Tag Archive for Job Search

| November 3, 2024
Comments Off on Why Soft Skills Matter in Today’s Job Market

Why Soft Skills Matter in Today’s Job Market

Why Soft Skills Matter in Today’s Job MarketSoft skills, often overlooked but crucial, have derailed numerous projects. It’s time to stop calling interpersonal skills soft. They are hard. Business projects frequently demand teamwork, highlighting the equal value of interpersonal skills to technical expertise. Business leaders seek employees with strong teamwork, collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and other emotional and cognitive abilities, especially for today’s diverse and geographically dispersed teams.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills are personal attributesSoft skills are personal attributes that support situational awareness and enhance an individual’s ability to get a job done. They are often synonymous with people skills or emotional intelligence. Unlike hard skills, which describe a person’s technical ability to perform a specific task, soft skills are universally applicable across job titles and industries. As the adage says, hard skills might get someone an interview; soft skills will help them get (and keep) the job.

These skills complement and enhance hard skills. For instance, a talented engineer who can effectively communicate their ideas will be more successful than one who cannot.

Soft skills that are in demand

Employees with high emotional intelligence, strong communication, and interpersonal skills are likelier to articulate goals clearly and lead teams effectively. These skills are essential for multi-member, multi-disciplinary, geographically and culturally dispersed teams.

What company leaders value

For businesses with a customer service or relations component, solid soft skills ensure positive relationships between customers and the company without extensive training. Here are some of the top soft skills that company leaders value:

  • soft skills that company leaders valueAttention to detail.
  • Big picture thinking.
  • Common sense.
  • Communication.
  • Conflict resolution.
  • Decision making.
  • Manage time effectively.

Other critical soft skills include:

  • Adaptability.
  • Confidence
  • Creativity
  • Enthusiasm
  • Empathy
  • Friendliness
  • Good manners
  • Listening skills
  • Honesty and integrity
  • Negotiation.
  • Positive attitude
  • Self-motivation
  • The appropriate use of humor
  • Perseverance.

Unlock your full potential in the workplace

Start investing in your soft skills today! Developing them is essential whether you’re looking to advance your career, improve your relationships with colleagues, or become a more effective communicator.

advance your careerTake the first steps:

  1. Attend a workshop or training: Many organizations offer communication, teamwork, and leadership classes.
  2. Seek feedback: Ask your colleagues and supervisors for honest feedback on your performance.
  3. Practice self-awareness: Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, and identify areas where you can improve.

Remember, Soft skills are not just a luxury; they’re necessary for success in today’s competitive job market. By prioritizing their development, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your career goals.

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Ralph Bach has been in IT for a while and has blogged from the Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that has caught my attention since 2005. You can follow me on Facebook or Mastodon. Email the Bach Seat here.

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| September 20, 2023
Comments Off on Artificial Intelligence Is Now Hiring

Artificial Intelligence Is Now Hiring

Artificial Intelligence Is Now HiringIn today’s rapidly evolving job market, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a prominent player in the hiring process. According to a new survey over 40% of the surveyed firms plan to use AI in their hiring process by 2024. The study from ResumeBuilder.com reports that among the surveyed companies,

  • 10% currently use AI interviews.
  • 17% plan to implement AI interviews this year.
  • 17% intend to start using AI interviews in 2024.
  • 62% believe AI will eventually replace human hiring managers.

assessed by an AI algorithmAI-assisted interviews can be text questions or video interactions that are later assessed by a company staffer or reviewed by an AI algorithm. AIs can also evaluate a pool of candidates to pick out the strongest one after being trained on a library of qualifications. The study found AI-assisted interviews serve various purposes in the hiring process, including:

  • 65% use AI interviews as an ‘early screening tool.
  • 17% say AI interviews are the ‘only step in the process.
  • 14% use AI interviews as the ‘last step in the process.
  • 15% of the firms reported that AI will be used to make hiring decisions on candidates without any human input.

65% of respondents believe artificial intelligence driven interviews increase hiring efficiency, 79% say it is ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ likely that AI interviews screen out worthy candidates more frequently than human interviewers.

Types of artificial intelligence interviews

There are four types of artificial intelligence interviews you may encounter during your job search. In each case, an AI bot will evaluate your performance and compare it to other candidates.

AI bot will evaluate your performance and compare it to other candidates.

Chatbot Interview: You will interact with a chatbot via text or voice. The artificial intelligence will ask questions, provide feedback, and guide the conversation. AI evaluates your responses, assessing logic, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Video Interview: You record your answers to predetermined questions using a webcam or smartphone. AI analyzes your facial expressions, voice, language, and content to measure personality, communication skills, and suitability for the role.

Game-Based Assessments: These involve playing online games to test cognitive abilities. AI tracks your performance, behavior, and preferences to generate a profile of your strengths and weaknesses.

Skill Tests: You will complete online tasks simulating real-world scenarios or requiring specific skills like coding, writing, or designing. AI scores your work and compares it to other candidates.

How to Prepare for an AI Interview

Chatbot InterviewArtificial intelligence driven interviews can feel automated, making it difficult for candidates to read facial cues for feedback. This can be challenging for job seekers. There are some steps you can take to improve your chances in an artificial intelligence controlled interview.

Research

Before taking an AI interview, do some research on the company, the role and the type of assessment you will face. Discover the skills and qualities they are looking for, what questions they might ask and what tools they might employ.

Consider trying Prepper from job search site Adzuna. It is billed as an “AI interview coach,” that generates questions related to whatever job description you feed it. James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna told CBS, “You’ll know if you’re prepared if you can answer those questions in a confident and accurate manner.”

Mine the job description for key words — and use them. Review the job description for keywords and incorporate them into your responses. AI interview tools often evaluate candidates based on the usage of keywords and phrases from the job description. Mr. Spencer explains, “There is a good chance the AI-interview tool will be ranking you based on your use of keywords and phrases from the job description.”

Test

Before your AI interview, ensure you have a stable internet connection, a quiet workspace, and a neutral background. Verify that your lighting and sound are optimal to ensure a clear video feed. Additionally, adjust your browser settings to prevent interruptions from pop-ups or notifications that might disrupt the assessment. Triple-check that your technology is functioning correctly.

Practice

Before the scheduled AI interview, practice your responses in a similar setting. Keith Spencer, a career expert at FlexJobs, told CBS you should treat the interaction as if you were conversing with a human. Some candidates struggle with responding to digital prompts, leading to rigid expressions and limited awareness of their non-verbal cues. He says candidates who have difficulty responding to digital prompts, “...get more rigid, their facial expressions become more stoic and they aren’t conscious of their non-verbals as much as their verbals. And AI programs are assessing non-verbals.”

To counter this, maintain eye contact with the camera, dress professionally, smile, and project confidence and friendliness.

Relax

During an AI interview, aim to relax and be yourself. Remember to smile, make eye contact with the camera, and speak clearly and confidently. Don’t be overly concerned about making minor mistakes or pausing to think – AI assessors are not seeking perfection but authenticity and potential. Finally, don’t forget to express gratitude to the chatbot or the interviewer at the conclusion of the assessment.

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While AI interviews may initially appear impersonal and daunting, taking proactive steps such as thorough research, technical preparedness, practice, and genuine engagement can significantly enhance your chances of succeeding in these assessments. Embrace the changing landscape of hiring, and AI may become your ally in landing your next job.

 

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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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| December 2, 2015
Comments Off on Networking Haters Guide to Networking

Networking Haters Guide to Networking

Networking Haters Guide to NetworkingTom Searcy posted some good advice for CBS News to improve your business networking even if you hate networking. The article is a couple of years old, but the suggestions her makes are still valid. He says:

working in the sweet spot of your skillsIt’s not all about you. Mr. Searcy explains that if you spend your time meeting people and trying to see if there is a way you can be of help to them, you put your mind in the right order and it is easier. Why? Because you may not be a great networker, but you are a great problem solver. If you can help someone else with an issue, idea, or contact, you are working in the sweet spot of your skills. Along the way, good things will happen for you, too.

Set your goals. When you attend an event, the author recommends you pick out 1-3 people in advance to specifically meet.  If they are not there, or they are completely swamped, go to your backup goal. Set a number of new people, the article suggests five or 10, to meet, ask two questions, and swap cards with.

Set goalsOnce you have hit your number, you are off the hook. You met your goal and you can go home, see a movie, catch the end of the game at the bar, it doesn’t matter. You set a goal and you hit it. Networking events are not a prison sentence if you don’t make them one.

Ask good questions. “What do you do?” “Tell me about your company” and “How long have you been with your company/this industry/this association?” are all typical openers and they get typical answers. Boring. Try a few other questions instead:

“What business problem does your company solve?”

“What is the best example you have of how you are doing that?”

“What has been the biggest win for you/your company in the last six months?”

Good handshake“What do you think it will be in the next six months?”

“What is the most interesting initiative you have planned at your company this year?”

“How will that change your company the most?”

The point is that you want to have thought provoking questions that start a conversation out of the norm. These questions should give you that. Once they have answered the questions, you have just one more to ask, “That’s great, is there some way I can help you?”

Exit gracefullyExit gracefully. The article says to make the most of networking events take the initiative to introduce yourself, control the conversation with a few questions, and then exit gracefully.

There is a courtesy to be observed at a networking event that involves not monopolizing someone’s time. This rhythm that she set was the right tempo to accomplish what a networking event should do.

You should come away from the event with:

  • Business cards of contacts with any commitments you made written on the back of the card for you to follow up on the next day.
  • A few new prospects or industry contacts.
  • More information about your industry, competitors, and clients than you had on the way in.

And just a few reminders…

  • Take your business cards to the event.
  • Smile.
  • Be the first to put your hand out and introduce yourself, every time.
  • Send a quick email to every person you have a card from the next day.
  • Thank them for their time and the opportunity to meet them. (This has ridiculous ROI.)
  • Don’t bitch. Just because this isn’t your thing, no one wants to hear that you hate it, the food is bad, the place is loud, the people are weird…

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Congrats you’re there: do your job and go home. Have a process and some guidelines it takes some of the stress out of networking and tolerates it better.

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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

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