One of the reasons that most employers don’t provide specific feedback to a second-place candidate is because it’s difficult to explain why someone doesn’t fit in. An employer can get in legal hot water for explaining that someone didn’t get hired because the team just didn’t like the candidate and couldn’t imagine spending a lot of time together.

Emotional intelligence, otherwise known as soft skills, is the category of skills most likely involved when evaluating likability or fit. Wikipedia defines them as “Personal attributes that enhance an individual’s interactions, job performance and career prospects. Unlike hard skills, which are about a person’s skill set and ability to perform a certain type of task or activity, soft skills relate to a person’s ability to interact effectively with co-workers and customers and are broadly applicable both in and outside the workplace.”

Soft skills include: attitude, communication skills, time management, critical thinking and a slew of other categories that do not relate to intelligence.

There’s no question that soft skills play a role in most, if not all, hiring decisions.

How can soft skills help you land a job?

So how can you demonstrate these skills during an interview? Eddie Earnest from HigherNext, a company that offers the Certified Business Laureate (CBL) certification tests and credentialing system, suggests the following tips to help highlight these five soft skills during an interview.

1. Work ethic. Make sure to weave your thoughts about how important the company’s mission and vision are to you and explain why you’re willing to go the extra mile to help the organization succeed.

2. Positive attitude. Give examples of how you improved employee morale in a past position, or how your positive attitude helped motivate your colleagues or those you managed.

3. Communication skills. Your interview is a great opportunity to demonstrate how well you communicate, so be sure you prepare and practice responses to showcase your best skills.

4. Time management. This is a crucial skill many employers seek in their hires. Earnest notes, “It’s especially important for candidates who want to work in a startup to know how to manage their time, tasks and responsibilities effectively.”

5. Self confidence. Earnest reminds job seekers, “You can demonstrate self confidence at the interview by the way you present yourself, including how you dress for the interview, the way you approach to shake hands and how you speak about your experiences during the interview.”

Read the whole post on U.S. News & World Report.

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When it comes right down to it, soft skills are characteristics that make us more likable. Whether or not anyone wants to admit it, likability is an important factor in the hiring process. A Harvard Business School study from several years ago found, “Generally speaking, a little extra likability goes a longer way than a little extra competence in making someone desirable to work with.” In other words, when given a choice between competent jerks and lovable fools, lovable fools won out.

It’s not surprising that soft skills continue to play a big role in hiring decisions. Employers realize that they can teach hard skills, such as how to use a software program, but it’s virtually impossible to retrofit employees with soft skills. A recent study from Millennial Branding showed soft skills topped the list of “must have” skills that employers want, with 98 percent of employers saying communication skills are essential and 92 percent naming coordination skills.

Mark Miller, author of Hiring for Attitude, notes for Forbes that 92 percent of employers believe attitude is key, because candidates need to be “motivated to learn new skills, think innovatively, cope with failure, assimilate feedback and … collaborate with teammates.”

What are some important soft skills you want to be sure to try to develop? Consider this list and make a point to pay attention to where you rank with these key soft skills:

Listening. No one wants to work with someone who isn’t a good listener. If you can’t follow instructions, it doesn’t matter how brilliant or talented you may be; you’re going to mess something up. How can you show you’re a good listener? Follow directions carefully when you apply for the job. Practice listening actively when you talk to people. Could you repeat most of the details of a conversation you just finished? If not, try to focus more carefully on your everyday interactions and you could improve this important skill.

Adaptability. No one loves change, especially at work, but today, being flexible and having a good attitude while welcoming the unexpected is a valuable skill. Are you the first to complain if plans change? Do you sulk and brood when things don’t go your way? If that’s you, think about how you can be a little less rigid. It will make you a more marketable job seeker.

Teamwork. It’s hard to find a job description that doesn’t mention working with a team and collaborating cross functionally. It might as well say, “Must play well with others.” You can practice being a team player by actually joining a team outside of work. Consider joining a sports team or volunteer to work for a nonprofit organization on a joint project to practice and improve your teamwork stills.

Judgment. You can’t teach someone to have good judgment. This is why using social media sites to illustrate you know what to say and what not to say online can work in your favor. This is tough to self-assess, but if you’ve ever posted something on Facebook and lived to regret it, you could probably use some extra practice on the good judgment front. Think before you act, and you’ll be on your way to improving in this area.

Integrity and work ethic. Your reputation is everything when it comes to getting a job. What do people say about you? Are you willing to work until the job is done? Do you pitch in and show initiative, even when it’s not necessarily your job? If so, you probably don’t need to worry about your reputation because you have a strong work ethic. If that doesn’t describe you, think about how you can change.

Communication. Probably the root of all soft skills, if you can communicate well, you are halfway there to many jobs. Employers evaluate this from the start. How do you handle yourself on the phone? What does your application look like? Can you send a strong email message? The interviewer will know right away if you can communicate well by how you introduce yourself and how you address questions. You can practice by preparing what you will say in the interview. Think about ways you can communicate succinctly, because this is an important skill, even for people seeking highly technical jobs.

Positive demeanor. It’s just another way to say “nice to be around.” If you’re rude to the receptionist and don’t hold the door for the person walking behind you, it’s likely you aren’t winning a lot of “nice” points. If you’re the office complainer, the “Negative Nelly” who always sees the glass half empty, your attitude and behavior are probably hurting your job search.

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A few lessons for careerists come to mind…

Soft Skills/Emotional Intelligence

What strikes me is the emphasis on Senator Kennedy’s ability to reach across the political aisle. Several commentators indicated that they believed the debate over healthcare reform might be much different had Senator Kennedy been able to be more intimately involved.

There is no doubt that the ability to communicate with all types of people from different ideologies and beliefs is a key “soft” skill that job seekers need to consider. Work environments are about relationships as much (if not more) than they are about “getting the job done.”

Quint Careers notes that the first and most important skill employers seek is the ability to communicate well. They say, “By far, the one skill mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write, and speak effectively.” No doubt, this skill helped lead to Ted Kennedy’s long career and will impact his legacy.

Whether or not you are looking for a job, think about your role in your organization. Are you the person who can bring people together? Can you interpret and communicate despite differences? These are key skills to emphasize on your resume when you do look to move on. Don’t underestimate their importance.

Overcoming Setbacks

Most students of modern American history can not help but associate Ted Kennedy’s name with the scandal of Chappaquiddick. The tragic incident in 1969 may have prevented Kennedy from being elected president, but his long career in the Senate since demonstrates that it is possible to overcome even the most horrible of circumstances. While most people will not have a scandal of these proportions nor the privilege Kennedy commanded that helped him overcome it, I think it is worth noting that even the most difficult circumstances may not necessarily fully define a career.

Some commentators mentioned that, while he was haunted by the tragedy, he re-focused his efforts on working in the Senate and determined that he would have an impact there. Some said he became one of the most influential and productive legislators of his time.

So, maybe it is a stretch to suggest that job seekers take heart that no negative circumstances need to totally define their future paths, but it is something to reflect on. What steps can you take to redefine your career road? How can you “drive your career bus” in a different direction? Where can you take control of your situation to alter where you will land? A lot is in your hands – probably more than you know.

Do you need help defining your job hunt? I can help!

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Business schools, including MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Emory, the University of Virginia and Babson College are offering management communications classes to teach “soft skills,” such as teamwork and leadership.  Courses such as theatre are intended to enhance communication skills, build confidence and foster team building, all important managerial traits.

You can bet that top business schools would not spend their time teaching Shakespeare  if employers weren’t seeking these important job skills.  Don’t overlook your emotional intelligence.  Highlight skills such as communication, teamwork and leadership in your resume and demonstrate how you have been successful using them!

Keppie Careers will help you highlight all of your key skills with a top-notch resume.  We advise, encourage and enlighten job seekers:  www.keppiecareers.com

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Kuchment’s article reports that, at one small Chicago firm, the problem was so big that they attacked the issue of office gossip by forcing an employee who says something negative about another person behind his or her back to repeat it to their colleague’s face.  One might imagine that this would stem the tide!

The article acknowledges that some gossip helps employees connect and learn important information that wouldn’t be available to them otherwise.  However, Kuchment offers several tips to keep in mind if gossip is getting out of hand at your office:

Separate the good from the bad.  Venting can be helpful, but mean-spirited bad mouthing is not.

Learn to deflect. Try not to get sucked in to a gossip mill.  If someone makes a nasty comment, stay neutral and consider playing dumb.

Set a time limit. Are layoff rumors running rampant?  Make a point to touch in with a reliable source once a week, but don’t spend the rest of your time spreading unproductive gossip.

Don’t overshare.  Keep personal sharing to a few close friends who will keep your confidence.

Never gossip by e-mail.  A paper trail is dangerous – and hard to deny!  Plus, you never know who might “accidentally” forward your scurrilous e-mail message to the entire office. 

Is the word at work that jobs are in danger?  Can’t stand your gossip-y colleagues?  Keppie Careers will get you ready for your job search!  We’ll write your resume, prep you for interviews and coach you along the way!  www.keppiecareers.com

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“Soft” skills, otherwise known as emotional intelligence, may make a difference between an employee who can do the job and one who does it well. Soft skills include: leadership, written and verbal communication, problem solving, motivation, interpersonal skills and creativity. Soft skills are transferable to any position; they do not rely on technical abilities. They are not skills typically taught in classrooms. (Although some business school programs are incorporating training in emotional intelligence to give their students a competitive edge.)

Take a look at this soft skills (emotional IQ) test that you can take on line to get a sense of how your skills rate.

Some recruiters believe that soft skills make the difference between the candidate who is hired and the second choice applicant. Employers today seek flexibility, teamwork and integrity. They realize that someone who communicates well and has a strong work ethic makes a good employee. As a result, incorporating these skills on your resume may make the difference between getting an interview and getting passed over.

The key is to incorporate soft skills with specifics that SHOW your abilities. For example:

Before:
Excellent oral and written communication skills.

After:
Wrote and presented successful training sessions to 200 telephone operators, resulting in measurable gains in company’s ordering efficiency.

The first bullet begs the question: Prove it! The “after” bullet leaves no room for doubt: This applicant can communicate verbally (in front of a group) and in writing.

Selected Soft Skills List

approachable
business acumen
charisma
communication
composure
conflict management
creativity
crisis management
critical thinking
decision making
dedication
empathy
energetic
ethical
flexibility
hard working
honesty
humor
ideas
initiative
inspire others
instincts
integrity
interpersonal skills
leadership
listening
management
morale building
motivational
multicultural sensitivity
multi-task
organizational
passionate
personality
planning
poise
problem solving
professional
public speaking
reasoning
research
respect for others
self confident
self-motivated
sensitivity
supervisory
take constructive criticism
team building
team leadership
team player
time management
verbal
visionary
work well under pressure
writing

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