An ideal candidate for many job openings has a combination of both hard and soft skills. While hard skills can get a person an interview, soft skills are what help a person land the job. Applicants with years of experience and education may have the necessary hard skills but lack soft skills like leadership, self-motivation, and ability to perform well. Having a balance of hard and soft skills helps one compete for jobs in a tight market. Soft skills are as essential as technical skills to be successful in any profession.