Nowadays, everybody from students to common people to corporates to housewives are talking about soft skills. It has taken center stage with the changing lifestyles, cultural transition and ever complex business situations. But, most people don't understand the meaning of soft skills. It is not just about good communication, body language, presentation, etc. It is the ultimate change in attitude and behavior. It may be called soft skills, but is the hardest to acquire. This article discusses the meaning of soft skills, the growing demand and their importance to management students from a placement perspective.

These days, not only management students but also students from other streams, business people, housewives, etc. are enrolling for the soft skills program. The growing demand has also given birth to `n' number of agencies that provide training for soft skills. This particular sector sees a lot of entrepreneurial activity. Anybody good in communication thinks he or she is good at soft skills and further many of them start with training agencies as well. The globalization of business, a complex business environment and the tremendous growth of BPO/KPO/ITES sector has given momentum to this particular area. But, acquiring soft skills is not as easy as it seems.

There is common understanding that soft skills mean good communication, right body language, effective group discussion, team spirit, leadership, group dynamics, presentation skills, managing emotions, etc., but soft skills are not just these qualities alone. Soft skills is all about enabling one to change one's attitude and behavior, and these are the hardest things to change.

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