A survey of 1,000 people involved with hiring in their workplace, carried out by Michael Page, has revealed that ‘soft skills’ are as important for a candidate’s success in the inter-view process as technical skills and qualifications. The findings shed light on the increasing need for prospective talent to demonstrate their willingness to learn and show flexibility.
The unexpected ‘soft skills’ that are most sought after include selflessness, a sense of humour and ability to own up to something you don’t know. In fact, 62 per cent said they have hired someone who has demonstrated a range of these soft skills – such as sincerity and respectfulness – even if there were better qualified candidates.
This puts the onus on prospective employers to be clear on the skills they want from new hires personally as well as the qualifications and experience listed in the job specification, to ensure all parties are well prepared before they step into the interview.
Of those surveyed, 63 per cent said they felt that candidates preparing for an interview of-ten focused too much on their hard skills and qualifications and not enough on their human side. In fact, 68 per cent of those surveyed claimed that doing this may cost candidates their chance of being offered the job.
Instead of focusing solely on qualifications, half of those polled said a key factor when deciding between two candidates with similar credentials would be which one demonstrates a willingness to develop their skills for the future. Choosing a candidate with less experience but an appetite to learn can often prove to be a great investment for a company – particularly in the current candidate hot market. The promise of developing talent can also be a valuable proposition for candidates, especially for those industries that evolve quickly or re-ly on innovation.
Doug Rode, UK&I Managing Director at Michael Page said: “The pandemic really drove home the importance of soft skills and taught businesses how crucial it is to invest in a workforce that possesses more than just technical ability.
“Now, with a turbulent economic landscape impacting businesses across the country, at-tributes such as a willingness to learn, flexibility and a sense of humour are all highly de-sired by hiring managers who know that personal qualities can impact a company’s overall success.
“Too often, candidates talk themselves out of applying for a certain job because they worry they don’t have every single skill, but this research clearly shows that employers are willing to overlook that for the right candidate. It’s easy to upskill once someone is in role, but traits like teamwork, empathy and friendliness are crucial attributes that you can’t necessarily teach.”
The demand for soft skills and emotional intelligence is rising fast even in unexpected are-as, such as technology and transformation, which historically have been viewed as highly technical industries.
James Barrett, Managing Director at Michael Page Technology, added: “Technology is al-ways evolving, meaning roles are constantly coming to market which require completely new skillsets. This means that qualifications can quickly become outdated, and, in some cases, the qualifications don’t even yet exist. This makes it more important than ever to hire talent who are curious, willing to learn and develop and embrace change.”
TOP 15 SOFT SKILLS EMPLOYERS ARE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR:
1. Communication
2. Willingness to learn
3. Teamwork
4. Enthusiasm
5. Problem solving
6. Friendliness
7. Flexibility
8. Respectfulness
9. Self-confidence
10. A sense of humour
11. Sincerity
12. Empathy
13. Growth mindset
14. The ability to own up to something they don’t know
15. Selflessness
