Sell Your Soft Skills in Your Next Interview - Your Career Intel

Sell Your Soft Skills in Your Next Interview - Your Career IntelA few weekends ago, while supervising a Habitat for Humanity build outside of Atlanta, I was reminded just how important soft skills are for accomplishing complex projects. While some of our gruppe members had never participated in a Habitat build much less worked construction communication, resourcefulness, and creative thinking really helped us come together as a team and complete our portion of the build on schedule.Whether its a volunteer project or a workplace challenge, when it comes to success, the right soft skills matter just as much as the right technical skills. Employers know this thats why they are placing an even greater focus on soft skills interview questions during the hiring process. If you are unable to effectively collaborate with others, clearly communicate your ideas or think creatively, then it doesnt matter how talented you are chances are you wont be a good fit in the workplace.Soft skills int erview questions are tricky, however few interviewers are going to flat out say, Tell me about a time you were a team player or Tell me about a time you used feedback to improve workplace performance. Its up to you, as the interviewee, to weave these skills into your answers.Heres three effective ways to master soft skills interview questions and answers for your next big interviewShare an anecdote. Effective storytelling is key is to successfully weaving your soft skills into each interview answer. Master the art of interview storytelling by following the STAR format Situation, Task, Action, and Results. In 60 seconds or less, give an overview of the situation and the task at hand. What actions did you take to address the issues? Finally, quantify and qualify the results you achieved thanks to your soft skills.Demonstrate a diversity of soft skills. Being a team player, for example, means balancing cooperation with initiative. Flexibility is a valuable asset problem-solving skills and resourcefulness are equally important when unexpected issues inevitably arise. When preparing for an interview, select stories that highlight multiple soft skills. Be aya that these stories also demonstrate that you are a good fit for the workplaces culture even the strongest skill set cant overcome a poor workplace culture fit.Win with confidence. Dont just say you have the skills the company needs exude a positive attitude, enthusiasm, and confidence during your interview. And remember, while confidence is key, so too is the ability to learn from past mistakes. When asked about your greatest professional challenge, reference an experience where you applied lessons learned from past feedback to foster professional growth.If you are a hiring manager, what soft skills do you consider most important for on-the-job success? If you are an interviewee, how have you demonstrated your soft skills during the interview? As an executive recruiter, Im interested in hearing more from both p erspectives and welcome your thoughts.