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Soft skills have always been a factor in the hiring process but, in 2022, they are more of a factor than ever.
As important as soft skills are, they are typically not emphasized in formal job descriptions. Rather, they are skills each candidate is expected to have, in fact, soft skills are also known as “common skills”. When these common skills are lacking, it becomes apparent very quickly during the interview process.
A few soft skills that are commonly sought after:
Communication
Teamwork
Adaptability
Work ethic/Self-leadership
Respect and empathy
Soft skills can make or break a candidate's consideration for a role.
A candidate may be more than qualified on paper with the hard skills the company is looking for, but if the soft skills are lacking, chances are the hiring manager will not want to take the risk.
On the other hand, an under-qualified candidate on paper, with strong soft skills, may be worth the risk. Strong soft skills can create the security a hiring manager needs to feel confident in extending a job offer.
From a recruiter standpoint, usually the hiring manager will mention a few details relating to soft skills for the right candidate, but the emphasis NEVER seems strong enough. Recruiters do their best to understand the personalities in the company we are recruiting for, and which soft skills the right candidate will need for this job. But, there are occasions when a seemingly strong candidate is eliminated from consideration due to soft skills. The hiring manager may say something like “I do not have a concern that they could do the job but…”. From these experiences, I have come to understand soft skills often outweigh hard skills.
Soft skills are like character traits.
The great thing about them is that you can work to improve them.
Whether you are on the job market or not, it’s important to assess these skills; identify your strengths, and target your weaknesses. These “common skills” will assist you in all facets of your life.
Written by: Emily Onheiser, Senior Search Consultant at Hunter Crown, LLC
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