Personal qualities and skills are known as “soft skills” and are essential for professional success in IT. The era in which developers were merely held to a set of technical standards has long since passed. Today, in order to be successful in the job in the software sector, you require more than simply technical skills.
In order to carry out tasks and obligations, you may require technical knowledge aka hard skills. However, in order to differentiate a candidate as a high performer, you must also look for soft skills in a software developer, such as the capacity for communicating ideas and time management. A candidate with soft skills and hard skills always stands out to someone with extensive technical background only.
Soft skills
Soft skills are personality qualities and social abilities that define a person’s interactions with others. Soft skills in a software developer are seen as an addition to hard skills, which are knowledge and practical abilities.
Technical skills may require intelligence quotient (IQ) while soft skills require emotional intelligence (EQ).
Hard skills vs. Soft skills
Hard technical skills are information or training acquired through experience, schooling, training, etc., whereas soft skills are character attributes that influence how you succeed in the workplace.
Soft skills for a software developer are more difficult to master than hard skills, commonly referred to as technical skills. Examples of hard skills to look for in software development include software testing, graphic design, computer programming, and UI/UX design.
Soft Skills to Look for When Hiring Software Developers
It is essential for a software developer to possess certain fundamental soft skills in order to succeed in the tech field.
Soft skills for a software developer are just as crucial as independent coding ability. Even the best programmers will not achieve the job success they might have with stronger soft skills.
When hiring a candidate, you should give careful consideration to both groups i.e. people with good hard skills and soft skills.
The following are a few soft skills to take into account when hiring a software developer:
Time Management
Time management is a crucial soft skill that all IT professionals should possess. One of the challenges that developers confront daily is working under deadline pressure. Trying to multitask will not help you effectively manage your time and will frequently make you stressed and disorganized. To control your time for a particular task, use time management.
You can organize your task in this way to be as productive as you can. Being time mindful and learning how to prioritize your tasks will help you as a developer finish them before they become urgent or close to the deadline.
Problem-solving
We are all aware that addressing difficult challenges is the foundation of software development. From putting a design into practice to creating a mobile application and bug fixes. There are always issues to be resolved. You will run across a difficulty as a developer at some point throughout your career.
This is bound to happen, whether it does so frequently, weekly, or infrequently. Your career and the business you work for will be significantly impacted by how you handle issues.
Communication Skill
One of the most important soft skills that every developer should have is communication. Additionally, remember that it is a two-way street, requiring both the ability to listen and the capacity to express oneself.
Listening is the cornerstone of good communication. Do not interject when others are speaking; instead, pay attention and only then share your opinions.
A developer ought to be able to interact with other team members including managers, illustrators, supervisors, and others whether they work on-site or remotely. The ability for the developer to communicate with end users should be available at some point. A developer must be proficient in communicating on various platforms, including video calls, face-to-face interactions, emails, phone conversations, and Slack channels.
Final Thought
Soft skills and hard skills both are equally important to look for when hiring a software developer.
Soft skills influence how an individual performs in a team, if he is capable of logical thinking, learning quickly, and adapting to new circumstances.
In order to assess the interviewee’s soft skills, Workfall uses the following strategy.
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Observe his attitude and inquire about his behavior in prior employment.
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Use inquiries about the experience of actual candidates;
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Use psychological behavior tests,
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Project modeling of exceptional work scenarios
It allows us to learn more about the “human” side of our applicants and aids us in selecting the ideal software developer for the job.
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