These skills, also known as soft skills, are very important in the professional world. They help employees to integrate well into a team and make a positive contribution to that company. When hiring, it is crucial for recruiters to identify and assess these skills to ensure harmonious collaboration and optimal performance.
Why are soft skills important?
Soft skills play a decisive role in the professional success of employees. They encompass skills such as effective communication, leadership and adaptability. These soft skills are indispensable for navigating dynamic, collaborative work environments, and the world of work in general.
Unlike hard skills, soft skills are often harder to measure. But they are just as crucial to successful integration and lasting performance within the company.
The 6 major families of soft skills
Communication and interpersonal skills
Effective communication is at the heart of professional interactions. It includes the ability to express ideas clearly, to listen actively, and to adapt one's message to the audience.
Leadership and management
Leadership involves the ability to guide and inspire a team towards the achievement of common goals. A good leader knows how to delegate effectively, motivate team members, and make strategic decisions.
Adaptability and resilience
Adaptability is the ability to adjust quickly to changes and new situations. Resilience is the ability to overcome obstacles and maintain high performance despite challenges. In an ever-changing business environment, these skills are essential to staying competitive and relevant.
Organization and efficiency
Being well organized and efficient in managing time and tasks maximizes productivity and reduces stress. This means prioritizing tasks and managing time optimally. By improving their personal efficiency, they can more actively support their team.
Creativity and innovation
Creativity and innovation are essential to develop new ideas and improve existing processes. A digital marketer must constantly innovate to create effective advertising campaigns and attract customer attention.
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage one's own emotions and those of others. It fosters positive working relationships and helps to solve problems constructively.
Top 30 most sought-after soft skills
Here is a list of some of the soft skills most sought after by recruiters:
- Effective communication: Ability to convey ideas clearly and listen actively to ensure mutual understanding.
- Leadership: The ability to guide and inspire a team to move in the same direction and achieve common goals.
- Teamwork: Ability to work well with different team members to accomplish collective tasks.
- Adaptability: Ability to adjust quickly to changes and new professional situations.
- Problem solving: Ability to quickly identify, analyze and resolve work-related challenges.
- Time management: Ability to organize and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines.
- Creativity: The ability to generate innovative ideas and out-of-the-box thinking to improve processes.
- Emotional intelligence: The ability to understand and manage one's own emotions and those of others for positive interactions.
- Critical thinking: Ability to analyze situations objectively and make informed decisions.
- Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of others, thus fostering harmonious working relationships.
- Stress management: Ability to maintain high performance even under pressure, and to manage stress effectively.
- Autonomy: Ability to work independently and take initiatives without constant supervision.
- Initiative: Ability to propose and implement new ideas without waiting for instructions.
- Flexibility: Ability to adapt to changing roles and responsibilities within the company.
- Motivation: Ability to remain committed and enthusiastic about achieving professional goals.
- Collaborative spirit: Ability to work in harmony with others to achieve common goals.
- Results orientation: Ability to focus on achieving objectives and measure success in terms of the results obtained.
- Decision-making: Ability to evaluate available options and make sound decisions quickly.
- Conflict management: Ability to resolve disputes constructively and maintain a positive work environment.
- Learning ability: Ability to acquire new skills and adapt to changes in the professional field.
- Reliability: Quality of being trustworthy and respecting commitments made to the company and colleagues.
- Meeting deadlines: Ability to complete tasks on time, thus ensuring efficiency.
- Analytical thinking: Ability to break down complex problems and identify root causes to find effective solutions.
- Project management: Ability to plan, execute and close projects on time and on budget.
- Networking: Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships beneficial to career development.
- Curiosity: A constant desire to learn and discover new information and skills.
- Initiative: Ability to identify opportunities and act proactively to improve processes.
- Negotiation skills: Ability to discuss and reach mutually beneficial agreements.
- Attention management: Ability to maintain focus on important tasks despite distractions.
- Ability to delegate: Ability to assign tasks effectively and trust team members to carry them out.
How do you assess soft skills in recruitment?
There are several different methods:
- Behavioral interviews: Ask the candidate how he or she has reacted to and handled certain situations from past work experience.
- Psychometric tests: Use specialized tests to measure personality traits and behavioral skills.
- Role-playing: Simulate professional scenarios to observe interpersonal skills and conflict management.
- Feedback from former employers: Gather feedback on the candidate's soft skills from previous employers or colleagues.
- Group assessments: Organize group activities to observe the candidate's collaboration, leadership and communication skills.
Assess your candidates' soft skills with artificial intelligence
Thanks to artificial intelligence, Marvin Recruiter offers advanced tools for analyzing and assessing candidates' soft skills. Our SaaS software uses sophisticated algorithms to identify behavioral competencies from interview and test data. As a result, recruiters are better able to make informed decisions. And, ultimately, to select the candidates best suited to the position and the company's culture.
By integrating Marvin Recruiter into your recruitment process, you benefit from an accurate and objective assessment of soft skills. This improves the quality of your hires and boosts your team's performance.
Find out how Marvin Recruiter can transform your recruitment process, via our page dedicated to the HR interview. You can also visit our features page at Marvin Recruiter.
FAQ : Your questions about soft skills
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What is the main purpose of soft skills?
The main aim of soft skills is to facilitate interaction and collaboration within the company. They enable employees to communicate better, adapt to change, and work effectively as part of a team. These professional qualities thus contribute to improved overall performance.
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What soft skills should I put on my CV?
For a CV, the skills to evoke vary according to the position targeted. Among the most valued are effective communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving and emotional intelligence. Be sure to provide concrete examples of how these skills have been applied in your professional experience.
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What soft skills are essential for tomorrow?
Flexibility, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, adaptability and problem-solving skills will be indispensable. With the rapid evolution of technologies and work environments, these key skills will be increasingly valued in the workplace.
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What are my soft skills?
You can carry out a self-assessment by reflecting on your past experiences and the way you have interacted with others. Online tools, psychometric tests, and advice from colleagues or superiors can also help you identify them.
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How many soft skills should I put on my CV?
It's recommended that you include between 5 and 10 soft skills on your CV, depending on how relevant they are to your target job. Choose those most closely aligned with job requirements. And for each one, provide concrete examples of its application in your professional experience.
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What are the 4 types of skills?
The four types of skills are :
- Hard skills: Technical and job-specific skills.
- Soft skills: behavioral and interpersonal skills.
- Transferable skills: Skills that can be applied in different professions or sectors.
- Specialized skills: In-depth skills in a specific field.
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What are hard skills?
Hard skills are technical and job-specific competencies, such as mastery of a programming language, knowledge of specific software, or professional certifications. They are generally acquired through training, professional experience or certification.
