Why Employers Now Prefer Soft Skills

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, employers were already becoming more interested in assessing their job applicants’ soft skills, and the events of the past year have only served to accelerate this trend.

Hard skills are based on knowledge and experience with a specific, measurable capability. Soft skills pertain to thinking abstractly and working with other people. Including soft skills on a resume, being able to give examples of how you’ve used various soft skills effectively, and constantly developing them can open the door to exciting opportunities right now, and all throughout your career.

Below are a few reasons why employers are now focusing on candidate’s soft skills more than ever.

They Increase Retention

When evaluating candidates, most employers try to find signs that a candidate will remain with the company for a long time. If a worker indicates the ability to thrive within the organization, it means more resources that would otherwise be invested in hiring a replacement. Soft capabilities like problem-solving, conflict resolution, communication, and work ethic typically translate to a long-term employee.

They Make a Team More than the Sum of Its Parts

Irrespective of their technical capabilities, staff members must be team players to achieve collective success.

With the rise of remote work, teamwork is changing and becoming more challenging in certain ways. Because of this, hiring managers are more likely to judge your ability to slot into a team setting. Sometimes, this is done in a group interview setting or as you interact with various people during the course of the interview process.

They Translate to Good Representation

Soft skills don’t just support strong relationships inside the workplace; they also determine effectiveness in working with people outside the organization, including clients and partners.

Employers are focused on finding staff members they know will represent the company in a professional, personable manner. Hiring managers can gauge how well an applicant will represent the company based on how well they have represented themselves to develop their own professional relationships. Good representatives also often have a strong history of providing customer service.

They Translate to Strong Leadership Ability

Among the list of reasons employers prioritize soft skills in an interview is they can indicate the ability to adapt to a range of situations and personality types, which is vital in leadership positions. Leaders with strong soft skills can evaluate what type of leadership methods their team needs to be successful and responds accordingly.

They Support Innovation

Exhibiting a positive frame of mind and giving examples of your creativity can show potential employers you have the potential to come up with new methods or projects. Soft skills also help you commit to your ideas. Motivation helps translate brainstorming sessions into action. Highlight these soft skills to show you can innovate and contribute to company growth in unique ways.

We Can Help You Showcase Your Soft Skills

At Career Concepts, we help job seekers present themselves in the best light possible. Please contact us today to find out how we can help your job search.