The Soft Skills Important to Hiring Managers Today

The term Soft Skills is increasingly popping up in hiring circles as well as fast becoming the go-to decider for choosing one candidate over another. What are Soft skills? How do they differ from the job-relevant capabilities, or namely hard skills that have traditionally reinforced the strength of a candidate for a given position?

Soft skills refer to those skills that demonstrate how you approach your work, particularly your ability to self-manage, handle emotions and people under pressure. No matter how elevated the hard skill expertise you have developed, your long-term career and leadership success can really hinge on your ability to master these important so-called soft skills.

Here are 5 essential soft skills that can help take your career to new levels:

1.    Work Ethic / Positive Attitude

It’s important to exude a positive attitude toward maintaining high standards in the workplace. Show that you take pride in your work, get to work and meetings on time, and manage your time efficiently. Show that you are resilient and can easily adapt to change, and that you can be counted on to get the job done as well as provide constructive support as part of a team. When you demonstrate that you care about the quality of every aspect of your work you distinguish your value to the company.

2.    Communication

Communication skills are on the top priority list for any company.  The ability to write and speak articulately in business situations is essential in developing and maintaining strong interpersonal relationships. Strong communication is also the key to standing out to management and facilitating your personal growth and success. 

3.    Confidence

When you align a positive mindset and work ethic with confidence you’ll soon see the benefits. Exuding confidence increases your visibility within the workplace and convinces management that you can run successful projects, teams and meetings as well as make good decisions for the company. It’s also the winning ticket to the promotion, new role and salary increase that you’ve set your sights on.

4.    Problem Solving

Creative and innovative problem solving is highly valued in the workplace. Big or small, if you can analyze, assess and provide successful solutions to business challenges, you immediately boost your personal worth within the company.

5.    Conflict Resolution

Managing conflict resolution in a positive way is a critical skill if you plan to move    up in your career. This requires the ability to influence, persuade, negotiate and resolve interpersonal conflicts both in the best interest of the company and the   relationships of the people involved.

Important for Job Candidates

If you don’t feel strong in any of these skills, make it your focus to learn. The time and investment in doing what it takes to improve in these areas will pay off greatly. Soft skills will not only help increase your work performance and build solid relationships, they can help take you all the way to the top of your career goals.

Important for Hiring Managers

The most important thing for hiring managers is to establish upfront what is the one most important thing that makes you believe that the employee is:

·      Invested In Their Job

·      Eager To Work

·      Committed To Get Things Done

Using this approach can help uncover which soft skills are priorities not only for any given position but also to ensure productive working relationships within the workplace culture.

10 Tips To Help You Ace Your Next Job Interview

Getting ready for an interview can cause a lot of anxiety in many people. Especially when it’s a position that you really want to land. Your resume has impressed enough to get you through the door. But despite your skills and qualifications, how the interview goes will determine whether you make the final cut. Knowing what to do and not to do can help put you at ease.

These tips will help you avoid making common mistakes that can get in the way of landing a job you really want.

1. Don't be late

It seems obvious but pay extra attention to the time. Arriving late can throw off the interview before it’s even started. Plan ahead to ensure that you get to the venue around 10 minutes before the interview begins. This will give you time to get composed. Being on time starts you off with a positive impression and allows you to continue to build positive rapport with the hiring team.

2. Don't appear uninformed

Don't go for an interview without knowledge of the company. Once you get invited for an interview make sure you do enough research to be well informed on the company’s goals, missions, visions, as well as the position you are being interviewed for. If you know anyone working in the company you could also try to get more information about the company from them.

When you can ask relevant questions and speak to the company’s latest news and events it demonstrates to the hiring team that you have a genuine interest in being a part of the company.

 3. Don't answer the phone

Before getting into an interview room, ensure your phone is off or on silent mode. Having your phone out in view, answering phone calls or replying to messages presents as rude and not fully interested in the interview. This in turn gives an impression on how you may conduct yourself in your new role giving the hiring manager one more checkpoint to filter out interviewees.

4. Don't be negative

Negative talk of any kind will not serve you well in an interview. Make sure you do not talk ill of your current or previous employers. The hiring manager does not want a person who is likely to talk negative of them in future.

Also, do not fall in to negative delivery when it comes to presenting yourself during the interview. Showing self-doubt through your words and how you frame your responses, or even through your body language, can jeopardize your success. Sit up straight, make eye contact and be direct about why you are the one the company should not let get away.

5. Don't be untruthful

It might be tempting, because you want the job so badly, to try and mold yourself into the perfect match for the position. But being untruthful on your resume or in how you respond to interview questions can quickly lead to negative repercussions and losing your place in the running.

The hiring manager might pick up on a lack of authenticity or lead you down a path of questioning that digs you in to a hole. Impress, instead, with your truth, positivity and clear presentation of how you propose successfully impacting the position…your way.

6. Don't get too personal

Hold back the sharing of too much about your problems, family issues, and troubles. It’s one more thing that can sway the interview off track. Stick to the questions asked and avoid giving very personal information. Don't also ask the hiring staff personal information.

Focus more on talking confidently about your skills and accomplishments. Prepare great questions that show the hiring manager a forward style of thinking that can take you one step closer to landing the job.

7. Don't use foul language

Be selective of the words that you use. Avoid cursing or using inappropriate language and references that will cause embarrassment. Be polite, speak confidently, and don't be overly aggressive. Remember, you are not only being interviewed for a position but also how you will fit into the company culture.

8. Don't talk about money

Unless you are asked about expected salary don't jump into asking about money. You may seem more interested in the money than the job. Don't ask also about time off, bonuses, and vacations.  Leave this until you get through to the second interview and closer to negotiating your contract.

Instead, as the interview draws to a close, openly ask the hiring manager if there is anything that would create hesitation in hiring you, and if so, what that might be.  Understanding what creates a barrier to securing the position presents a final chance to clarify or provide more information to help move you on in the process.

9. Don’t forget to follow up

Remember to send a personal handwritten thank you note or email to the hiring manager within 24 hours after the interview. Keep it simple, brief and direct reinforcing your interest in the job and the qualifications that make you a serious candidate.

The thank you note also provides a great opportunity to include any appropriate information that you may have forgotten to mention in the interview as well as reinforce your response to any questions or concerns raised relative to you being the best match for the position.

10.  Don’t overlook using a good recruiter or staffing agency

Recruiters build their success through making sure that their candidates make it to and survive the final cut. So any good recruiter is going to assist in making sure that their candidate is thoroughly prepped. 

TaureanConsulting Group, for example, develops an interview strategy with each candidate based on knowing what our employers want and helping candidates present the best version of themselves, directly and confidently.

If your current job outreach is not getting the results that you want, connect with a strong recruiter or staffing agency that specializes in your positions and let them help you elevate the opportunity to ace your next interview.