Mar 9th 2022
9 soft skills employers want in 2022
When it comes to strengthening your hiring process, you need to stop focusing on what candidates know or their previous experience (or lack thereof). Instead, focus on what they’re like in front of you; their passion, their drive and their attitude. Let’s find out more.
In our previous article, why’s it so hard to find talent right now? we address the ongoing skills shortage and why employers are finding it difficult to fill positions effectively. As a result, smart employers focus much more on personality and soft skills to assess which candidates will succeed. We call it ‘hiring for potential’. Is it time to join the 80% of employers saying that soft skills are more critical to company success than ever?
More than 1 in 3 UK businesses have a shortage of workers and 64% of employers are unable to find suitable candidates for vacant roles. It’s clear many companies need help assessing soft skills effectively.
In this article, we’ll show you 9 soft skills you should look out for when you recruit for potential – and how to assess them. Let’s go!
1 – Attention to detail
With one-third of UK companies having lost clients because of employees with poor interpersonal skills, it’s obvious that misaligned hires are bad for business. Here’s how you can spot whether a candidate has that all-important attention to detail:
- Look at their CV. If it’s full of typos, it’s a sign that they don’t take care of their work
- Roleplay real-life scenarios or use psychometric tests to see whether they have the right focus
- Read the non-verbal signals. How they come across to you is probably how they’ll come across to your customers
2 – Communication skills
Great communicators make great employees, whether it’s persuading a customer to buy or driving change inside your company.
But it’s not all about the chat. Remember that clear writing and open body language is just as important as having the gift of the gab.
Also, communication is as much about listening as it is about talking. Does the candidate actually listen to the questions you ask and tailor their answers to match, or do they just gab away?
3 – Multitasking
In today’s hectic world, your employees need to keep all their plates spinning. You don’t want people who:
- Start tasks but don’t finish
- Get muddled up or stressed when things get busy
- Procrastinate or distract others
Fortunately, more than 40% of workers in the UK have a side-hustle. That’s a great sign that someone can cope with more than two things at once.
4 – Time management
Time is a precious, finite resource. You want to hire people who manage their time well and get stuff done. Ask yourself these questions to determine how to spot a good time manager:
- Were they on time for their interview?
- Do they have long-term goals and plan to achieve them?
- Do they know what a to-do list is? How do they plan, prepare and prioritise?
5 – Creativity
Creativity gives you the edge over your competitors. You won’t succeed by hiring candidates that match the same cookie-cutter template. You need someone with originality and flair.
Be smart with your questions to test a candidate’s creativity:
- Can they eat with their eyes?
- What risks do you take?
- Can you do the impossible?
6 – Problem-solving
Today’s world of work constantly throws up problems for your people to deal with, but how do you know how a candidate will react?
Here’s an exercise you can try:
- Show your candidate Eisenhower’s Decision Matrix
- Give them a scenario realistic to the role they’re interviewing for
- Get them to use the matrix to show you what they believe is the most urgent and most important answer to the scenario
This is a fast and effective way to see how someone manages their time, makes decisions and solves problems.
7 – Entrepreneurship
If you’re a startup, scaleup or tech company, you know that an entrepreneurial spirit in your team is key to success.
But, how do you assess a candidate’s entrepreneurial attributes? Easy. Ask them! Do they have a side-hustle? An interesting hobby? A former job that required them to take control?
Look for:
- Ambition
- Leadership
- Confidence
- Willingness to learn
- Listening ability
8 – Analytical skills
Today’s businesses are data-driven. They use the numbers rather than gut instinct to identify ways to improve. The best employees know how to:
- Gather information
- Analyse and identify patterns in the data
- Put their findings to practical use
9 – Negotiation
Our final soft skill can make or break the way you do business. Negotiation is all-important, but there’s no one right way to do it. Look for potential employees who can:
- Build relationships with customers based on trust and mutual understanding
- Read people and tailor their approach to match
- Prepare diligently for negotiations
- Maintain a calm demeanour in difficult situations
- Communicate clearly, even when it’s a tricky conversation
Hiring for potential
Don’t miss your chance to learn more about strengthening your hiring strategy in 2022.
Join us on 25 March at 12pm GMT for our webinar – Spotting Potential: How to make brilliant junior hires.
We’ve gathered top industry professionals including our very own Tempo CEO and growth experts EngageTech, to provide a webinar on how to recognise potential in junior candidates. You’ll leave with actionable insights to take your hiring efforts to the next level.
