How to Overcome Difficulty in Assessing Soft Skills in Candidates

Hiring the right person isn’t just about checking off technical skills.

Soft skills like communication, teamwork, and adaptability are just as important. But let’s be honest, they’re not always easy to assess during the hiring process.

How do you figure out if someone can handle pressure or work well in a team just from a resume or a short interview? It’s tricky, but it’s not impossible.

With the right strategies and tools, you can spot these crucial traits and make better hiring decisions. Here’s how you can do it.

What are soft skills?

Before we jump into the strategies and tools, let’s get clear on what soft skills are.

Simply put, soft skills are non-technical abilities that show how someone works and interacts with others.

Examples of soft skills

Here are some common soft skills and why they matter:

Communication. Clearly explaining ideas and actively listening to other s. Help avoid misunderstandings and improve collaboration.
Problem-solving. Thinking quickly and finding solutions to challenges. Essential for tackling unexpected issues at work.
Teamwork. Working well with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
Adaptability. Adjusting to changes or new challenges with ease. Critical in a fast-paced or evolving work environment.
Emotional intelligence. Understanding and managing emotions, both themselves and others. Builds stronger relationships and reduces workplace conflict.

The importance of soft skills in the workplace

Soft skills are more than just nice-to-have traits.

In 2017, Deloitte report highlighted that hiring employees with strong soft skills could boost revenue by more than $90,000.

This underscores the growing importance of soft skills in the workplace, not just team dynamics, but also for a company’s bottom line.

1. Teamwork and collaboration

Soft skills play a big role in how well employees work together. Good communication and understanding help team members stay on the same page, reducing misunderstandings and improving efficiency.

Employees with strong interpersonal skills can also lift team morale, creating a positive and productive environment.

2. Customer interaction

In customer-facing roles, soft skills are essential. Empathy allows employees to understand customer needs, while clear communication ensures those needs are met effectively.

These skills not only improve customer satisfaction but also build trust, leading to better long-term relationships with clients.

3. Leadership and conflict resolution

Managers with strong soft skills lead more effectively. They can inspire their teams, delegate tasks smoothly, and handle disagreements with a level head.

This creates a workplace where employees feel supported and valued, making it easier to resolve conflict and maintain harmony.

4. Employee engagement

Soft skills also impact motivation and engagement. Employees who are good at problem-solving and connecting with others tend to feel more invested in their work.

They’re also better equipped to handle challenges, contributing to a more dynamic and innovative workplace.

Why is it difficult to assess soft skills?

Assessing soft skills can be tricky for employers. Unlike technical skills, they are harder to measure, and traditional assessment methods often fall short in capturing their true value.

Lack of objective measurement tools

Soft skills are subjective, making them difficult to quantify.

There’s no universal scale to measure things like communication or teamwork, which can vary depending on the context and the person assessing them.

Over-reliance on interviews

Traditional interviews often don’t provide enough opportunity for candidates to show their soft skills.

In many cases, candidates are focused on answering specific questions rather than demonstrating how they work with others or solve problems in real-life situations.

Cultural bias

Assessing soft skills can be influenced by personal biases.

Different cultures have varying communication styles or ways of expressing emotions, which may lead to misinterpretation or unequal evaluations based on an interview’s preferences.

Limited behavioral evidence

It’s hard to observe soft skills like adaptability or communication in a short interview.

These skills typically become apparent over time as candidates handle different situations and challenges, making it tough to assess accurately in a brief setting.

Candidates’ self-presentation bias

During interviews, candidates often present their best selves, which can mask their true soft skills.

They may exaggerate their abilities or show only the polished version of their skills, making it harder for employers to get an authentic picture of how they’ll perform in the workplace.

How to effectively assess soft skills

While assessing soft skills can be challenging, there are strategies that can give you a clearer picture of a candidate’s abilities.

The key is to go beyond the typical interview questions and dig deeper into real-life situations and behaviors that reveal these essential skills.

1. Behavioral interviews

One of the best ways to assess soft skills is by asking candidates to describe specific situations from their past.

You can ask questions like “Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict at work”.

It helps you understand how they’ve used soft skills like communication and problem-solving in real scenarios.

Another great question to ask a candidate is, “Can you give an example of a time when you worked with a team to accomplish a difficult task?”.

That question helps assess teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving skills in a real work situation.

You can learn how they communicate with team members, contribute to the team’s success, and handle challenges that arise.

2. Situational judgment tests

These tests present candidates with hypothetical scenarios and ask how they could handle them

For example, you might ask how they would approach a difficult conversation with a coworker.

This helps assess how they think on their feet and handle challenges related to teamwork and communication.

Or, you can ask them to imagine that they’re leading a project and two team members disagree on how to proceed.

Then, ask them how they would handle the situation.

The scenario helps assess conflict resolution, leadership, and decision-making skills.

It shows how candidate manage differing opinions and keep the team moving forward while maintaining a positive and productive environment.

3. Work samples and role-playing

Simulations or role-playing exercises give candidates the chance to show their soft skills in action.

For instance, you can have them play the role of a team leader during a mock project or act out a customer service situation to observe how they interact and problem-solve under pressure.

4. 360-degree feedback

Getting feedback from multiple sources, such as current or former colleagues, managers, or even subordinates, can give you a well-rounded view of a candidate’s soft skills.

This method provides insights into how they work with others in different contexts, helping you better assess their interpersonal skills.

5. Psychometric testing

Psychometric tests are designed to measure traits like emotional intelligence, resilience, and leadership potential.

These assessments can offer valuable data on a candidate’s abilities, giving you a deeper understanding of their personal attributes that influence their workplace performance.

5. Peer interviews

Including future team members in the interview process can help assess how well candidates will fit into the team and culture.

Peer interviews can reveal how the candidate communicates and collaborates with others, ensuring they will be a good fit for the workplace dynamic.

7. Observe cultural fit

To assess if a candidate fits your company culture, first understand your company's values and work style.

Then, ask the candidate questions about their past experiences that show how they handle situations similar to your company's culture.

For example, you could ask, "Tell me about a time you worked in a team with different ideas. How did you handle it?"

Pay attention to whether their values match yours.

You can also look at how they communicate—are they friendly and clear, like your team?

If possible, have the candidate meet some team members to see how they interact. Some companies also use personality tests to help with this.

Soft skills are often tied to personal values. So, understanding whether a candidate’s approach to teamwork, communication, and leadership aligns with your organization is key for long-term success.

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