Episode Overview
Join Pete Newsome and Ricky Baez as they share the secret to successful recruitment: hiring for soft skills!
On this episode of the Hire Calling Podcast, our hosts discuss how to assess emotional intelligence, teamwork dynamics, and a candidate’s culture fit. Pete and Ricky explain how to balance technical qualifications with soft skills to make better hiring decisions.
They touch on the pros and cons of task-based interviews and the potential benefits of hiring freelancers. Beyond that, Ricky offers tips on interviewing with finesse. You’ll discover the power of behavioral questions, the danger zones of over-relying on resumes, and the often-overlooked value of professional references.
Could your hiring process use a boost? Tune in and transform your recruitment game!
40 minutes
Tips for Hiring for Soft Skills
- Clear Job Descriptions: Begin with a detailed job description emphasizing the technical and soft skills required for the role.
- Behavioral Interviewing: Utilize behavioral interview questions that require candidates to share real-life examples of demonstrating specific soft skills.
- Group Assessments: Conduct group activities during the interview process to evaluate a candidate’s teamwork and collaboration skills.
- Role Playing: Engage candidates in role-playing scenarios to observe their problem-solving, adaptability, and communication abilities.
- Feedback Loop: Seek feedback from all interviewers to comprehensively understand a candidate’s soft skills.
- Reference Checks: When speaking with references, ask pointed questions about the candidate’s interpersonal skills and teamwork capabilities.
- Structured Interviews: Ensure consistency by having a structured interview format that evaluates soft skills across all candidates.
- Use of Technology: Employ AI-driven tools and platforms that analyze a candidate’s responses or body language to gauge soft skills.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly update and refine your hiring processes based on feedback and changing company needs.
Additional Resources
- The Best Behavioral Interview Questions to Ask Candidates
- How to Assess Soft Skills in an Interview
- Emotional Intelligence Interview Questions to Ask Candidates
- The Ultimate Guide to Interview Scoring Sheets
About Pete Newsome
Pete Newsome is the president of 4 Corner Resources, the nationally acclaimed staffing and recruiting firm he founded in 2005. His mission back then was the same as it is today: to do business in a personal way, while building an organization with boundless opportunities for ingenuity and advancement. When not managing 4 Corner’s growth or spending time with his family of six, you can find Pete sharing his sales and business expertise through public speaking, writing, and as the host of the Hire Calling podcast.
About Rick Baez
Efrain “Ricky” Baez Jr. is a published human resources professional specializing in strategically aligning HR competencies to business goals with a down to earth, common sense approach. Ricky is a four- year veteran of the United States Marine Corps and holds a Masters degree in Human Resources (MHR) from Rollins College and an SPHR certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute. Ricky is also a faculty member for the Master of Human Resources program at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.
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