As hiring starts to ramp up again (thank goodness) one thing employers will be looking for are soft skills! Soft skills are becoming increasingly important as businesses look to add value to their workforce. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reports, “Competition has heated up for workers with the right mix of soft skills, which vary by industry and across the pay spectrum – from making small talk with a customer at the checkout counter to coordinating a project across several departments on a tight deadline.” According to Monster.com, there are six soft skills that stand out:
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Conflict resolution
- Critical observation
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork.
So how do you ensure the candidates you are interviewing have the skills you want?
The first step is to identify what’s important for the position. Once you do this, add this to the job description. No, it is not a magic wand, but writing it down will allow the candidate to know it’s important to the position.
Behavioral interview questions are another piece of the puzzle! You know the questions, “Tell me about a time when” questions. Again, no magic bullet here, but it is a way to start to narrow down the pool. Caution, keep an ear out for rehearsed answers. For examples of some great questions, follow the link: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/most-common-behavioral-interview-questions-and-answers.
Keep an eye on the candidate’s actual behavior during the interview. Yes, for some of your candidates they are nervous and might not be at their best. Simple things to look for are: eye contact, evasion, body language and demeanor.
I am excited to see more and more people reach out with open positions again. Hopefully, you will find the right combination of both technical and soft skills to keep your businesses moving forward. As always, if you have feedback or thoughts, I’d love to visit with you.
Be well,
Lori
