Soft skills at university include, above all, communication, teamwork, critical thinking, time management and adaptability. You do not train them in a separate course, but in group work, presentations, part-time jobs and student projects. If you use these opportunities deliberately and can later back them up with concrete examples, you have a clear advantage on your CV and in job interviews.
The key points at a glance
- Soft skills are transversal abilities such as communication, teamwork, self-organisation and problem-solving.
- During your studies they develop mainly through practice: group work, presentations, volunteering, part-time jobs and internships.
- On a CV, concrete examples persuade more than a list of personal qualities.
- Focus on one or two skills at a time and regularly check what has improved.
What are soft skills during your studies?
Soft skills are personal and social competences that you need regardless of your subject. They include how you deal with other people, how you organise your own work and how you handle pressure. Hard skills, by contrast, are subject knowledge and methods such as statistics, a programming language or accounting.
Both interlock in everyday life. The best analysis is of little use if you cannot explain it in a team, and a good team fails if nobody keeps to deadlines. That is why many job advertisements treat soft skills as a basic expectation.
Which soft skills at university count in study and work?
| Soft skill | How you notice it during your studies | How to train it |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | Presentation, office hours, email to lecturers | Take on presentations, ask for feedback, shorten and sharpen your texts |
| Teamwork | Group work, study group, project seminar | Take on a role, distribute tasks fairly, keep to agreements |
| Critical thinking | Literature research, seminar paper | Check sources, weigh arguments against each other |
| Time management | Exam period, submission deadlines, part-time job | Weekly plan, milestones, fixed study times |
| Adaptability | New city, change of subject, internship | Accept new tasks, reflect on experiences |
Communication: Listening, Formulating and Presenting
Good communication starts with listening before you answer. It also means writing clearly and in a way suited to your audience, for example in an email to lecturers, and speaking in a structured way. When you give a seminar presentation (in German), you train both at once: structure, voice, eye contact and handling follow-up questions.
If nerves before talks or exams get in the way, the tips on overcoming exam anxiety (in German) can help.
Teamwork and Conflict Management
Teamwork as a student shows in group work. You take on a role, keep agreements and say early if a deadline is at risk. Conflicts are part of it. You handle them constructively when you stay with the matter, understand the others’ view and look together for a workable solution. More on organising group work is in the guide mastering group work during your studies (in German).
Time Management and Self-Organisation
If you organise your studies yourself, you practise time management every day. It starts with priorities: what is important, what is urgent, what can be dropped? You will find methods in the guide on time management during your studies (in German). Fewer commitments can help too, as the guide minimalism during your studies (in German) shows.
How can I learn soft skills during my studies?
You learn soft skills through repeated practice with feedback. Reading alone is not enough. What matters is that you seek out situations in which you have to apply a skill, and then assess what worked.
- Student initiatives and student council: Here you take responsibility for projects, dates or a budget, often early in your studies.
- Group work: Take on a role deliberately, as moderator, minute-taker or idea generator, and ask for feedback afterwards.
- University workshops: Many universities offer courses on presentation, time management or negotiation. Ask the career service or the centre for key competences.
- Volunteering, part-time jobs and internships: Here you experience real expectations, customer contact and collaboration outside the university.
If you want to develop further over the long term, the guide further training alongside your studies (in German) offers more ideas.
How do I use soft skills on my CV and in job interviews?
On a CV, soft skills work when you link them to activities. Instead of writing “team player, communicative”, name concrete experiences: leading a team in the student council, organising an event, looking after customers in a part-time job. In the interview, briefly describe the situation, your task, your approach and the result.
You will find suitable examples more quickly if you note them as they happen, for example in a list with date, task and result. Tips on cover letters and working as a student assistant are in the guide applying as a student (in German).
How do I plan my development step by step?
Start with an honest stocktake: where are you confident, where are you unsure? Ask fellow students, friends or colleagues from your part-time job for their view. Then choose one or two skills and formulate a concrete goal with a time frame, for example: “This semester, I will moderate every group project and ask for feedback at the end.”
At the end of the semester, check what worked and what did not. If constant stress or exhaustion stands in the way of your development, it is sensible to reduce the strain first. You will find contacts and information in the guide on help with psychological strain (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Which soft skills are most important at university?
Communication, teamwork, time management and critical thinking accompany almost every degree programme. Which ones matter most to you depends on your subject and your intended career. Observe where group work or internships have gone well or badly for you so far.
How do I show teamwork as a student?
The most convincing approach is a concrete example. Name a team project, your role in it and the result. The student council, a study group, a sports club and a part-time job all provide such examples, as do group seminar papers.
Which soft skills belong on a CV?
Name only those you can back up with activities, such as volunteering, an internship or projects. Bare lists without evidence seem arbitrary. Also take the job advertisement as a guide and stick to the skills it asks for.
Can soft skills really be learned?
Yes, because they are patterns of behaviour that you can practise. Progress comes from regular practice, feedback from others and reflection. A single workshop usually provides the start, but the effect comes from everyday life.
So proceed now
- Choose one or two soft skills to strengthen this semester.
- Find an opportunity for them, such as a presentation, a role in group work or an office in the student council.
- Ask for feedback afterwards and note what you take from it.
- Record your experiences for your CV and job interviews.
Related reading
- Mastering group work during your studies: practical tips (in German)
- Giving presentations: how to win over your audience (in German)
- Time management during your studies: methods for a productive routine (in German)
- Applying as a student: cover letter, student assistant job and internship (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
