Purpose: To analyse the degree to which elite student athletes acquire different soft skills (resilience, creativity, proactivity and problem solving) and the role they play in their perceived employability. Design/methodology/approach: The study assessed 163 elite Spanish student athletes. A validated survey to measure perceived employability and the degree of acquisition of soft skills was employed. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to analyse the data. Findings: Students and athletes perceived a high degree of development of these skills and employability. Six solutions accounting for 64% of the cases were identified for achieving high employability levels. Three profiles emphasised combinations of elevated resilience with either creativity or problem-solving skills. Education and competition levels differed depending on the skill combination. Identifying and promoting the transferability of student athletes' sports skills to the labour market was important for enhancing their employability. Collaboration with academic institutions and increased awareness of social media can facilitate the successful integration of elite athletes into the labour market. Originality/value: The development and analysis of soft skills in the context of sports provide a foundation for future research in the field of athlete employability. This paper provides important information for academic institutions, through a novel method in the field, on the development and transfer of student-athlete soft skills from sports to the labour market.