21 of March, 2025

When starting a recruitment process, we focus on a candidate’s experience and training. But… do you pay attention to the worker’s skills? Beyond what the resume says, knowing a candidate’s soft skills will let you know if they will fit into the position or not.

Another common mistake is focusing exclusively on hard skills. These are technical skills, and they play a key role in the worker’s performance. Ultimately, they allow the worker to complete tasks successfully. However, these aren’t always enough.

Soft skills allow workers to stand out from the rest. They are the added value of candidates. You may find a dozen candidates with the same hard skills, but the soft ones are the deciding factor. The combination of these skills determines the fit for the job vacancy we offer.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills are those related to the worker’s attitude. Their way of being and facing day-to-day organization. Issues such as adaptability to changes, leadership capacity, or time management.

These are innate skills that are not learned. Although they can be worked on, they are not acquired in the same way hard skills are. This unique character allows us to distinguish one candidate from another. Performance evaluation may be somewhat subjective, but it is still essential.

We all have soft skills. The key is whether we can take advantage of them or not. For this reason, it is advisable to boost the deployment of soft skills in daily work. When assessing your staff’s soft skills, an HR software like Sesame HR will help you.

You can carry out a performance analysis and competencies, or base yourself on the evaluation among peers. When attracting talent, it allows you to assess each candidate’s skills. All this while sharing data, information, and evaluations with the rest of the HR team.

Top 10 most in-demand soft skills

In a way, the most in-demand soft skills depend on the job position. Even the sector we’re dedicated to. However, in recent times we’ve seen certain generalization of these skills. Let’s discover the soft skills most in demand by employers.

1. Adaptation to change

We live in a workplace environment with constant transformation. In this context, it’s no surprise companies demand their employees’ ability to adapt. A worker open to change will have a fast and effective adaptation to new circumstances. It’s important to be flexible facing new routines or ways of working.

2. Internal communication

This is a key soft skill for success. In a remote work environment, it’s even more important to master internal communication. Mastery should be reflected in written and oral communications, allowing us to get the most out of live chat, emails, meetings, or video calls.

3. Teamwork

Somewhat related to internal communication, teamwork is a highly valued soft skill. And it’s not for less. Each employee must be capable of assuming their role and contributing what’s expected of them. When creating synergies with colleagues, it doesn’t matter if you’re leading or just collaborating.

4. Critical thinking

One of the soft skills that will make us better workers. The goal is to be able to quickly analyze and solve problems. Critical thinking helps us to avoid team paralysis when dealing with obstacles. It also allows us to detect opportunities for improvement.

5. Creativity

Are you one of those who go along with what they have or do you always want something more? Although it may not seem like it, creativity or innovation can be worked on. It all depends on an individual’s willingness to look for new perspectives on situations. Often, it goes hand in hand with critical thinking.

6. Time management

Be it organizational skills or time management, the important thing is for the worker to be capable of planning the execution order of tasks and projects correctly. This includes short, medium, and long-term planning.

Making the most of time is one of the most valued soft skills. And it can be complemented with tools like a task manager.

7. Punctuality

You might be surprised to find punctuality among soft skills, but it plays a key role. On the one hand, it’s vital if we want to make the most of our time. On the other hand, it’s crucial for teamwork. Logic dictates the company expects workers to be punctual and abide by their work schedule.

8. Leadership capabilities

When managing a team, this soft skill is fundamental. Even in middle positions, leadership is highly valued by recruiters. A good leader will help meet objectives. And not only that, they will be able to motivate workers, fostering a good working environment.

9. Resolution of interpersonal conflicts

Somewhat associated with leadership ability, it’s one of the most important soft skills. Sooner or later, conflicts and disagreements will arise. The ability to resolve conflicts in a mature and constructive way is essential. Knowing how to negotiate and make concessions is always a plus.

10. Work ethics and reliability

The company must trust its workers. Often, we handle confidential or sensitive information that can’t be leaked. The commitment to the company, colleagues, and our work is non-negotiable. When these premises are met, more functions can be delegated to the workers over time.

How to foster employee soft skills?

Soft skills are essential for any candidates’ success in a constantly changing work environment. These interpersonal skills often provide the key difference between an average and exceptional employee. Here we share a guide that will help you identify and nurture these skills in your candidates and employees.

1. Carry out a competency assessment

The first step to select candidates with strong soft skills is to take advantage of competency assessment.

Be sure to design custom assessments that allow candidates to demonstrate their skills in areas such as communication, conflict resolution, and empathy. However, you must adapt the questionnaire according to the job offer.

2. Leverage AI to analyze results

Some software like Sesame HR applies artificial intelligence in HR to analyze the results of competency assessments.

With the pertinent indicators, you’ll identify patterns and trends in the data that might go unnoticed otherwise. This will help you objectively evaluate candidates’ soft skills and identify the most suitable for the job.

3. Create a personalized career plan

Once you’ve identified potential candidates who need development in specific soft skills, consider creating a personalized career plan.

This might include professional development courses, mentorships, or practical projects that allow them to gain the necessary skills to succeed in the position.

4. Plan team activities

Promote the development of soft skills by involving new employees in team activities. Group dynamics, problem-solving exercises, and collaborative projects can improve cooperative and teamwork skills.

5. Structure a tracking system

Once candidates join the company, the development of soft skills should not stop. Implement a tracking system that allows for the performance evaluation and progression of employees in the development of their soft skills.

This ensures employees continue to grow and evolve over time, contributing to both the staff’s and company’s long-term success.

Do you want to know more about managing soft skills? On our blog, you will find all the information on how to empower your team. In Sesame HR, we are your trusted HR software!

Professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in various areas of Human Resources (Recruitment, Training, Occupational Risk Prevention, and Personnel Management). Experience in the Management Department: Broad understanding of the company and HR.

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cristinamartin

HR Content Specialist

The most in-demand soft skills and how to develop them