When you’re interviewing for a new job, you want to pull out all the stops. Your main goal is to show a potential employer why you’re the best person for the job—and this includes all your qualifications. Sure, you have work experience and knowledge of the job you’re interviewing for. But other skills, called soft skills, are also important. Employers look for these when making hiring decisions.
What are soft skills?
These are the types of skills that show an employer you’ll work well with others and fit into the company culture. Just because you’re talented and qualified for a job doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be a top performer. But soft skills help you soar above and beyond and make you the very best choice for an open job.
Soft skills include leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, work ethic, flexibility, and communication. They’re the types of skills you won’t learn from a book but can instead learn from working with other people.
How to show off your soft skills
Stories are the way you can illustrate all the qualifications you’ve listed in your resume. So, in your cover letter, share an anecdote about your passion for your career path and why you want the job. During your interview, don’t be afraid to give real examples and tell stories of your work experiences to show how you’ve shown leadership, how you’ve learned from mistakes, how you’ve solved problems and tackled work challenges, etc.
The beauty of stories is that they stick with people, so you’ll have a better chance of staying top-of-mind with your interviewer. The other cool thing is that by making yourself memorable, you’re also showing your great communication skills (another top soft skill!).
Practice, practice, and practice more
As you prepare for your interview, practice common interview questions and answers, and work soft skills into your responses. It’s more important to being hired than you may think!
Are you looking for your next job?
Check out Tri-Starr Group. We specialize in helping qualified candidates find jobs that fit perfectly. To learn more, contact us today!
