Tom O'Neil: Are you fit for the job?

Show off your soft skills when applying for a new job. Photo / Getty Images

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, the process of recruitment can be described as a "riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma". Just when you think you are the perfect candidate, you don't get an interview, and when you think you are probably not the right "fit", you are welcomed in with open arms. In my experience, the general recruitment process is based on two key foundations:

Skill Fit

"Skill Fit" includes tangible facts such as your career experience, knowledge of a specific industry or trade, qualifications and overall technical skills to do the job well.

Culture Fit

However being the best technical candidate is usually not enough to secure a letter of offer, and this is where many candidates let themselves down. The next step for an employer is ensuring you will fit the internal culture of the organisation, not just do the job well in isolation to those around you.

A great way to find out how to match the "culture fit" is to look again at the advertisement or job description, and pay particular attention to the "soft skills" the employer is asking for. Examples taken from job boards this week include:

● Professional, energetic and fun

● Outstanding interpersonal skills with strong levels of empathy

● Fast-paced, tenacious and dynamic

● Resilience, energy and the hunger to succeed

● Methodical with a keen eye for detail

● Fun and collaborative team member

● Self-motivated and driven

These so called "soft skills" are critical in the recruitment decision making process, helping a candidate that may fall behind in the "skill fit" category, rise above their competition when all is balanced out in the final decision.

Ways employers formally assess candidates for these soft skills include assessment centres where candidates are invited in to complete a wide range of tasks to highlight their non-tangible qualities (sometimes in conjunction with other candidates applying for the same job). Psychometric assessment is also a traditional mainstay for more senior level candidates, giving a prospective employer some insight into an executive's personality, drivers and motivation.

Making you 'fit'

A great way to ensure you are seen as a 'fit' for the organisation's culture, is to address the "soft skills" they are seeking head-on. Highlight these directly in your cover letter, CV and LinkedIn profile, demonstrating you as the "solutio"' to the employer's "problem".

At the interview, remember the key points the employer is seeking, and ensure you address these with great real life examples of your team / listening / communication / resilience / methodical skills, building a strong case for your selection.

Finally show a genuine level of interest and enthusiasm in the position (and long-term career opportunity if appropriate). On many occasions I have interviewed candidates who showed almost no interest in wanting the role (besides turning up for the interview), subsequently missing out on the most important soft skill of all, actually wanting to work at the organisation!

Contact Tom O'Neil and the team at CV.CO.NZ for a free CV or LinkedIn assessment.