INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS ALWAYS VOLATILE AS NEW GADGETS AND INNOVATION DOMINATE THE SECTOR'S CONSTANTLY SHIFTING ENVIRONMENT. IN SUCH EVER CHANGING LANDSCAPE, MEETING THE IT EMPLOYERS' SKILLS NEED FROM THE CURRENT AND EMERGING IT WORKERS' SKILLS HAS BEEN A SERIOUS AND GENUINE CONSIDERATIONS. HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTITIONERS AND EMPLOYERS STILL FIND THE GRADUATES LACKING OR MISMATCHING RELEVANT SOFT SKILLS COMPETENCIES REQUIRED IN THEIR JOB POSITIONS. THIS PAPER IS AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE HOW ACCURATELY IT STUDENTS VIEW THE SOFT SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE A SUCCESSFUL IT PROFESSIONAL, AND HOW WELL THEIR PERCEPTIONS MATCH TO THOSE SOFT SKILLS ACTUALLY SOUGHT IN IT MARKET. FURTHER, THIS STUDY IDENTIFIES THE SOFT SKILLS NECESSARY TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL IT PROFESSIONALS AND THE MOST COMMON GAPS FROM ACADEMIA'S PERSPECTIVE. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY CAN BE USEFUL TO EMPLOYERS SEEKING SPECIFIC WORK (SOFT) SKILLS AND TO STUDENTS SEEKING TO FULFILL THE EMPLOYERS' NEEDS.