by Let’s listen to the experts
Hard skills or technical skills are easier to demonstrate than soft skills. However, employers today often give preference to candidates who may not be 100% qualified for the job but have the potential to advance. And soft skills can help HR managers determine if someone has that potential.
In its annual survey of hiring trends, CareerBuilder found that about 92% of employers consider soft skills to be important during the interview phase, with 80% rating interpersonal traits as being as important or more important than work skills.
It turned out that more than half of employers (56%) would prefer to hire a jobseeker with little experience, but with a great desire to develop and move forward, and not a “hardened” professional who has already reached everyone conceivable career heights.
This proves once again that during the interview, the applicant needs to emphasize his personal qualities, and not just talk about professional skills and experience.
How and what to demonstrate
First, find an opportunity to illustrate your best personality traits with real-life examples. Examples will help the HR manager understand how the supra-professional skills will help you in your work.
A common mistake that can distort interviewers’ perceptions of an interviewee’s soft skills is simply listing the soft skills they believe they are superior to others without providing evidence to support this. By doing this, you are not showing your skills to the recruiter, you are simply speaking them.
Second: your actions must reflect your words. If, for example, you stated that you require close attention to detail, make sure your follow-up emails are free of errors or typos.
A typo or misused word is a red flag for the interviewer, especially if you mentioned that you are detail-oriented.
Thirdly, there are soft skills that are valued by most employers. For example, the ability to work in a team and communication skills.
Demonstrating your interpersonal skills at the very first meeting with HR, during such a stressful event as an interview, is not easy. To make it work, you need to prepare.
