1. Critical thinking

Critical thinking skills help candidates gather, interpret and evaluate information to make decisions. They can gather all data related to the decision and assess which information supports a particular choice.

Critical thinking also involves looking for patterns and connections in data. It requires an open mind to new insights and a willingness to challenge existing assumptions.

How to hire for critical thinking

To hire for critical thinking, consider these points for your job description:

• Consider what types of data sources the position uses and describe the need to gather this data.

• Describe typical work scenarios for this role that require critical thinking.

• Mention data-driven decisions this professional is responsible for making.

Assessing the skill

Use critical thinking interview questions that give candidates the chance to talk about how they use critical thinking skills. As they answer interview questions, listen for signs that they’re thinking critically about their responses. You can also assign critical thinking assessments using multiple-choice questions.

Roles where this skill excels

Some careers where critical thinking skills are often essential include:

• Air traffic controller: Air traffic controllers constantly gather and analyze data to make quick decisions on how to control the incoming and outgoing air traffic.

• Lawyer: Lawyers must think critically about evidence while applying legal statutes to their thinking. This helps them develop their case and represent their client well.

• Statistician: A statistician uses math and statistics concepts to analyze data critically and suggest solutions.

• Physician: Many medical professionals, including physicians, use critical thinking to analyze patients’ symptoms and create treatment plans.

2. Leadership

Making decisions often requires strong leadership skills. When candidates feel confident in their abilities as leaders, they are more likely to make effective decisions in difficult situations. It also shows they’re willing to follow through with their decisions.

Hiring employees with leadership skills can improve productivity and organization. Leaders know how to delegate tasks to others and act on their decisions to keep business activities moving.

How to hire for leadership

When writing your job description to focus on leadership, consider including these details:

• Describe the supervisory duties of this role.

• Detail how much ownership the candidate has over decision-making within their role.

• Mention leadership duties, such as working on committees or collaborating with the executive team.

Assessing the skill

Listen for answers to decision-making interview questions that show leadership qualities. Assessment tools can also help evaluate a person’s leadership abilities.

Roles where this skill excels

Leadership skills can be beneficial in many roles, including:

• Teacher: In the classroom, teachers take on a leadership role that requires them to make and act on decisions quickly to keep their students safe and support learning.

• CEO: The chief executive officer oversees all operations and makes decisions that guide the direction of the organization.

• Project manager: The project manager takes the lead on the budget and timeline of the project. They make decisions to keep those areas on track.

3. Communication

Decision-making in the workplace often isn’t left to a single person. Even if one employee makes the final decision, they often want and need input from other team members.

Active listening and building rapport with others can help with decision-making. People in these roles must also communicate their decisions and how they impact the team.

How to hire for communication

Focus on communication skills in your job description with these tips:

• Describe what forms of communication the role uses, such as written or verbal.

• Explain the dynamics of the decision-making team.

• Detail how decisions are communicated and how this role is involved in the process.

Assessing the skill

The way a candidate acts in the interview gives you an idea of how they communicate. Pay attention to how they share their thoughts and ask questions specific to communication habits.

Roles where this skill excels

Communication is particularly important in these positions:

• Psychologist: In the mental health field, psychologists and other professionals use active listening to gain information from patients, diagnose them properly and create treatment plans.

• Human resources manager: The human resources manager needs to listen to the HR team about processes and concerns. They must also communicate decisions that affect HR processes and policies.

• Editor: A copy editor communicates with various collaborators to determine writing requirements and expectations. This may involve reporting to a content manager, expressing revisions to a quality assurance specialist or providing feedback to writers.

4. Emotional intelligence

A candidate with emotional intelligence can understand and manage their emotions while empathizing with others. This can enhance active listening, foster trust and help navigate difficult conversations with empathy and clarity.

Emotional intelligence can help ensure communication is not only effective but also respectful and supportive.

How to hire for emotional intelligence

Your job description can reflect your need for candidates with emotional intelligence using these tips:

• Identify and mention situations that might cause emotional reactions, such as a fast-paced environment or frequent changes to processes.

• Include situations that might be challenging to navigate, such as giving team members critical feedback.

• Highlight interactions between the role and other team members to help candidates understand the dynamics.

• Mention any type of support the role provides to other team members or customers.

• Add details about interacting with people from different backgrounds and in different positions.

• Acknowledge challenging interactions the professional might encounter.

Assessing the skill

Look for signs of self-awareness and emotional control in the interview. Asking emotional intelligence interview questions related to difficult situations or emotions can give you insight into how the candidate manages their feelings.

Roles where this skill excels

Emotional intelligence often helps in these roles:

• Sales consultant: Emotional intelligence allows a sales consultant to understand the feelings that might affect a customer’s buying decisions. This helps them adapt their sales strategies to make a sale.

• Patient care technician: Healthcare professionals like patient care technicians who work directly with patients need to manage their emotions. They also need to understand how to interact with patients to put them at ease. Additionally, reading people’s emotions helps techs know when patients need more support from a nurse or physician.

• Personal trainer: A personal trainer needs to understand what motivates their clients. This helps them tailor their approach and create training plans that help clients reach their fitness goals.

5. Time management

Timely decisions are essential for maintaining smooth business operations. Time management helps candidates evaluate situations carefully and research efficiently, giving them enough time to make decisions by a certain deadline.

How to hire for time management

To hire for time management skills, consider these tips for the job description:

• Mention if it’s a fast-paced position with lots of decision-making responsibilities.

• Describe the typical turnaround time for decisions and how tight deadlines are.

• List specific productivity or time management tools you use and ask for experience using them.

• Discuss the need for prioritization skills.

Assessing the skill

Ask time management interview questions to understand how candidates handle their workloads. Online time management tests can help you compare the candidates’ strategies. For practical assessments, consider creating a timed task with multiple steps. Another option is to create a work situation and have candidates write a plan for approaching the scenario.

Roles where this skill excels

These roles benefit from time management skills:

• Event planner: An event planner needs to manage their planning duties well but also plan the timeline for events properly. Deciding how much time to allocate to different activities can help.

• Software developer: Software projects often have tight timelines, so software developers need to make decisions efficiently to stay on track.

• Production manager: The production manager is responsible for scheduling and creating processes to keep production on time. Quick decision-making is essential for this.