Key Takeaways
- Technical skills show what a person can do, but soft skills show how they will do it.
- Old CV screening often missed qualities like teamwork, communication, and adaptability.
- Nearly 9 out of 10 recruiters say bad hires usually fail because of poor soft skills, not technical gaps.
- In 2025, the most important soft skills in tech hiring are communication, adaptability, problem-solving, teamwork, and emotional intelligence.
- Fortray uses fair tools and real-life tests to measure both technical and soft skills together.
- Companies that focus on soft skills see better teamwork, lower turnover, and faster onboarding.
When hiring for tech roles, recruiters usually look at technical skills like coding languages, frameworks, or certifications. These are easy to measure and feel like the safest way to judge a candidate. A quick scan of a CV or a coding test can show if someone knows Python, Java, or cloud platforms. Hard skills are clear and directly match the job description. But soft skills are harder to spot. They don’t come with certificates, yet they often decide whether a candidate succeeds or fails.
In today’s fast-changing tech world, success is not just about writing perfect code. It is more about how well someone works with others, explains ideas, and adapts when things shift. A skilled developer who can’t communicate with teammates, handle client needs, or adjust to new priorities may end up holding the project back.
Research shows that 89% of recruiters say bad hires usually fail because of weak soft skills, not technical gaps. This blog will show why soft skills in tech hiring are more important than ever, which ones matter most in 2025, and how recruiters can assess them. We will also share practical tools, proven frameworks, and Fortray’s approach to spotting soft skills at scale.
What Are Soft Skills—and Why Do They Matter in Tech?
Soft skills are qualities that enable individuals to collaborate with others, adapt to change, and manage multiple challenges at work. These skills include communication, teamwork, empathy, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.
According to reports, 67% of UK employers stated that soft skills are now more important than they were five years ago, particularly in tech and digital roles. This doesnt means that technical skills are not important. Technical skills are also necessary, but they don’t guarantee that someone will be a great hire. For example, many candidates might know every programming language or have top certifications, yet still struggle to deliver value if they are hesitant in collaboration or communication. No doubt that technical skills show what someone can do, but soft skills reveal how they will do it.
Note the following points:
- Cross-functional teams rely on good communication. If a backend developer can’t clearly explain what they’re building to a frontend engineer or UX designer, the whole product can suffer.
- Remote and hybrid work is the new normal. Soft skills, including self-motivation, adaptability, and time management, help tech employees stay productive without constant supervision.
- Problem-solving is a daily need in tech, especially in DevOps or agile environments. Projects shift quickly, and developers must find quick, practical solutions without always having detailed instructions at hand.
- Client-facing roles require empathy and people skills. These professionals need to listen to client problems, explain complex systems in simple words, and build trust.
Discover the top 5 overlooked tech skills in our latest Fortray article.
The Traditional Way of CV Screening
For many years, the traditional way of CV screening meant recruiters sitting with a stack of resumes. Sometimes hundreds for a single role, and scanning through them line by line. The process used to be quite simple. Look for job titles, education, keywords that match the job description, and check the years of experience. If the CV ticked enough boxes, the candidate was shortlisted.
Major Flaws in Traditional Screening
On paper, this approach looked simple and fair. But in reality, it had some big flaws. First, it was incredibly time-consuming. Recruiters could spend hours filtering CVs, which slowed down the entire hiring cycle. Second, it was biased. How? The candidates who knew how to load their CVs with the right technical terms often made it through, even if their actual hands-on skills were limited. Meanwhile, highly capable candidates who described their achievements differently or who focused more on impact than keywords were frequently overlooked. Which was quite unfair to them.
Another problem was that traditional screening put almost no weight on soft skills . These skills rarely stand out in a CV but they’re often what separates an average hire from a great one. As a result, companies risked bringing in people who looked perfect on paper but struggled to fit within the team.
In short, while traditional CV screening helped recruiters filter applications quickly in the past, it also meant missing hidden talent, reinforcing bias, and sometimes making costly bad hires.
Top Soft Skills Tech Recruiters Should Prioritise in 2025
Many of you must be interested in learning more about the key soft skills that people should concentrate on now that you are aware of their significance. We have compiled a list of some important soft skills. Keep reading.
Communication
Communication is the link between skills and real results. A software engineer might know many coding languages, but if they can’t share ideas clearly in meetings, give feedback, or explain things simply to clients, that knowledge isn’t very useful.
Good communication keeps teams clear, avoids mistakes, and helps solve problems faster. In today’s tech world, where people work across time zones and with both technical and non-technical teams, communication is what keeps everyone moving in the same direction.
Without it, even smart people can slow things down. With it, they not only do their own job well but also help the whole team perform better. That’s why recruiters look for communication skills as much as technical ones.
Adaptability
The tech world changes fast, with new tools and systems appearing all the time. An adaptable person adjusts quickly, learns fast, and keeps moving forward. They don’t panic when plans change or when old methods are replaced. They see it as a chance to grow.
Adaptability is about having the right mindset. It means staying calm, flexible, and keeping projects on track even when surprises happen. Recruiters know that adaptable people don’t just survive in change, they thrive and help businesses stay ready for the future.
Problem Solving
Problem-solving shows its value when things go wrong. Imagine a team ready to launch an app, but a bug pops up at the last minute. A problem solver doesn’t panic. They step back, analyse the issue, and find a smart fix without stopping the project.
Problem-solving is about staying calm, thinking creatively, and turning problems into opportunities. Great problem solvers also prevent issues from happening again, saving time and effort. Recruiters need people who can think quickly and use their skills in real situations.
Teamwork
Tech projects are like puzzles. You need every piece to finish the picture. A great coder working alone may solve one part, but without sharing ideas, listening, and fitting their work with others, the whole project won’t come together.
Teamwork means supporting colleagues, giving feedback, and working so everyone succeeds. Recruiters value teamwork because true team players don’t just focus on themselves. In fact, they make the whole team stronger.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is like the human side of tech talent. A professional may be brilliant with code, systems, or data, but if they can’t manage their emotion, teamwork often suffers. Emotional intelligence is what helps someone stay calm under pressure, listen actively, and respond thoughtfully, even when projects hit roadblocks.
In tech environments, EI is the glue that keeps teams working smoothly. For recruiters, hiring candidates with better EI helps reduce conflicts, strengthen trust, and create an atmosphere where people feel heard and supported. Soft skills like this can’t be measured through a CV or keywords, which is why they are usually missed during traditional CV screening.
Fortray’s Approach to Soft Skill Hiring in Tech
Fortray understands that finding the right person for a tech role takes more than just reviewing a CV. That’s why our hiring process goes deeper. Instead of relying solely on job titles and keywords, we employ a combination of tools and methods that enable us to understand how a candidate behaves, communicates, and approaches problem-solving.
Our recruiters follow a process that includes:
- ATS-Integrated Evaluation Forms – Recruiters rate communication, problem-solving, and teamwork using standardised rubrics.
- Real-Time Interview Scoring—Soft skills are scored live using structured behavioural prompts. During interviews, we use structured questions and rate answers in real-time to ensure fairness and consistency.
- Role-Specific Situational Tests – Candidates face realistic team or client challenges. We present candidates with realistic work-related scenarios to assess how they would respond in a real team or client challenge. These are called situational judgment tests, and they provide a more accurate picture of the person behind the CV.
- Weighted Scoring—Soft skill scores are factored equally with technical tests to ensure fair assessments. This means someone’s teamwork and adaptability can carry the same value as their coding skills.
- Bias Reduction Training – Our recruiters are trained in inclusive hiring practices and soft skill evaluation.
As a result, our clients have seen clear improvements. Companies working with us have experienced a 35% increase in employee retention and a 42% reduction in the onboarding process time. That’s because we help match the right people to the right teams. We evaluate people based on their work and interpersonal connections rather than what is written on paper. That is why we are recognised as one of the top tech recruitment companies in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Soft skills determine how well a candidate works with others, handles challenges, and delivers results. They often matter more than technical skills for long-term success.
CVs mostly highlight technical abilities, certifications, and job titles. Soft skills, like collaboration or emotional intelligence, are harder to measure on paper and need structured assessments.
When recruiters overlook soft skills, they may hire candidates who are strong technically but struggle with teamwork, communication, or adaptability. This cause delays and conflicts.
Recruiters can use behavioural interview questions, situational judgment tests, structured rubrics, and ATS-integrated scoring systems to evaluate soft skills fairly.
Fortray blends technical tests with structured soft skill assessments, situational challenges, and bias-free methods. This ensures clients hire candidates who thrive both technically and socially.
Employees with strong soft skills blends well with teams, adapt faster, and create positive workplaces. This leads to higher retention and lower turnover.
