IT recruitment - soft skills vs. hard skills
For a long time, technical skills took centre stage when recruiting IT specialists. Employers and recruiters attached great importance to applicants with impressive knowledge in various IT areas. In recent years, the recruitment of IT specialists has changed significantly and there is a clear shift towards the importance of soft skills .
Why are soft skills becoming increasingly important in IT recruitment?
There are several reasons why soft skills in the recruitment of IT specialists are becoming increasingly important. Here are some reasons why the importance of soft skills in the recruitment of IT specialists is important:
- The demand for IT specialists has risen in recent years. This has led to many employers placing great importance on finding applicants who are able to collaborate effectively with other departments and therefore feel comfortable in a team environment.
- In the fast-moving and constantly changing world of IT industry Specialists who are adaptable, resilient and capable of critical thinking are in demand. Recruiters in the IT industry must therefore keep this point in focus.
- Strong communication skills enable employees to communicate their ideas clearly and efficiently. This creates a smooth co-operation between the team members. This in turn emphasises the role of soft skills in the IT recruitment out.
These important soft skills in IT recruitment become even more important when IT specialists work closely with customers or clients on various projects. Good relationships must be established with the respective customers and customer needs should be understood and realised.
What would you call soft skills in the IT industry?
soft skills are personal skills that relate to the way people interact with each other. These include communication skills, teamwork, time management, creativity, flexibility, empathy and conflict resolution. Do you understand what your colleagues expect from you? Do you communicate your own needs clearly? This is exactly what soft skills are all about.
soft skills above all, improve your ability to collaborate with others in the workplace. This improves the company's profitability, as work can be completed more quickly and without unnecessary interpersonal friction . Since the profession of IT specialist is an area in which high pressure to perform can arise, become soft skills particularly appreciated in this area.
Study on soft skills for companies
According to a study by Statista soft skills soft skills increasingly important. In 2023, 58 per cent of respondents identified communication skills as the most important soft skills . Only 17 per cent chose honesty as one of the most important soft skills.
This is why, in addition to technical expertise, we are now increasingly looking for socially competent and communicative employees.
The future of IT specialists and soft skills
The report of the "World Economic Forum - Future of Jobs" has predicted that critical thinking and problem solving will be the most important skills by 2025. This statement emphasises the increasing value of soft skills in the IT sector.
How do soft skills affect employee retention?
Soft skills have an impressive impact on employee retention. This is primarily due to the fact that employees who have good soft skills are generally more committed, enthusiastic and productive in the workplace. In addition, the employees are more willing to commit to a company in the long term. This reduces staff turnover.
Furthermore, soft skills also enable employees to work well in a team and build successful relationships with their colleagues. This promotes a pleasant working culture and boosts morale, team cohesion and job satisfaction.
In conclusion, we can say that soft skills are necessary for the new working environment and can no longer be ignored. Especially in the IT recruitment and in the IT sector, soft skills are required.
- When selecting candidates, we make sure that they have the necessary soft skills.
- We know what to look out for when assessing applicants in terms of their soft skills
- With our knowledge, we can easily recognise whether someone has soft skills or not, regardless of which country the person comes from.
Are you looking for IT specialists? Contact us today. Let us help you find suitable candidates with excellent soft skills - worldwide!
