How Are Your Soft Skills?
Sept. 2023
By NTI
When a hiring manager is looking to hire you, of course they are going to look to see if you have the technical skills for the position, but just as important might be how developed your soft skills are.
So, what are soft skills and why do you need them?
“These are personal skills,” said Alan Hubbard, NTI’s Chief Operating Officer. “A hiring manager is going to look at how you communicate, do you display professionalism, what kind of teammate you will be, are you a problem solver, do you have a positive attitude? If you don’t have these skills, you aren’t going to stand out in an interview. These are things a hiring manager is looking at to separate the candidates.”
When you are applying for a job, you want to make sure you highlight your personal skills as they apply to what companies are looking for. For example, if you are applying for a customer service position, you want to highlight how you interact with people in a positive manner. You also want to mention how you dealt with a difficult client or customer and were able to resolve it successfully. That could help get an edge in getting the job with the hiring manager.
Attitude makes a difference in whether a company will hire you or won’t. Think about it, do you want to work with someone who has a negative attitude?
“Hiring managers want to know if you are going to be a positive influence at the company,” said Hubbard. “They are going to stay away from people who are negative, no matter how skilled they are at the job. No matter what the job is, you are going to interact with other people and businesses want employees who are a pleasure to deal with and those who can deal with people in stressful situations.”
If you don’t think you have these skills or are worried about how you are going to project yourself in the interview, this is a time to practice being a positive with your speech and mannerisms. You should also think about times where you displayed a positive attitude to resolve an issue or had to handle a difficult situation. Having examples ready to share will help you demonstrate your soft skills during an interview.
“You can get help with this from family and friends who know you best and can help identify your best skills,” said Hubbard “This can be a good practice in self-assessments to recognize your strengths and weaknesses.”
When you are in an interview make sure you are stressing your soft skills to the hiring manager, because it could be just the thing to get you the job. Be sure to remember, having a positive attitude will go a long way to setting the right tone for the interview.
NTI helps Americans with disabilities and their caregivers find at-home employment with free training and job placement services. You can register at www.nticentral.org.