Evaluating Soft and Transferable Skills in Interviews

In today's competitive talent acquisition landscape, recruiters must evaluate candidates beyond technical proficiencies, focusing on soft skills—interpersonal attributes critical for workplace interactions—and transferable skills—versatile abilities applicable across roles and industries. This guide provides actionable strategies to assess these qualities during interviews, enabling informed hiring decisions.

Unlocking the Power of Soft Skills in the Interview

Soft skills, such as teamwork, communication, and adaptability, are essential for workplace harmony but challenging to quantify. Thoughtful questioning and observation can effectively reveal these attributes.

• Behavioral Interviewing: The Window to Soft Skills:

  • Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to elicit concrete examples of past experiences.
  • Example Questions:
    • "Tell me about a time you worked collaboratively with a team to achieve a challenging goal. What was your role, and how did you contribute to the team's success?" (Assesses teamwork and collaboration)
    • "Describe a situation where you faced a significant conflict with a colleague or client. How did you approach resolving it, and what was the outcome?" (Assesses conflict resolution and communication)
    • "Share an example of a time when you had to adapt to a significant unexpected change in your work. How did you handle it, and what did you learn?" (Assesses adaptability and resilience)
    • "Describe a complex problem you had to solve. Walk me through your thought process, the steps you took, and the final solution." (Assesses problem-solving and critical thinking)

• Observe Non-Verbal Cues:

  • Monitor body language, eye contact, and demeanor to gauge communication style, confidence, and approachability.
  • Candidates who maintain eye contact, display positive body language, and listen attentively often exhibit strong interpersonal skills.

• Listen Actively and Probe Deeper:

  • Engage with responses by asking clarifying follow-up questions to understand actions and reasoning.
  • Example Probing Questions:
    • "What was your thought process behind that decision?"
    • "How did you ensure everyone on the team felt heard?"
    • "What were the key challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?"
    • "What did you learn from that experience, and how has it influenced your approach since then?"

• Scenario-Based Questions:

  • Present hypothetical workplace scenarios to reveal problem-solving, communication, and adaptability.
  • Example Questions:
    • "Imagine conflicting priorities with tight deadlines. How would you manage your time and communicate with stakeholders?" (Assesses time management and communication)
    • "Suppose a team member is consistently underperforming, impacting progress. How would you address this?" (Assesses leadership and conflict resolution)

Identifying and Evaluating Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are critical for candidates transitioning between roles or industries, broadening the talent pool. These skills can be assessed by focusing on past accomplishments and their relevance to the target role.

• Focus on Verbs and Accomplishments:

  • Encourage candidates to use action verbs to describe achievements that highlight transferable skills.
  • Example Prompts:
    • "Describe a project you managed from initiation to completion. What were your key responsibilities, and what was the outcome?" (Assesses project management and organizational skills)
    • "Tell me about a time you presented complex information to a diverse audience. How did you ensure your message was clear and impactful?" (Assesses communication and presentation skills)
    • "Share an example of a time you persuaded someone to adopt your idea or perspective. What approach did you take, and what was the result?" (Assesses influence and negotiation skills)

• Bridge the Gap: Connect Past Experiences to Future Needs:

  • Prompt candidates to explain how their skills apply to the new role.
  • Example Questions:
    • "While your background is in [previous industry], how do you see your experience in [specific skill] being relevant to this sales role?"
    • "In your previous role as a [previous role], you mentioned [specific task]. How has that equipped you for the project coordination aspects of this position?"

• Look for Patterns and Themes:

  • Identify recurring skills, such as communication, problem-solving, or leadership, across different contexts.

• Value Initiative and Adaptability:

  • Highlight examples of candidates taking initiative, learning new skills independently, or navigating unfamiliar situations, as these reflect proactivity and adaptability.

Integrating Soft and Transferable Skill Assessment

A holistic interview process combines the evaluation of soft and transferable skills for a comprehensive candidate assessment.

• Clearly Define Required Skills:

  • Identify essential soft and transferable skills for the role before the interview and tailor questions to target these attributes.

• Maintain Consistency:

  • Use standardized questions across candidates for fair and objective evaluations.

• Document Observations:

  • Take detailed notes on responses, demeanor, and communication style to facilitate objective candidate comparisons.

• Collaborate with Hiring Managers:

  • Align with hiring managers on the importance of soft and transferable skills to ensure a unified candidate profile.

Conclusion

Evaluating soft and transferable skills is critical for identifying exceptional candidates in today’s competitive hiring landscape. By using behavioral and scenario-based questions, observing non-verbal cues, and connecting past experiences to role requirements, recruiters can gain a deeper understanding of a candidate’s potential. A structured, consistent, and collaborative approach ensures fair assessments, leading to hiring decisions that enhance team dynamics and organizational success.