Technical Skills vs Soft Skills

Technical skills vs soft skills.  What are hiring managers really looking for? Are they only concerned about the technical skills you have gained through work or education, or do they also care about the attributes you can bring to the organization?

Of course, technical skills are always important.  An employer wants to know that you are going to be able to perform the core duties of the position. However, more and more employers are recognizing that those technical skills can often be learned while on the job.  Sometimes, they are more concerned about those “soft skills” that are not as easily learned.

So, what are soft skills?

They are the non-tangible attributes, or competencies that you have that will add value to the organization. These competencies include such things as:

• initiative
• judgment
• effective interpersonal skills
• decision making

Of course, there are many more competencies than this, but you having the soft skills that the organization has identified as being important may make the difference between getting the job or not.

But how do hiring managers assess these skills?

Competency Based Interviews

Well, that goes back to my earlier posts about competency based interviews, which includes both behavioural based and/or situational based.

With behavioural based interviews, the hiring manager will ask you to provide examples of previous experience that will help them assess these attributes.

During situational based interviews, the hiring manager will provide you with a hypothetical situation, and ask you what you would do if you were to find yourself in that situation.

These types of interviews are very common in the Federal Government, and it’s very important that you are fully prepared.

Reference Checks

Hiring managers will also contact your references to get information about the competencies, or qualities, that are important to them.  They will ask your references questions about your ability to make a decision, about your reliability, your attitude, etc.

If you’re not sure how you are measuring up, reach out to your current supervisors and/or co-workers and ask them to give you constructive, honest feedback about your behaviours in the office. You might be surprised at the responses you get.

So, whether you’re in the job market right now or not, you always must remember to stay positive, productive and professional at all times, and those traits will naturally be reflected  during the interview or when references are contacted, which may be the factor that gets you the job.