As many Americans continue their search for employment, applicants are considering all avenues as far as how to ace their interviews. Naturally, a well-presented resume shows your work experience and skills. However, according to ARAcontent, in addition to your overall qualifications your soft skills are also important to employers.
Barbara J. Schafer, director of Career Services, and Carilyn Penrod, Human Resources coordinator, help students and graduates to prepare to enter the workforce. Schafer admits that "The workplace remains highly competitive in terms of finding a job," Although, the number of new jobs created was less than the jobs created in recent months, there are sectors showing growth which include hospitality, health care and financial services.
Schafer emphasizes that no matter what your chosen profession is, including your soft skills in your interview is beneficial. "Before you can market your soft skills, you must know what they are. Soft skills are personality traits; the things that make you who you are," Schafer added. "You seldom learn soft skills in trade school or college. They are life skills that you develop through your experiences."
Pernod reveals that "Confidence and a positive attitude are important soft skills that many employers value as much as technical ability." Other soft skills can involve strong work ethic, flexibility, time management skills, communication skills and working well in a team environment. Even if you have provided some of these characteristics on your resume you should continue to emphasize them.
"The main items I look for in interviewee, apart from hard skills, are self-confidence, eye contact and a firm handshake," Penrod reveals. These soft skills in addition to integrity, appropriate dress and good grammar, can be viewed in positive way by an employer. Schafer also admits that "Listening skills matter, too. Is the candidate paying attention to what I'm saying? Is the candidate providing thoughtful responses?"
As an applicant you also need to prove that you have these soft skills by giving examples of how each has been applied in your work. Schafer reveals that "If you say you have good communication skills, you must be able to explain this well in an interview. Failure to do so will convince the employer that you really don't have good communication skills. This holds true with any skill, hard or soft. Know yourself and address it confidently with the employer."
Schafer adds that "The initial interest a prospective employer will have in you will be for your hard skills, your ability to perform the technical part of the job. In the end, however, the things that will help you seal the deal on that interview will be your ability to market your soft skills and match them to the position."
