Soft skills decide more than you think they do

Change happens but it doesn't happen overnight and definitely not for a job interview — especially when it comes to soft skills such as communication, presentation or social intelligence.

In addition, getting stressed up about one's inabilities may be more damaging than the concern in itself. That is why it is important for an active jobseeker to recognise what soft skills he/she is lacking and adopt short-term solutions to deal with any imminent interviews as well as long-term strategies to improve on them.

The secret, however, is to continue to work diligently on improving these skills even if you land a job now — simply because these skills are not only helpful to get a job but to keep it. Employers place a huge focus on them, and these are the skills that can make you a popular choice for a leadership position down the road.

So start today and have a plan in place to demonstrate acceptable soft skills in different scenarios:

Focus on strength

You may not be a great public speaker or you may lack the abilities to give an impressive presentation, this certainly can put you in a disadvantage. It doesn't, however, necessarily disqualify you — unless any of these points are a must for the job. Instead of fretting about how you will manage the interview, list a few strong points that you make sure to clearly articulate to the interviewer. Because these points likely are technical points, prepare your back-up arguments ahead of time and be ready to give examples of your accomplishments. Having a script can help you if you're often rattled by trying to come up with replies on the spot. Confidence can go a long way, so the more you prepare, the easier it will become to communicate your message.

Don't cross the line

There is a distinct difference between having poor communication skills and being impolite. You can hardly get away with the former. The latter may cost you the job. So be sure you're aware of the etiquette of interviewing and stick to common rules of courtesy. Remember neither shyness nor inability to communicate well is a licence to avoid shaking hands, lose eye contact, focus on one interviewer and not the other, or drop a nasty remark. If you're not sure of your judgement in social situations, err on the safe side and avoid any personal or humorous comment that might be taken the wrong way.

Use a notepad

This is a simple way to remain focused even though many people wouldn't carry a notepad to a job interview. If you easily get distracted and lose track of the questions, take notes while you're listening actively to the interviewer — i.e. don't get too consumed in writing down the questions or your answer points. Glance at these notes while you're answering the questions to make sure that you've missed nothing and to keep your thoughts on track. These points can also be useful afterwards as they can help you get prepared for future interviews.

Be yourself

Yes, you need to watch your attitude, but be relaxed. The less tense you're during a job interview, the more likely you will be able to build rapport and win the interviewer's trust. In addition, you need to remember that you won't be able to pretend forever if and when you get the job. So try to keep cool and present yourself and your responses as clearly as possible. If you're concerned about your communication skills, offer explanations by asking your interviewer, for example, "did that answer your question?" By doing so you give the interview the opportunity to ask for clarifications and you also get a second chance to offer a clearer answer.

Learn it

Communication and people skills are a combination of temperament and gained experience. While you may find it hard to overcome a shy or introverted attitude, you can work on the skills side by learning techniques and strategies that can be employed in the workplace. There are all sorts of seminars, webinars and books that offer ways to improve on such skills. Even an efficient communicator can benefit from the experience of trainers and authors of these books. The point is to not give up and to make sure that if you're giving an interview for a job five years down the road you don't have to worry about the same issue.

Rania Oteify, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is currently a journalist based in Seattle.