A common mistake made by many interviewers is focusing solely on the technical skills of a candidate. While technical experience is a crucial component of any job, this array of abilities can predominantly be gleaned from a person’s resume. Soft skills, however, can be more difficult to detect during an interview unless you know what you’re looking for.
A candidate with good communication, teamwork, and critical thinking will likely be a better match with your company culture. In fact, one study from the economist finds that 44% of workers have delayed or failed to complete a project due to miscommunication.
Assessing a candidate’s soft skills should be a top priority in your interviews. While soft skills like communication seem simple, they are often difficult to teach, especially compared to technical skills, which can be learned on the job. Possessing the right soft skills to seamlessly mesh with your office culture is a crucial part of hiring the right candidate – which is hwy we like to say that onboarding actually starts during recruitment.
To help you identify a candidate’s soft skill set, here are eleven insightful soft skill interview questions to ask while trying to build your dream team.
11 Soft Skill Interview Questions and Prompts
One of the best ways to assess a candidate’s soft skills is through qualitative questioning. Notice how each of these questions does not simply ask a candidate if they possess a certain quality (ex: Are you empathetic?); rather, they ask the candidate to recall an experience that demonstrates a certain soft skill.
Communication
- Can you discuss a time when you had to manage your team through a difficult situation?
- Share a time when employees have disagreed with a decision of yours. How did you handle this?
- Can you explain a time when you had to work with someone who was difficult? How did you address the situation?
- How would you explain a complex topic to a new client or colleague?
Organization & Time Management
- How do you prioritize your tasks when you have multiple deadlines to meet?
- What routines or productivity tools do you employ to manage your day?
- When you are overwhelmed with tasks at work, what do you do?
Critical Thinking
- What is the most significant problem you solved in the workplace, and what was your approach to solving it?
- Describe a situation where results went against expectations. How did you adapt to this change?
- Highlight a situation where you had to make a decision without managerial supervision. How did you approach this situation, and who did you consult with?
- When have you performed a task without preexisting experience? What was your strategy?
Other Ways to Recognize Soft Skills During an Interview
In addition to their responses to your questions, you can also assess a candidate’s soft skills based on how they comport themselves during the interview.
Pay close attention to the following:
- Organization – Does the candidate arrive on time in an organized fashion with everything they need for the interview?
- Resourcefulness – Has the candidate done some basic research on your company and its values?
- Time Management – Is the candidate cognizant of time? For example, do they take 30 minutes to answer one question?
- Communication – Does the candidate smile, make eye contact, and remember your name? Did the candidate interact with anyone else while waiting to be interviewed? How did they perceive the candidate?
- Active Listening – Does the candidate ask follow-up questions or clarifying questions to make sure they understand what you’re saying?
Find the People with the Soft Skills You Need
If your organization doesn’t have the bandwidth to recruit and hire new talent or you’re struggling to fill certain roles, then it’s often helpful to rely on professional recruiting services. At People AK, our team can partner with your business to develop a plan to fill your open roles with the right people. From entry-level to C-suite roles, we can help find and onboard candidates that have the skills — both soft and technical — to thrive as part of your team.
To learn more about soft skills and the importance they play in the workplace, download our free guide: Soft Skills in the Workplace. Here, you can learn which soft skills are the most essential for workplace cohesion and success. We also offer additional tips for building soft skills in team settings as well as how to demonstrate soft skills during interviews.
