In the hiring process, technical skills are often given so much emphasis that soft skills are considered secondary. If they are even considered at all. For me, after narrowing down applicants to those who are qualified, soft skills; including attitude, communication, and enthusiasm are even more crucial in making the final decision.
For example: suppose I have an open position with 10 applicants. After reviewing resumes, I eliminate two who are clearly unqualified, leaving me with 8 candidates. I then conduct interviews and narrow it down to 4 qualified individuals. At this stage, any of these candidates could perform the job well and grow over time. The focus shifts from technical to assessing their soft skills.
During interviews, I consider several key aspects:
- Personality: Will the candidate get along with their co-workers?
- Communication: Are they good listeners, or do they exhibit arrogance and opinionated behavior?
- Social Skills: Are they socially awkward in a way that could be disruptive?
- Honesty and Openness: Do they appear genuine?
- Responsibility: Do they take responsibility or blame others?
- Bias: Do they show signs of racism, sexism, or other -isms?
- Attitude Towards Authority: How do they perceive management?
- Claims About Skills: Do they make exaggerated claims about their abilities?
In summary, being a “good programmer” or possessing the necessary technical qualifications is just the beginning. Personality and soft skills are equally important in determining the best fit.
To put it bluntly, I will hire a good programmer with good people skills over a great programmer who is arrogant, obnoxious, or lacking in communication skills every time.
Some of the questions I keep in mind throughout the interviewing process are simply this;
Do I want to work with this person?
Do my other employees want to work with this person?”
Will they make my job easier or harder?
During the final round, once they’ve demonstrated qualifications, my objective is to prioritize soft skills and personality when assessing candidates. This approach doesn’t mean I have a one-strike rule; it is about gathering comprehensive information to make an informed decision. For instance, while I consider GPA for entry-level candidates, I don’t enforce a strict cutoff. Rigid approaches lead to missing out on great candidates.
The context of my company, which operates in the IT Consulting and Contracting industry in the United States, significantly influences my focus on soft skills. As consultants, my employees must interact professionally with clients to maintain our company’s reputation. In the U.S., perceptions of racism, sexism, or other types of bias can result in lawsuits, damage our reputation, or cause workplace strife.
I value diversity and have a proud record of hiring a wide range of employees from various backgrounds. This isn’t because I have quotas or give extra points to some candidates over others. I hire the best individuals, regardless of irrelevant personal demographics.
I’m open to hiring socially awkward individuals or those with strong opinions, perhaps counter to my own, as long as they maintain professionalism in the workplace. My goal is to screen out intolerance, extremism, and people that don’t know what is appropriate workplace behavior, regardless of where it falls on the political spectrum.
Ultimately, I aim to hire employees who can perform their jobs well, collaborate effectively, and contribute to a positive work environment. I want an office where everyone enjoys coming to work and where my business is protected from unnecessary drama or legal issues. This is the essence of my hiring philosophy.
