or distributed teams

Great engineers know how to listen, contribute, compromise and lead — especially when different perspectives or areas of expertise intersect.

How to build durable skills as an engineering student

Fortunately, your classroom and campus offer plenty of ways to build these skills now without waiting for a job offer.

Join collaborative student projects

Look for design courses, lab projects or capstones that require group collaboration. Take initiative in meetings, document your process and communicate often.

Compete in engineering challenges

Student competition teams — like Formula SAE, Solar Decathlon or robotics clubs — are gold mines for skill development. You’ll learn to communicate under pressure, solve real engineering problems and work within deadlines.

Take on leadership roles

Lead a club, organize a hackathon or run a team project. Leadership experience gives you a platform to practice decision-making, delegate tasks, and motivate others.

Practice public speaking and presentations

Seek opportunities to present your work at poster sessions, class presentations or student conferences. The more you practice, the more confident and clear you’ll become.

How to show employers you have these engineering soft skills

You might be building soft skills already, but are you showcasing them effectively to employers?

In your resume

• Use active language to describe team projects in detail: “Collaborated on a 5-person team to design a functional drone prototype”
• Highlight problem-solving results: “Developed a test rig that reduced vibration by 30%”
• Include communication wins: “Presented design review to a panel of industry judges”

In interviews

Expect behavioral questions like:

• “Tell me about a time you had to work on a team with conflicting opinions.”
• “How did you approach a project where you didn’t have a clear solution right away?”

Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) responses to show how you apply these skills in context.

Julian Jaeger, an engineering manager at Siemens Mobility, shares how to illustrate durable skills on your resume:

Through certifications and credentials

Explore programs like Siemens’ Expedite – Skills for Industry microcredential, which validates your communication, teamwork and leadership abilities. Adding microcredentials to your resume or online profile helps differentiate you in the job market.

Why engineering soft skills help you grow faster in your career

Once you’re hired, your durable skills become even more important.

Engineers who communicate clearly and take initiative tend to:

• Move into leadership roles more quickly
• Earn greater trust from colleagues and managers
• Get chosen for high-visibility projects

Durable skills compound over time. A technically strong engineer with strong interpersonal skills becomes a project lead. A strong project lead becomes a manager or innovation driver.

Start building your engineering durable skills today

Here’s how to get started right now:

• Audit your current skills – Reflect on recent team projects: How did you contribute? Where could you improve?
• Join a team or club – Focus on environments that require collaboration, problem-solving and communication.
• Volunteer to present – Don’t wait to be asked. Offer to present your team’s findings or lead the next meeting.
• Build a skill story bank – Keep a log of moments when you solved a problem, overcame a conflict or led a team with your engineering skills.
• Pursue microcredentials – Microcredentials help you build and validate skills that hiring managers notice.

Your engineering degree proves you have the technical skills, but your experience and microcredentials demonstrate your durable skills.