Hiring for IT and engineering roles is evolving. It is no longer enough for a candidate to look strong on paper. According to Deloitte Access Economics, roles requiring soft skills are growing 2.5 times faster than other occupations, and employers now view these abilities as essential for long-term performance.¹
A candidate may have strong technical abilities yet still struggle after joining a team. This is why hiring managers are paying closer attention to soft skills during the hiring process and evaluating how well candidates communicate, collaborate, and adapt.
What Are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are the interpersonal abilities that help professionals communicate and collaborate effectively in the workplace. While technical abilities are important, these qualities influence how someone works through challenges, solves problems, and supports team goals.
Examples of soft skills in IT hiring include:
- Communication skills
- Time management
- Problem solving
- Emotional intelligence
- Critical thinking
Why Employers Are Prioritizing Soft Skills Alongside Technical Abilities
Here’s why employers are looking beyond hard skills and paying closer attention to interpersonal qualities that influence how teams work.
1. Better Team Collaboration
Teams work more efficiently when employees communicate clearly and handle conflicts respectfully. Strong communication skills reduce misunderstandings and keep workflows moving.
Related reading: Effective onshore-offshore communication strategies
2. Easier Adaptation to Change
Technology shifts quickly. Employees with strong time management and adaptability learn new tools faster and support smoother project transitions.
3. Stronger Problem Solving
Problem solving and critical thinking help teams resolve issues before they escalate. These abilities complement technical knowledge during high-pressure situations.
4. Higher Employee Retention
Professionals with emotional intelligence build better workplace relationships, feel more connected to their teams, and stay longer. This reduces turnover and protects project stability.
5. Better Decision-Making Across Projects
When employees communicate well, share ideas openly, and understand different perspectives, teams make stronger decisions and avoid unnecessary risks.
How to Spot Strong Soft Skills During Technical Interviews
Technical abilities are straightforward to test. Soft skills require more intentional evaluation. Here are practical ways to identify them:
1. Ask Behavioral Questions About Past Experiences
Behavioral questions help candidates show how they have responded to real situations, not ideal ones. Ask them to walk you through challenging moments, team conflicts, tight deadlines, or unexpected project changes. Listen for clear examples, specific actions they took, and what they learned. Strong candidates explain their steps calmly, avoid blaming others, and reflect on how the experience improved their work.
2. Use Role-Playing Scenarios
Role-playing gives you a live demonstration of communication skills. Give the candidate a technical issue and ask them to explain it to a non-technical team member or a client. This shows whether they can simplify complex ideas, stay patient, and adjust their language based on who they are speaking to. You can also ask them to walk through how they would communicate delays, risks, or unexpected changes to a team member.
3. Incorporate Team-Based Exercises
Short group exercises reveal collaboration skills quickly. Ask two or three candidates to solve a small problem together or brainstorm a solution to a common technical issue. Watch how they interact. Do they listen before speaking? Do they invite others in? Do they dominate the discussion or find common ground? Candidates with strong soft skills contribute meaningfully without overshadowing others.
4. Evaluate Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Present open-ended technical challenges where the answer is not immediately obvious. The goal is not perfection but reasoning. Strong candidates explain their thought process, consider alternatives, weigh pros and cons, and stay calm while working through uncertainty. You can also ask them to think aloud as they debug a sample issue or evaluate two possible technical approaches.
5. Observe Emotional Intelligence and Time Management
Soft skills often show up in small moments. Pay attention to how candidates react when you ask a difficult question, interrupt them gently, or introduce a last-minute prompt. Do they stay composed? Do they adjust their explanations? Do they manage their time well without rushing or rambling? High emotional intelligence often appears through self-awareness, respectfulness, and steady communication under pressure.
6. Look for Consistency Across All Interactions
Soft skills are not displayed only during formal interview questions. They show up in emails, scheduling calls, how candidates speak to coordinators, and whether they ask thoughtful questions at the end. Consistency across these touchpoints is a strong indicator of reliability, self-management, and professionalism.
Hire the right IT talent with Raso360
At Raso360, we don’t simply fill your open roles. We take the time to understand your team, your goals, and the skill sets your projects require. Every candidate we recommend is carefully vetted for both technical ability and essential soft skills, ensuring they can collaborate, communicate, and contribute from day one.
If you’re building IT teams that need the right balance of expertise and interpersonal strengths, we’re here to help. Get in touch today to start a conversation about how we can support your hiring needs.
References
- “Soft Skills for Business Success .” Deloitte, 2025, https://www.deloitte.com/au/en/services/economics/perspectives/soft-skills-business-success.html
