IT may be all about the technology, but it’s also a service-based field as well. Even if you’ve left the help desk behind, you’re still dealing with people constantly. Whether it’s the network engineer in the office next door, C-level executives, or your junior admins, companies work best when teams collaborate and individuals get along. The performance of a team or company comes from everyone coming together with their individual skills. To make all those skills work together means all the people need to work together — professionally.

Your technical skills can carry you a long way in IT, but soft skills also matter. Conversely, if you are lacking in technical skills, but you provide an excellent customer service experience, you could actually outpace people who are doing a better job than you technically. Having both technical and soft skills is a winning combination for any professional.