When employers search Handshake for candidates, they’re usually looking for hard skills like Python or Spanish. But soft skills are important, too.
Showcase your soft skills in the interview by sharing stories that highlight these traits. Structure your stories using the STAR method Situation, Task, Action, Result. This will help you provide clear & concise examples of your soft skills in action.
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Adaptability
Adaptability, or flexibility, is a soft skill that’s often a must-have for job candidates. Rapid change is the new normal in the business world, and companies need employees who can quickly adjust to changing circumstances.
The best way to showcase your adaptability is to provide a real-world example during an interview. When asked about your ability to adapt, share a story about how you handled a work challenge that required you to pivot and change your approach.
Start by describing the situation, then move on to the task at hand. Finally, describe the action you took and the positive outcome that resulted. This question is designed to help hiring managers assess your flexibility, so answer it seriously and in detail. Be prepared for follow-up questions to go deeper into your story.
Communication
Soft skills often take a back seat to technical knowledge and certifications, but they can be just as important for a successful job. One of the most important soft skills for any job is communication. Employers want to hire candidates who can effectively communicate with coworkers and customers.
When interviewers ask you questions about your communication abilities, be sure to focus on specific examples of times when you used this skill in your professional life. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Results) to structure your answers and provide clear, concise information about how you used your soft skills in past situations.
You can also highlight your communication skills by describing how you’ve collaborated with others in a team-based project or activity, such as a class assignment or volunteer opportunity.
Problem-Solving
Problem-solving is the ability to identify issues, figure out why they exist and devise ways to resolve them. This can be in personal relationships, career endeavors or business-related projects. In the workplace, it is often necessary to solve problems that arise due to workflow processes or a disconnect between expectations and actual results.
For this reason, problem-solving is one of the most valuable soft skills to showcase in an interview. When answering interview questions, use specific examples from your experience that show how you have used your problem-solving abilities. This will help the hiring manager understand exactly how you can apply your problem-solving skills to their company and the role in question. Describe the specifics of the situation and how you solved it, paying special attention to the measurable outcome.
Critical Thinking
The ability to analyze a situation and come to a rational decision is another soft skill that can be valuable in many jobs. Critical thinking often includes listening to feedback, considering different options and weighing the pros and cons of each.
Employers can ask behavioral or situational questions to assess a candidate’s critical thinking skills, including asking them to describe a time they’ve had to think on their feet and come up with a solution quickly. They might also ask how they’ve handled a difficult or challenging problem, or what steps they take when making a decision that has a major impact on their team or company.
When answering such questions, interviewees should be able to outline their thought process, explaining how they gathered information and resources, considered all possible outcomes, weighed the benefits and consequences of each option and came up with a reasoned solution. They should also share the outcome of their decision and how they would apply what they learned going forward.
Teamwork
The ability to work effectively in a team is another highly sought soft skill. Hiring managers look for applicants who can collaborate smoothly with a variety of people, meet deadlines and understand their clients’ needs.
Sharing an example of how you worked collaboratively with others demonstrates your problem-solving & interpersonal skills. Especially when it comes to dealing with difficult clients, showing that you can defuse tension by listening to both sides of the argument and resolving conflicts diplomatically is invaluable.
Be prepared to share examples from your past professional experience, or even from your extracurricular activities or volunteer roles. Remember to structure your stories using the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to make them as impactful as possible.