Soft skills analytics are now powerhousing the recruitment process. When used as a hiring tool, these analytics really enable recruiters to focus on what soft skills candidates need and what soft skills candidates have. It makes recruiting more targeted, more efficient and more people-focused.
Soft skills metrics
As a result, soft skills metrics have had a big impact on how recruiters operate. It used to be that job descriptions and screening tools focused predominantly on hard skills, because that was all that could be measured accurately and objectively. Now that the tools exist to measure and identify soft skills, hirers are placing more emphasis on them than ever before. People’s personality traits and individual characteristics have moved up the priority scale.
The power of predictive data
Traditional CV information on its own is no longer enough. Hirers want to know more about candidates. In particular, they want to know not only about what candidates have done, but what they can do. Predictive data that identifies a candidate’s potential is increasingly important. And in order to predict potential, hirers need to have a good understanding of a candidate’s core personal competencies.
For example, tests can be devised so that candidates are assessed on what motivates them. Is it success? Power? Doing a good job? Team work? Being involved in exciting, new projects? Can a candidate cope with change? Drive change? Adapt in a fast-moving, unpredictable environment?
Deutsche Bank embraces soft skills analytics
A recent article in the Financial Times found that Deutsche Bank has turned to behavioural profiling tests in order to tap into a wider, more diverse talent pool. The bank is screening candidates against a set of specific behavioural competencies displayed by existing junior Deutsche employees.
Good online testing tools allow hirers to gain a much deeper and more holistic understanding of individuals – what motivates them, how they communicate, how they approach tasks and so on. These are all key soft skills competencies that can be analysed, making recruitment much more targeted and specific to organisational needs.
Better analytics equals better hires
There are several benefits to having a deeper, more holistic understanding of candidates’ soft skills, the big one being that you get better hires. You need a team player, then you can make sure you get a team player, rather than someone who says they are a team player but turns out to be the opposite. Plus, the recruitment process is shorter and more effective, with only really good candidates making it onto the longlist and shortlist.
And if the shortlist comprises three excellent candidates who all fit the bill, what do you do? The tests can be used to identify which candidate would fit best with team dynamics and with the line manager’s management style.
Measure the right competencies
However, in order to get the right data, recruiters need to know what they are looking for from the outset. This means defining a clear set of core competencies. Then all of the stakeholders – recruiter, line manager and candidate – know what is required.
Recruiters can test candidates to see if they have thought properly about the role and know what is involved. With Softfactors, there is a section called Job Assess, where candidates say what they think is important in order to be successful in the position.
Data builds a better recruitment experience
It’s important that recruiters keep candidates in mind. Candidate experience has become an important part of the recruitment process. With Softfactors, candidates gain feedback on their tests result very soon after completion. This is key to maintaining a good candidate experience.
At the end of the day, you want happy candidates, even if they are not hired, as well as happy recruiters.
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Available for release 24 October 2016.