Soft skills, the personality traits and social abilities that enable people to interact effectively with others, are as in demand as technical skills. A few simple strategies can help you determine whether a candidate is not only the right fit for your organisation, but what they can add to your existing team dynamics.
Hiring Managers often value certain skills, for example digital skill sets, above others. But how many are focusing on soft skills? According to a recent LinkedIn report, soft skills are in high demand.
Ray Bixler reporting for TLNT explains, “While many hiring managers focus on hard skills, those abilities that are teachable and easy to identify (Can she code? Can he operate a forklift?), fewer focus on soft skills. Soft skills are subjective and much harder to list on a resume or explain in a cover letter. In short, soft skills can be equated to “people skills” or “how someone acts,” and for an employee to be successful in most professions, they need to have a strong set of soft skills.”
AI and automation is changing the face of the workplace; however, these things can never replace important human traits such as empathy and effective communication.
So, how do you determine a candidate’s soft skills?
Start by establishing the attributes that will be most beneficial for the position you are trying to fill. Request reference checks from a range of sources, including one from both a past manager and past coworker.
“[Recent] research on this topic found that managers tend to focus on task-related behaviours like dependability and working independently, but in contrast, co-workers offered a lot more about soft skills – like listening, compassion and helpfulness. By requesting references from a wider array of sources, you’ll get a clearer picture of the candidate and what they were truly like at their last job.”
A second strategy is to ask the right questions in interviews. This can be tricky, as you want to elicit other skills that are not naturally on display during an interview. Use information obtained from reference checks to ask more relevant questions.
TLNT continues, “For example, if a former co-worker says that the person you are interviewing is terrific but tends to become stressed under pressure – press on that during the interview. Ask questions like: What kinds of stressful situations did you have to deal with at work? Can you explain to me a time you made a mistake at work and how you resolved the situation?”
Their response will help you determine what kind of person they are, the way they think, and how they might behave if they join your organisation.
Soft skills should not be a secondary consideration. Candidates with suitable personal attributes are essential in building strong teams and can become great assets to your organisation.
Source
Ray Bixler
TLNT