Hard Skills vs Soft Skills
When it comes to hiring, recruiters and HR professionals often look for the perfect mix of hard skills and soft skills—but what exactly is the difference, and why does it matter?
What Are Hard Skills?
Hard skills are technical, measurable, and teachable abilities required for a job. These skills are often gained through formal education, training, or hands-on experience. They can be tested, quantified, and certified.
Examples of Hard Skills:
• Coding (Python, Java, SQL)
• Data Analysis & Excel Proficiency
• Foreign Language Proficiency
• SEO & Digital Marketing
• Accounting & Financial Forecasting
• Graphic Design (Adobe Suite, Figma)
Think of hard skills as the “can-do” factor—the abilities that prove a candidate is technically fit for a role.
What Are Soft Skills?
Soft skills, on the other hand, are interpersonal and behavioral traits that influence how a person interacts in a workplace. They are harder to quantify but are just as essential as hard skills—sometimes even more.
Examples of Soft Skills:
• Communication & Active Listening
• Leadership & Teamwork
• Adaptability & Problem-Solving
• Emotional Intelligence
• Time Management & Organization
Soft skills determine how well someone collaborates, leads, and adapts in a professional environment.
Why Do Both Matter in Recruitment?
A candidate with great technical skills but poor communication or teamwork abilities may struggle in a collaborative environment. Likewise, someone with excellent people skills but lacking technical know-how may not meet job expectations.
Stats That Matter:
• An analysis of over 20,000 new hires revealed that 46% failed within 18 months, with 89% of these failures attributed to attitudinal reasons rather than technical incompetence.
• A survey of over 5,000 talent professionals and hiring managers across 35 countries found that 92% consider soft skills equally or more important than hard skills.
Real-World Example: Why Companies Prioritize Both
Google’s hiring philosophy emphasizes both technical expertise and cultural fit, often referred to as “Googliness.” This encompasses qualities such as leadership, humility, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Salesforce’s Success Formula: The company recognizes that EQ—including skills like self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication—is crucial for fostering strong teamwork and resilience. This focus ensures that employees not only possess technical capabilities but also excel in interpersonal interactions, aligning with Salesforce’s collaborative culture.
Balancing Hard & Soft Skills in Hiring
Recruiters can leverage AI-powered tools like resume parsers and pre-screening assessments to evaluate hard skills efficiently. However, soft skills often require behavioral interviews, personality assessments, or AI-driven sentiment analysis to gauge a candidate’s true potential.
Pro Tip for Recruiters:
• Use skill-based hiring to prioritize competencies over credentials.
• Implement structured interviews to fairly assess soft skills.
• Leverage AI to parse and rank candidates based on a balance of hard and soft skills.
In today’s fast-evolving workplace, hard skills may get a candidate the job, but soft skills ensure they succeed. A well-rounded hire is one who knows the job AND works well with people—the real secret to long-term success.
