Soft skills are essential in the tech industry, as they enable you to innovate, support and collaborate with the other members of your tech team.
For many organisations, when recruiting and hiring new roles, soft skills are just as important as cultural fit, so it’s vital to showcase them during your application process. But how do you make sure to demonstrate your soft skills in an effective way that will ensure they are taken seriously? We’ve listed our top tips below on how to highlight your soft skills during the application process.
Check out our previous blog that discusses the most in-demand soft skills for tech professionals here.
Don’t Just Talk Tech
The main way to highlight your soft skills to prospective employers is not by writing a list of them on your CV, it is about actively demonstrating your use of them, by allowing your accomplishments to speak for themselves.
When describing the projects and teams you have worked with, whilst also talking about the technical aspects of the project – this let’s any prospective employer know you have the technical ability for the role – make sure to mention the process of the project and highlight the use of any soft skills. For example, was there a barrier you needed to overcome in the project by using problem solving skills? Going even one step further, when mentioning the use of your soft skills try to add in numerical values to the example, so that your prospective employers can gage the difference your soft skills made to the project on a statistical basis.
Take a Different Approach
One of the best ways to stand out from the crowd is to incorporate your soft skills into the application and interview process.
To showcase your creativity and innovation, for example, try to utilise tech to your advantage in the application process and devise a different approach to the traditional CV. This is an excellent way to stand out from the crowd and get yourself noticed by potential employers.
Involvement in the Community
One way to emphasise your soft skills in the interview process is through your involvement with the tech community.
If you are an active member of the community; perhaps you speak at multiple events, or write engaging blogs for other tech professionals, feature these in the interview process. Not only does this emphasise your soft skills to prospective employers, it will also display your passion for the industry and the community.
There are so many different ways to get involved with the community, and each uses a different soft skill, whether that be communication or creativity, it’s definitely something you can draw on in the application process to highlight your non-tech skills.
Have a read of our previous blog that further explains additional reasons why tech professionals should engage with the community here.
During the Interview
Many soft skills including communication and interpersonal skills, revolve around the ability to interact in social situations.
The interview is a social situation and a great place to demonstrate your soft skills. Simple things like holding eye-contact, listening to your interviewer, and asking questions, are perfect ways to indicate your soft skills.
These top tips will allow you to showcase your soft skills to potential employers in an effective and efficient way.
Are you a talented tech professional looking for your next role? Speak with our specialist consultants today.
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