Soft skills more likely to confer an edge in work bid

ONE of the tricky issues in executive search is the disbelief felt by experienced candidates who fail to secure sought-after positions. Their confusion is understandable.

These are executives with multiple years of experience relevant to the role and who are well educated. And yet, they were passed over.

Similarly, experienced executives who assumed they would be in line for promotion because of their status and tenure were also passed over.

The fact is that skills and experience alone won’t necessarily land the job. To compete effectively in this highly competitive market, people need to adapt themselves to changing needs and criteria.

Skills, education and experience are, of course, crucial, but today’s hiring managers review these proficiencies in conjunction with softer skills to ensure a more successful fit.

The most regularly requested non-functional competencies are high energy levels, confidence, assertiveness, persuasiveness, leadership ability, a business driver, strong communicator and someone who pays attention to detail.

The toughest request is for a corporate fit. No matter how good you are, if you aren’t perceived as a cohesive fit for the company, there’s no point in talking further.

“Fit” can include aspects such as managerial or leadership style, personality, behaviours, mind-set, personal presentation, ethics, world-view and adaptability.

The reasons behind this preference are solid. Poor hiring decisions are costly. Hiring someone with a weak cultural fit can create internal polarisation, work force disruption and loss of key staff and revenue.

According to a 2012 CareerBuilder poll, 69% of companies surveyed experienced a bad hire that year. Of those companies, 41% said the bad hire cost them $25,000 and 24% said it cost them more than $50,000.

Technical skills can be trained, but not a cultural fit.

So what can be done to increase a person’s chances of being a good fit? Most people are held back in their personal development by a lack of self-awareness. People know what they know and don’t know what they don’t know, until someone points it out.

It’s difficult to be objective about ourselves, and in reality, how others experience us is quite often different from what we think.

Gaining self-awareness enables people to lift their rose-tinted glasses and break self-limiting traits and reshape their communication and behavioural styles. And just as important, it helps us recognise the influence we have on others. Someone who is aware of his or her blind spots is much more valuable than one who isn’t.

Time spent with an experienced career coach can help highlight areas of development.

The most successful individuals are those who embrace change and nurture a desire to learn, grow and adapt. It’s never too late to enhance your personal offering and become more competitive in the market place.

Gibson heads The CHANGE Initiative, an outplacement company.

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