How Recruiters and Hiring Managers can Evaluate Candidates’ Soft Skills

In today’s job market, having the technical skills is one thing, but having the soft skills to complement them is what really brings the razzle-dazzle.

As automation and artificial intelligence take over routine tasks, the value of soft skills has become infinitely more important, yet candidates equally underestimate them. Traits like creativity, empathy, communication, and collaboration are now the cornerstones of effective teams.

But how do you shift your interview style best to evaluate these intangible qualities during the hiring process?

What Are Soft Skills, and Why Do They Matter?

Soft skills are personal attributes that allow individuals to interact effectively and harmoniously with teammates and clients and to think outside the box. Unlike technical skills, which are often role-specific, soft skills are transferable.

And as the workplace evolves, these skills are becoming more critical. For example, employees with strong creative thinking can tackle complex challenges, while empathetic leaders foster inclusive and supportive workplaces. Here’s our list of soft skills to keep in mind:

  • Communication: The ability to articulate ideas clearly and listen actively.
  • Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
  • Collaboration: Working effectively as part of a team.
  • Creative Thinking: Developing innovative solutions to problems.
  • Adaptability: Thriving in changing environments.

Challenges of Assessing Soft Skills

Evaluating soft skills can be tricky because they are less quantifiable than technical abilities. With traditional hiring processes often focusing on resumes and hard skills, soft skills are usually left under-assessed. Common challenges to digging into soft skills include:

  • Bias in the Interview Process: Subjective assessments can skew evaluations.
  • Time Constraints: It can be challenging to assess soft skills during short interviews.
  • Lack of Structure: Without a clear framework, soft skills evaluations can become inconsistent.

To overcome these roadblocks, hiring managers need a structured approach that includes behavioral questions, practical exercises, and standardized criteria.

5 Strategies to Evaluate Soft Skills

To effectively assess candidates’ soft skills, recruiters should adopt a combination of methods that reveal how a candidate thinks, communicates, and works with others. There are a few different ways to do this:

Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral questions focus on past experiences as indicators of future performance. Examples include:

  • “Can you describe a time you resolved a conflict at work?”
  • “Tell me about a project where you had to collaborate with a diverse team.”
  • “How have you adapted to significant changes in your role?”

Role-Playing Scenarios

Simulated workplace situations can provide valuable insights into a candidate’s problem-solving and interpersonal skills. For example:

  • Ask candidates to role-play a difficult client interaction.
  • Create a group exercise where teamwork is essential to achieve a goal.

Reference Checks

Speak with former colleagues or supervisors to gain a clearer picture of the candidate’s interpersonal skills, adaptability, and leadership abilities. If there’s one thing we live by, it’s reference checks!

Soft Skill Assessments

There are several tools designed to evaluate soft skills that can act as a helpful guide:

  • Personality tests (e.g., MBTI, DISC).
  • Emotional intelligence assessments.
  • Collaboration and teamwork quizzes.

Cultural Fit Interviews

Ensure the candidate’s values align with the organization’s culture by asking questions about their preferred work environment, leadership styles, and approach to teamwork. Again – reference checks can be a helpful guiding light in this department.

Universal Questions to Assess Soft Skills

  • Empathy: “Can you share an example of when you went out of your way to help a colleague?”
  • Adaptability: “How do you handle last-minute changes to your schedule or plans?”
  • Creativity: “Describe a time when you introduced an innovative idea or process at work.”
  • Collaboration: “Tell me about a successful team project you worked on. What was your role?”
  • Communication: “Have you ever had to convey a complex idea to someone unfamiliar with the topic? How did you do it?”

Benefits of Prioritizing Soft Skills in Recruitment

Hiring for soft skills has a profound impact on organizational performance and employee satisfaction.

Better Team Dynamics: Employees with strong interpersonal skills create collaboration, resolve conflicts effectively, and contribute to a positive work environment.

Higher Adaptability: Soft skills like flexibility and creative thinking help teams navigate unexpected challenges and remain agile with short and long term changes.

Increased Employee Retention: Candidates who align with a company’s culture and demonstrate emotional intelligence are more likely to feel engaged and stay longer (and increase retention).

Enhanced Leadership Pipeline: Focusing on soft skills ensures a pool of future leaders who can motivate and manage teams effectively.

How to Incorporate a Soft Skills Assessment into Your Interview Process

Integrating soft skills evaluation into your hiring process requires intention and consistency.

Here’s how to do it right:

  • Define Key Skills: Identify the soft skills most important for the role and align them with organizational goals.
  • Use Structured Interviews: Standardize questions to create fairness and reduce bias.
  • Train Interviewers: Provide training on how to evaluate soft skills objectively.
  • Focus on Continuous Improvement: Regularly review your hiring process and adjust based on outcomes and feedback.

Ultimately, if you want to future-proof your organization, start evaluating soft skills with the same rigor as technical abilities. Not only will it improve your hiring outcomes, but it will also set the foundation for a more dynamic and adaptive team.

Ready to create the perfect interview process for 2025?

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