{"id":11739,"date":"2019-05-06T10:48:03","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T10:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keblog.demoapp.xyz\/?p=11739"},"modified":"2022-11-14T15:57:05","modified_gmt":"2022-11-14T08:57:05","slug":"identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills","title":{"rendered":"Identifying Intangibles: Pinpointing Candidates\u2019 Soft Skills"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11746\" src=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills.png\" alt=\"identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\" width=\"1326\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills.png 1326w, https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills-300x101.png 300w, https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills-1024x344.png 1024w, https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills-768x258.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1326px) 100vw, 1326px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>Figuring out which of your applicants are qualified both on paper and in person? Pinpointing the immeasurable qualities critical to job performance and cultural fit makes all the difference<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">It continues to be well documented how experience in data analysis, the ability to code in languages such as C++, or knowing how to speak another country\u2019s dialect, among other talents, are great skills to come across during hiring and recruitment. But, what about listening well, leading meetings and managing time, and dealing with different personalities and opinions?<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">While not the easiest to identify or measure, these soft skills very much influence how well employees take to each other and to the company culture, ultimately playing a major hand in how effectively they are able to make use of their technical or hard skills to contribute to business\u2019 bottomline and overall growth.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_26 counter-hierarchy\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TOPICS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><label for=\"item\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\/#Why_exactly_do_soft_skills_matter\" title=\"Why exactly do soft skills matter?\">Why exactly do soft skills matter?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\/#Interviewing_to_identify_and_test_soft_skills\" title=\"Interviewing to identify and test soft skills\">Interviewing to identify and test soft skills<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\/#Questions_to_ask\" title=\"Questions to ask\">Questions to ask<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\/#Teamwork\" title=\"Teamwork\">Teamwork<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\/#Adaptability\" title=\"Adaptability\">Adaptability<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\/#Leadership\" title=\"Leadership\">Leadership<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\/#Critical_thinking\" title=\"Critical thinking\">Critical thinking<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/identifying-intangibles-pinpointing-candidates-soft-skills\/#Communication\" title=\"Communication\">Communication<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_exactly_do_soft_skills_matter\"><\/span>Why exactly do soft skills matter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">There is no question that hard skills are an ideal starting point when evaluating talent. When hiring an I.T. Manager for example, you\u2019d likely need one who has an extensive understanding of I.T. principles, and has been trained and\/or is certified in one or more coding languages. But, is that enough to make them perfect for the position?<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\">Expectedly, most employers would say no. For one thing, I.T. Managers (or any manager for that matter), must also be leaders who can communicate well and think critically. Simply put, soft skills matter even in \u2018hard\u2019 disciplines like I.T. Even developers, in a non-managerial roles, don\u2019t just write code; they also need to innovate, collaborate, meet deadlines and understand end users\u2019 perspectives, skills not necessarily taught in I.T. programs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">Indeed, soft skills are what drive career advancement and make people successful. However, finding knowledgeable candidates is one thing, but making sure they are able to lead or collaborate effectively, solve complex problems, or go the extra mile is another.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Interviewing_to_identify_and_test_soft_skills\"><\/span>Interviewing to identify and test soft skills<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">It can be challenging to find candidates that possess all of the soft skills you are looking for, and assessing them can be even trickier. Gauging candidates via interviews is the tried and tested way to uncover soft skills, but it must be kept in mind that some \u00a0interviewers judge soft skills subjectively, resulting in hiring people who are similar to them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">You can avoid this via structured interviews, with questions that are applicable to all job candidates for a level playing field. Asking behavioral and situational questions is a good approach, as these are open-ended, allowing candidates to talk about their experiences in their own way. This also encourages follow up questions, where you can clarify points and better understand candidates\u2019 responses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">Typically beginning with\u00a0<em>\u201cTell me about a time when\u2026\u201d,<\/em>\u00a0behavioral questions ask candidates to draw on their past experiences, with their answers often having to align with the\u00a0Situation \u2013 Task \u2013 Action \u2013 Result, or STAR, approach. On the other hand, situational questions are hypothetical, which you can base on what candidates would be likely to face if you hired them, or even general questions like\u00a0<em>\u201cWhat would you do if\u00a0last minute changes are\u00a0needed on a project due on Monday, but its already Friday?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Questions_to_ask\"><\/span>Questions to ask<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">Similar to the roles in your organization, needed soft skills vary across jobs. An accountant, for example, needs to be detail oriented, but not necessarily a leader. On the other hand, some soft skills are necessary across various jobs, but for different reasons. Interpersonal skills, for example, are required from both salespeople and for accountants, with the former needing it for persuasion and building rapport, and the latter for presenting data and explaining related details.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">No matter the context, there are a number of soft skills that are commonly sought after, and the following are examples of questions which you can ask relating to some of them:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Teamwork\"><\/span>Teamwork<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>\u201cTell us about a time you had to work with a team member\/s who often opposed your ideas or whose ideas you didn\u2019t always agree with.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>\u201cHow would you react if your manager encouraged competition instead of collaboration amongst the team?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adaptability\"><\/span>Adaptability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>\u201cHas there been a time when a project\u2019s priorities suddenly changed? How did you adapt?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Leadership\"><\/span>Leadership<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>\u201cHas a team member ever undermined your position? How did you handle the situation?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>&#8220;Could you tell us about a time your team was under a tight situation (like a nearing deadline), and what you did to get them through the situation?&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Critical_thinking\"><\/span>Critical thinking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>&#8220;Talk about a time you had to make a decision having incomplete information.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Communication\"><\/span>Communication<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>\u201cHow would you explain (industry term) to someone not familiar with this business?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\">Although a little cumbersome, you can ask these questions to your candidates as early as they make their application. On Kalibrr, you have the option to include Custom Questions with each of your job posts, those of which candidates have to fully answer before their applications are successfully submitted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">While more appropriate for general questions, this feature on the Kalibrr platform allows you to prepare follow-up questions for when you interview candidates in person. While answering as they apply may seem like added work on the applicants\u2019 end, having them do this also allows you measure their other soft skills and characteristics like comprehension and eagerness towards the job.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">Posting on Kalibrr also allows you to include assessments with your jobs, which allows you to conveniently get a measure of candidates\u2019 hard skills. This allows you to both effectively narrow down your candidates to those who are qualified from a technical standpoint, while at the same time lending you more time to focus on discovering and assessing their soft skills.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\">For more information on how to use the Kalibrr platform, or to request for a demo, or to begin hiring better,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kalibrr.com\/contactus\/demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sign up for Kalibrr<\/a>\u00a0today.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\" dir=\"ltr\"><em>Kalibrr is a technology company that aims to transform how candidates find jobs and how companies hire talent. Placing the candidate experience at the center of everything it does, the company continues to attract the best talent from all over, with more than 2 million professionals and counting. Kalibrr ultimately connects these talents to companies in search of their next generation of leaders.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\"><em>The only end-to-end recruitment solutions provider in Southeast Asia, Kalibrr is headquartered in Makati, Philippines, with offices in San Francisco, California and Jakarta, Indonesia. Established in 2012, it has served over 18,000 clients, and is backed by some of the world\u2019s most powerful start-up incubators and venture capitalists. These include Y Combinator, Omidyar Network, Patamar Capital, Wavemaker Partners, and Kickstart Ventures.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-align-justify\"><em>For more business and recruiter advice, follow Kalibrr on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Kalibrr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kalibrr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/kalibrr-technology-ventures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kalibrr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Figuring out which of your applicants are qualified both on paper and in person? Pinpointing the immeasurable qualities critical to job performance and cultural fit makes all the difference It continues to be well documented how experience in data analysis, the ability to code in languages such as C++, or knowing how to speak another [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[89],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11739"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11739"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11739\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neo-blog.kalibrr.com\/blog\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}