Recently, employers seem to be taking a step back from evaluating candidates solely on their technical skills. Instead, they are choosing to look at both technical and soft skills to determine if the candidate is the proper fit. To be a competitive job candidate, it is important that you are able to highlight and discuss your soft skills in the workplace.

What Are Soft Skills?

Soft skills can be defined as the abilities, personality traits, and non-technical skills that a person possesses. Examples of sought after soft skills in the workplace include the ability to work under pressure, time management, emotional intelligence, and conflict management. These skills are valuable in any industry and are the leading reason employers are choosing candidates based in part on their soft skills.

Types of Soft Skills in the Workplace

There are many different types of soft skills that employers search for in candidates, but here are just a couple of the most popular:

Conflict Resolution

The question of whether or not conflict will occur in the workplace is not if, but when. With so many moving pieces, different personalities, and sometimes stressful conditions, conflict can quickly arise– often without any notice. In these situations, it’s important that team members are able to react quickly and deal with the conflict in a professional manner. Employers actively seek candidates who will work to resolve conflict and keep all workplace relationships intact.

Staff Force Pro Tip: Employers will often ask candidates about a time when they encountered conflict in their previous role. Before your interview, prepare a couple of scenarios that you can discuss. Do not memorize the whole story! Instead, take time to pick out a couple of key highlights or lessons that you learned throughout the process.

Communication Skills

The ability to communicate clearly and concisely is another one of the most important soft skills in the workplace. Great communication between team members improves efficiency. Hiring managers want to make sure that their new hire communicates well with their team members and gets the job done!

A Team Player Mindset

One of the most significant soft skills in the workplace that hiring managers look for is the ability to work well in a team. While the specific position may require the individual to frequently work on their own, there are always moments when all employees work together to meet a goal. Employers want to know that their current employees will enjoy working with the new hire on a daily basis.

Staff Force Pro Tip: During your interview, make sure to highlight a time when you have collaborated with team members to accomplish a goal!

Highlight your Soft Skills

Make no mistake, employers are actively searching for candidates that can exhibit soft skills in the workplace. Be sure to highlight these skills on your resume and come prepared to the interview ready to give real-life examples to back up your claims. Candidates who showcase their ability to go above and beyond the technical demands of the role have a better chance of landing the job.

Want a boost in your job search? Contact Staff Force today to find your next opportunity!