4 Soft Skills To Pay Attention To When Hiring

Hiring an employee is an investment that when done correctly, can gain a real asset for your company. But with almost every applicant boasting degrees from qualified institutions and top-notch references, how can you be sure you’re making the best choice? The answer lies in evaluating their soft skills. Soft skills are the personal attributes and traits that shape how someone interacts with others and handles different situations. 

Here are 4 top soft skills that you should take into consideration the next time you’re hiring.

Communication

This is perhaps the most important soft skill of them all. After all, how can someone be an asset to your company if they can’t communicate properly?

Say you’re a law firm looking to hire a truck accident lawyer. A lawyer with poor communication skills is going to have trouble relaying information to clients, co-counsels, and judges. This can easily lead to frequent losses in legal cases.

So when interviewing candidates, pay attention to how they communicate both verbally and through writing. Do they make eye contact? Are they able to write down their thoughts clearly? Can they explain complex concepts in simple terms?

Creativity

Creativity is another essential soft skill, especially in today’s ever-changing business landscape. Companies that embrace creativity are able to come up with new and innovative solutions to problems, which gives them a competitive edge.

So when evaluating candidates, pay attention to whether they’re able to think outside the box.

• Are they able to come up with creative solutions to hypothetical problems you ask about?
• Do they have any experience working on creative projects?

Collaboration

No matter what industry you’re in, it’s important to hire employees who can work well with others. Professional collaboration is essential for a cohesive and productive workplace. 

• So when interviewing candidates, ask them about previous experiences working on team projects. What role did they play on the team?
• Were they able to effectively work with others towards a common goal?

You can also ask them what they think makes a good team player. This will give you insight into whether they’re able to actually be a good team player or if they’re just saying what they think you want to hear.

Flexibility

Last but not least, you want to hire employees who are flexible and adaptable. This is especially important in fast-paced industries where change is the norm. 

For example, you may require an employee who can work on different kinds of projects at the same time or someone willing to travel for work. 

So when evaluating candidates, pay attention to whether they seem open to change and new challenges. Are they able to adapt to new situations easily? Ask them about times when they had to deal with change at work. How did they handle it? Did they embrace the change or resist it?

Soft skills are important personal attributes. Communication, creativity, collaboration, and flexibility are key soft skills to keep in mind the next time you’re hiring so that you can find the best candidate for the job.