How to Hire for Soft Skills
by Ray Bixler
What are soft skills?
While many hiring mangers 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.
One major reason that soft skills are becoming increasingly sought after is the growth of artificial intelligence in the workplace. A report from Deloitte finds that, AI is changing the skills that are needed in the workforce as new jobs are being created to support its growth while at the same time, AI is reducing roles that involve routine or repetitive tasks. But AI can never replace the job roles that require traits like empathy, communication and problem-solving. One trait in particular that employers are looking for is mental agility. With technology constantly updating, organizations need employees who can roll with the punches and adapt quickly to a changing environment. And all those attributes are soft skills.
