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Soft skills to look for in industrial-based candidates

When looking for your next job, you must be qualified to even be considered. But beyond the right skills and experience, you can set yourself ahead of others applying for the same job. This will make you an even more attractive hiring choice. How? By considering your “soft skills.” These are skills that may not be required to land a job—but if you have them, they make you an even stronger candidate.

Four Important Soft Skills When Hiring

The good news is that soft skills are something you can work on and improve. Four that are important for industrial jobs are the following:

Detail-Oriented

If you’re working on an assembly line or with machinery, the way you handle your job is important. You may be working with small parts or intricate processes—and leaving out what seems like a minor detail, or skipping what appears to be an unimportant step, may end up causing huge issues with the finished product. When you’re detail-oriented, you pay careful attention to every last part of what you’re doing and follow each step to the letter. It’s a skill that is critical in an industrial setting.

Good Communication

This is a soft skill that will help you in just about any job, plus in your life outside the workplace. How do you build good communication skills? Listen carefully to the person you’re talking with and pay attention to what they’re saying. When you share information (either spoken or written), be clear and give all important details. Consider you audience—will they understand industrial terms, or do you need to explain further? Good communication helps everyone get their job done right (and safely) the first time, plus helps you avoid mistakes and wasted time.

Dependable

If you show up late for your job or call off frequently, your coworkers are left to pick up the slack. Since industrial work is physical, this added strain can wear out your fellow employees—plus, working short-handed can even be dangerous. Your boss needs to trust that you will show up for your shifts. Though it may seem obvious, dependability is an important soft skill to have.

Desire to Continue Learning

Are you someone who wants to keep learning new things and building on your skills? This is a desirable quality that employers seek, especially since it’s easier to promote employees from within the company—they’re already familiar with the job, and it takes much less training.

Keep Moving Forward

In your search for your next job, just keep working on your developing your skills, both “hard” and “soft.” And if you need help deciding what skills to tack on, check with your recruiter. Your staffing agency may even offer training you can take to get even better at what you do.

Need a Recruiter?

Contact Wood Personnel. We specialize in helping qualified industrial workers find jobs. To learn more, contact us today!

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