What is more vital for career success? IQ or Social Skills?

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Hello WrongPlanet,

I have read numerous articles and watched numerous videos that seem to suggest that social skills are deemed to be more important for determining career success than intelligence. I personally think that having both the intelligence to understand what you are doing in your job/occupation/career and having the social skills to communicate your ideas and thoughts in words that the people you work with/employers can understand without making them angry are both equally important. What's the point of intelligence when you cannot communicate your ideas in a way that people can understand or without making them angry? But then again, what's the point of social skills if you do not have the ability/tools/smarts needed to understand what you are doing in your job and how to do it well? In my opinion, you cannot have one without the other.

But I want to hear what you think is more important in determining career success.

Once again, the NT group in the poll refers to non-autistics.

If you choose the Other option in the poll, specify what factors are most important in determining career success if you do not think that IQ or social skills best determine career success.

Social skills. That's because IQ tests are flawed. Mine couldn't even be scored.

Seriously, who cares if you can copy symbols quickly or put together a block puzzle?

Nobody cares. Whether or not you please your boss, that's a different matter.

I think it depends on the job.

In general:
I think you need IQ to get on the career ladder, but social skills to really succeed.

Last edited by JellyCat on 11 Apr 2013, 3:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.

If IQ is related to degrees, diplomas, awards, etc., then it'll help you advance, especially in fields like medicine where those things are like gold in your pocket.

In professions where you can advance by learning on the job (radio, TV & cable communications, etc) then high socials skills are an absolute must.

Neither

IMHO For the vast majority of jobs social skills will get you further than intelligence. I'm sure there are some exceptions but even in my job (software developer) less talented but more social individuals win all of the awards and get the promotions even when they do less work.

Social skills.

If it were IQ I would be making six figures right now.

Depends on what one means by success. Upward mobility surely requires keen social skills, but exceeding at any job requires the ability to do the work efficiently and effectively, in which I believe IQ is the most important. To be among the richest, and not accounting for other factors, I would say it is about 25% of the "correct" social skills, and 75% IQ, perception, and knowledge relating to an advanced field. For a standard competitive job that isn't in a lone or specialized work environment, I'd say it is more 75% social and 25% IQ.

"Social skills" is a little inaccurate too. I think inherent likeability is as important, if not more so.

I've beat out a**holes with much better "social skills" for promotions and such just because I'm more inherently likeable.

Last edited by Tyri0n on 11 Apr 2013, 4:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

It depends on the job.

However, I object to the use of "IQ", and would prefer "intelligence".

Indeed. Let's abandon a concept which has been subject to decades of scientific study, and substitute it with a vague and fluffy description...

Well, as stated before IQ tests can be quite flawed in their ability to accurately portray intelligence; and we're not looking for a definite measure of it, just which one is more important.

Given our limited understanding of the human mind - even by the best of the brightest of our scientists - this is unsurprising. But it does not warrant a rejection of the countless existing studies using the concept of IQ.

Good question - social skills for sure - HAHA if it were based on IQ, the majority of senators and politicians would be jobless

100% "social skills" or however you want to phrase it. Having a high IQ really means jack squat in most jobs unless you're a scientist or something.

I didn't want to bog down the conversation with unnecessary semantics, but okay then. Any of these could be used in lieu of "intelligence":

1) Relevant degree or equivalent qualifications
2) Experience and knowledge in the specific field
3) Ability to perform in relevant tests (which may include IQ)

I don't think IQ alone is as good a measure of intelligence in most workplaces. I don't think I'm alone in that, or employers would employ based on IQ scores, rather than qualifications, experience and recommendations.