Nothing Soft About It: How Strong Employees Use “Soft Skills”

Many employers turn to a CV to decide whether an employee makes an ideal fit for a role; however, only looking at a resume discredits an individual’s unique, often hidden, strengths.

Resumes are often misleading, and first impressions often paint a poor picture of a prospective hire’s true self. Although a resume describes vocational history, these skills mean little if they don’t have any real passion behind them. For this reason, it is vital to determine what “soft skills” an individual brings to the table.

“Soft skills” fall under the umbrella of interpersonal skills and general attitude. Some of these skills include communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, passion, work ethic, and charisma.

While there are many positive personality traits an individual may bring to the table, certain individuals flourish in specific environments. As a result, performing pre-employment screening
allows employers to determine the best fit for a role.

One of the best ways to do this is to perform a psychometric assessment in the pre-employment stage. A psychometric test measures skills that a resume won’t convey – it measures an individual’s mental capability and behavioural style based on the unique requirements of a particular role. While it is useful to know what previous experience a candidate has, that knowledge does little to convey potential. In fact, individuals with less experience may have far more potential.

There are countless ways that utilizing soft skills benefit a work environment, but a couple major reasons stand out.

Create a Potent Team Dynamic

Although it may be tempting, using first impressions to determine a potential candidate’s suitability is extremely risky. Not only are these interactions extremely tense and unnatural, but they won’t determine whether a prospect is a good fit for a specific environment. Indeed, it is vital to know how an individual fits into a team dynamic. As a result, it is worthwhile to invest some time in determining what personalities would complement a team best. In addition, having a list of “soft skills” written down will facilitate the process as an easy reference.

Expand the Hiring Pool

Some “soft skills” are more applicable to particular roles than others. With this in mind, there are a few skills that most companies across the board rate as extremely important. For example, honesty ranks high on the list of attributes a new hire can bring with them. As a matter of fact, honesty ranks highly because it bleeds into so many other attributes. An honest employee may work harder because they are less likely to cut corners. Furthermore, they are more likely to own up to their mistakes.