Increasing data reveals that on-the-job excellence requires a combination of these two skill sets. Stellar employees aren\u2019t only great at the technicalities of their jobs, they\u2019re also skilled communicators, collaborators, and team players.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As it turns out, hard skills are just the starting point for new-hire consideration. Soft skills (also called \u201cdurable\u201d skills) are the true drivers of an employee\u2019s long-term success and advancement within a company.![\"Diverse](\"https:\/\/www.knowledgecity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-to-Assess-Soft-Skills-in-an-Interview.jpg\")
<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Soft Skills: What Are They?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Soft skill \u201cwanted\u201d lists will vary by job title and geographic region, but these soft qualities are regularly requested (or required):<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Communication<\/li>\r\n
- Teamwork<\/li>\r\n
- Leadership<\/li>\r\n
- Adaptability\/Flexibility<\/li>\r\n
- Critical thinking<\/li>\r\n
- Work Ethic<\/li>\r\n
- Analytical & Problem Solving<\/li>\r\n
- Conflict Resolution<\/li>\r\n
- Emotional Intelligence<\/li>\r\n
- Mentoring<\/li>\r\n
- Organization<\/li>\r\n
- Creativity\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- Collaboration<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A key difference between hard and soft skills is that hard skills are very job-specific (e.g., database expertise for a technology job, money handling for bank tellers, interviewing tactics for reporters), while soft skills benefit every<\/em> job. Soft-skill desires may be prioritized to match specific jobs (e.g., leadership for management positions, creativity for graphic designers, problem-solving for social workers), but every soft skill is a welcome enhancer for individual\/team performance and the overall integrity, morale, and culture of a company.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Secret is Out<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
More employers are incorporating the soft skills \u201csecret sauce\u201d into job requirements as they recognize the positive impact on their workforce.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A 2021 analysis<\/a> of 82 million job postings found that:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Nearly two-thirds (50 million) requested soft skills.<\/li>\r\n
- A third (29 million) requested at least three specific soft skills.<\/li>\r\n
- Seven of the 10 most in-demand skills across all postings were soft skills.<\/li>\r\n
- More than 50 percent requested leadership and communication \u201csoft\u201d competencies.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In addition, employers ranked the soft set of dependability, teamwork\/collaboration, flexibility, and problem-solving at the top of their wish lists in The Future of Work 2021: Global Hiring Outlook<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What does this mean for HR professionals? Soft skills aren\u2019t just a bonus for job candidates to possess, they\u2019re a required component of every job search.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Help With Assessing Soft Skills<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
It\u2019s easy to understand why organizations want to onboard employees who excel at both the technical skills of a job and such sought-after qualities as leadership, collaboration, and communication. But assessing a candidate\u2019s soft qualities can be more difficult than their hard-skill counterparts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Anyone can add an impressive list of soft attributes to their resume\u2014or answer a confident \u201cYES!\u201d to being a team player, good communicator, and emotionally intelligent decision-maker. So how do you measure the validity of these tough-to-quantify skills?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Strictly relying on your intuition is not the way to go. These four objective tools will help you decipher the truth:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Start Broad to Help Narrow Your Search.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Hard Facts About Soft Skills<\/a> suggests starting by reviewing your organization\u2019s value statements and culture, which highlight the soft qualities your workforce values most. In addition, take note of the personality traits the most successful candidates in your company share.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Clarify What\u2019s Most Needed and Desired<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Ask executives which soft skills they think are most needed and wanted in the workforce. And before you interview candidates, ask the hiring manager which soft skills are most applicable for success\u2014for the job and as a team member.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Ask Open-Ended Interview Questions<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Open-ended questions give candidates the chance to personalize their answers, and they give you the chance to take note of soft skills mentioned in their replies. Behavioral \u201ctell me about a time\u2026\u201d questions and hypothetical \u201cwhat would you do in this circumstance?\u201d inquiries are two effective methods.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Perform Structured Interviews & Skill Assessments<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Workable<\/a> promotes structured interviews\u00a0as a great way to objectively assess job candidates\u2019 soft merits. The process includes asking each candidate the same fixed list of interview and follow-up questions, in the same order. Choose questions that are phrased to help evaluate the specific soft skills desired for a job.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
If leadership is a priority, for example, Workable suggests asking:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Tell me about a time you took the lead when your team was in a difficult position.<\/li>\r\n
- What would you do if your team members disagreed with your instructions?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
If adaptability is key, ask:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Tell me about a time when a project\u2019s priorities changed suddenly, and you had to adapt.<\/li>\r\n
- What would you do if you were assigned multiple\u00a0tasks with the same deadline?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Standardized scoring is another important part of the structured interview process, with all interviewers using the same system to rate candidates\u2019 answers. Choose a scoring system you like. Some use a pass\/fail format, others have a low-to-high rating system, and Workable uses this simple \u201cYes, No, or Definitely\u201d format:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.knowledgecity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Screen-Shot-2022-02-03-at-4.03.54-PM-1024x351.png\")
<\/a>\r\nSource: Workable<\/em><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Structured interviews and scoring systems help to keep subjective biases from creeping into candidate ratings, providing a more valid interpretation of each person\u2019s soft qualities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
If you\u2019d like more ideas for unearthing candidates\u2019 soft skills, consider 12 Effective Ways to Assess Candidates’ Soft Skills<\/a>, which includes these suggestions:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Ask candidates to list the soft skills they think are required to excel at the job.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- Have candidates list the soft skills they possess, then have them rank their skills from strongest to weakest.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Become a Soft Skill Expert<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
All signs point to soft skills retaining their elevated status on employers\u2019 talent acquisition wish lists, so the more you learn about these hard-to-quantify qualities and incorporate them into your candidate searches, the more successful you will be.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
To help you become a super sleuth at detecting soft-skill clues and developments, be sure to explore the growing list of soft skills courses<\/a> in KnowledgeCity\u2019s learning library, including:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- \r\n
- Maintaining Soft Skills in Remote Work Environments<\/a><\/li>\r\n
- 3 Key Employee Soft Skills That Will Drive Pandemic Recovery<\/a><\/li>\r\n
- How to Measure the Effectiveness of Soft Skills<\/a><\/li>\r\n
- Why Every Industry Can Benefit from Soft Skills Training<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- 3 Key Employee Soft Skills That Will Drive Pandemic Recovery<\/a><\/li>\r\n
- Maintaining Soft Skills in Remote Work Environments<\/a><\/li>\r\n
- Perform Structured Interviews & Skill Assessments<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Ask Open-Ended Interview Questions<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Clarify What\u2019s Most Needed and Desired<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
- Start Broad to Help Narrow Your Search.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n