By Riel LaPointe, Toronto Financial & IT Recruiter
Finding the perfect candidate is the goal, but it is also one of the biggest challenges for recruiters, hiring managers and organizations.
Should you be looking for experience? What about hard skills? A track record of success in the industry? A great cultural fit? A blend of all of these things?
These are some of the difficult questions that you need to attempt to answer as you recruit and conduct a talent search.
“Identifying employees with the right soft skills is crucial to building a strong talent mix and setting your team up for success, and yet leaders are struggling to find and nurture these skills,” says Jonathon Lister on The Globe and Mail.
“In fact, LinkedIn’s 2016 Soft Skills Report found that 61 per cent of Canadian hiring managers feel that the lack of soft skills among candidates limits their company’s productivity,” he adds.
Why Are Soft Skills So Important?
Lister outlines three key reasons why your company needs to focus on these skills when hiring and work on developing these skills in employees:
1. It makes your company flexible: With an ever-changing economy and some uncertainty in many industries, it’s important for companies to have the flexibility (including a flexible workforce) to continue to change and evolve with the times.
2. It helps build better business relationships: This starts with having employees who are strong and effective communicators. Your team deals with customers and are the people who help shape the customer experience. People with soft skills, particularly communications, help you nurture important relationships with customers, investors, and business partners.
3. It can boost your bottom line: It always comes back to the bottom line. People with strong communications, interpersonal and time management skills are better qualified to build strong relationships, which can lead to more sales and increased productivity.
“Well-rounded individuals who possess both the practical knowledge needed to succeed and high emotional intelligence are integral to the long-term success of your business,” concludes Lister.
What Are the Soft Skills to Look For?
According to recent LinkedIn research, the following are the most in-demand soft skills for employees:
- Communication
- Organization
- Teamwork
- Always punctual
- Critical thinking
- Social skills
- Creativity
- Interpersonal communication
- Adaptability
- Friendly personality
They also looked at the least in-demand soft skills. They were business planning, cross-functional team leadership, emotional intelligence, team building, and coaching – most of which are associated with leadership positions.
Read More About In Demand Skills for Job Candidates
LinkedIn Survey Outlines Top In Demand Skills for 2017
Top In Demand Tech Skills (That Pay Well!)
Do You Have the Top Skills Companies Want in Future Candidates?
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