Communication is a skill because it must be learned and practised before it is done well, but whether it counts as hard or soft depends on the role. For someone whose job is mainly communicating a product or service, it is a hard skill. For an accountant whose work improves with good communication, it is a soft skill.
Last updated · Bodhih Insights team · reviewed by Siddharthan VGJ, Founder
A Skill, to put it simply, is anything that you need to typically learn and practice, before you do it well. Common examples include reading, writing, playing a musical instrument, carpentry, etc. While expressing yourself can come naturally to you, communicating requires learning and practice. To thrash out the hard, soft battle with a corporate example – If you job or role in your organization is primarily about communicating the qualities of your product, service to others, then communication is a hard skill.
However, if you are an accountant and communicating well will make you a better accountant, then communication is a soft skill. Just like, for a typist (if they still exist) fast typing is a hard skill but for the same accountant, fast typing will be a soft skill.
– Roopa, Sr. Manager, Corporate.
Quick answers
When is communication a hard skill?
Communication is a hard skill when a job is primarily about communicating, for example explaining a product or service to others. When communication only makes someone better at a different core job, such as accounting, it is a soft skill. Fast typing works the same way: hard for a typist, soft for an accountant.
