Are You a Good Listener? If Not, This Infographic Will Help:

According to multiple surveys, the skills gap so many employers face isn't just a matter of technical skills. A lot of organizations are struggling to find candidates with the right soft skills, too.

In one such study from the Washington State Human Resources Council, 22 percent of executives said they were facing a shortage of technical skills – but 44 percent said they were facing a shortage of soft skills.

Some of the most desirable soft skills are communication skills, with 88 percent of the executives surveyed by the Washington State Human Resources Council saying that "interpersonal skills" were the soft skills they wanted in candidates.

All of this is to say that being a good listener isn't just a matter of being polite to those around you – it's a matter of career success, too. If you're a good listener, you have some critical soft skills that are very much in demand today.

Even if you're not a job seeker, good listening skills are still important. For example, a recruiter who is a bad listener will have a hard time gaining the trust of candidates and clients alike.

Not sure if you're a good listener? Check out the following infographic from CT Business Travel, which offers a helpful flow chart – as well as some advice on how to improve your listening skills if it turns out they aren't quite up to snuff: