How to Hire for Soft Skills (And Why Most Do It Wrong)
Updated: Jun 13, 2020
Most pioneering company leaders know how to hire for hard skills because they have mastered their craft. However, I have noticed widespread confusion about hiring for soft skills.
I’ve heard one common piece of advice: hire by the company values.
This sounds sensible in theory, but is tough in practice, because most pioneering companies either:
haven’t written out their company values; or
have written aspirational values that don’t match the real company culture
In both situations, the company values won’t provide a clear compass for hiring.
The good news is that the “soft skills” that I have observed in most successful employees are always the same. They are:
Positive: they seek solutions and support others
Accountable: they take responsibility instead of making excuses
Professional: they may require coaching but not baby sitting
If you actively screen for these characteristics and stress-test them in interviews, you’ll be in a good spot.
You may also want to test for additional soft skills, to specifically test for fit with your company or department. If you’d like help to identify them or devise ways to test for them, just book a free call here >>> bit.ly/ep_free_call
