8 min read

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: Which Should Your References Validate?

Hiring a new employee is a big commitment for your company. You spend a lot of time looking at resumes and talking to people. You want to make sure you pick the right person. To do this, you need to look at two different things: what the person can do and how the person acts.

Many managers make the mistake of asking references about everything. They ask about technical skills and personality in the same breath. However, this is not the best way to get good data. To build a strong team, you must separate these two areas. You should use tests for hard skills and use references for the verification of soft skills.

Defining Hard Skills and Soft Skills

Before you start your next hiring round, you must understand the difference between these two skill sets.

Hard skills are technical abilities. They are easy to measure. You can see them on a diploma or a certificate. Examples include:

Coding in a specific language.
Operating heavy machinery.
Data analysis.
Foreign language fluency.
Accounting practices.

Soft skills are different. These are traits that show how a person works with others. They are harder to measure with a simple test. They include:

Communication.
Leadership.
Reliability.
Empathy.
Problem-solving in groups.

Why Technical Skills Assessment Belongs in Testing

When you want to know if someone can write code or fix a car, you should not take a reference's word for it. A former boss might like the person and say they are great at their job, even if their technical work was just average. This is why technical skills testing is so important.

Testing gives you hard data. It shows you exactly what a candidate can do right now. If a job requires someone to use a specific software, give them a test on that software. This removes bias. It also makes your hiring process more fair. You are looking at the work, not just the person's history.

Using a formal assessment for technical skills allows you to:

Compare candidates using the same metrics.
Save time by removing people who do not have the necessary skills.
Reduce the risk of hiring someone who cannot do the work.
Focus your interview time on more important topics.

The Role of References: Verification of Soft Skills

If tests are for hard skills, what are references for? The answer is simple: behavior. A reference check is your best tool for the verification of soft skills. You are calling someone who has seen the candidate work every day. They know how the candidate reacts when things go wrong. They know if the candidate is helpful to teammates.

Emotional intelligence is a big part of this. You cannot easily see emotional intelligence in a one hour interview. You need to hear about it from someone who was there. When you talk to a reference, you are looking for patterns of behavior. Does the person show up on time? Do they take feedback well? Do they help others without being asked?

By focusing your references on these areas, you get a clear picture of the human side of the candidate. This is information that a technical test can never give you.

Using Behavioral Interview Questions for References

To get the best information from a reference, you need to ask the right questions. You should avoid questions that only require a "yes" or "no" answer. Instead, use questions that focus on competency validation.

Here are some examples of questions you can ask a reference to verify soft skills:

Can you describe a time when the candidate had to handle a difficult coworker?
How does the person react when they receive negative feedback about their work?
Give me an example of how the candidate showed leadership during a project.
How would you describe the candidate's communication style with their team?
Does the candidate take the lead on solving problems, or do they wait for instructions?

These questions force the reference to give you real examples. If they cannot give you an example, it might be a sign that the candidate does not actually have that skill.

Competency Validation: Building a Complete Picture

When you combine technical testing with a deep reference check, you are performing a full competency validation. This means you are proving that the candidate has the skills they claim to have.

Think of it like a two part puzzle:

The Test: This proves they have the brainpower and the training to do the tasks.
The Reference: This proves they have the character and the work ethic to fit into your culture.

If you only do one part, you are taking a risk. A person might be a genius at math but a nightmare to work with. Or, they might be the nicest person in the world but unable to do the basic tasks of the job. You need both to be successful.

Using a structured system for your references helps you stay organized. It makes sure you ask every reference the same set of questions. This makes your data more reliable and helps you make a better choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why shouldn't I ask references about technical skills? References are often biased. They may not have the technical knowledge to judge the candidate's work accurately. A test is a much more objective way to measure hard skills.

What is the most important soft skill to verify? This depends on the job, but reliability and communication are usually at the list's peak. If a person is talented but does not show up or talk to the team, they will cause problems.

Can I use an automated system for the verification of soft skills? Yes. Automated systems like Refhub help you collect feedback quickly. They allow references to provide honest answers in their own time, which often leads to better data.

How many references should I check? Checking two to three references is standard. This allows you to see if different people say the same things about the candidate's behavior.

Building a Better Hiring Roadmap

Your hiring process is the foundation of your company. By using the right tools for the right tasks, you make that foundation stronger. Remember to keep your technical evaluations separate from your behavioral checks. Use assessments to see what they know. Use references to see who they are.

This method gives you a clear view of every candidate. It helps you avoid the high cost of a bad hire. When you focus on the verification of soft skills through references, you find people who will help your company grow for a long time.

Start Your Refhub Journey

Are you ready to make your hiring process better? You do not have to do it alone. Refhub provides the tools you need to manage your references with ease. We help you focus on what matters most: finding the right people for your team.

Our platform makes it simple to get the behavioral data you need. You can collect feedback, track responses, and make informed decisions faster than ever before. Do not leave your next hire to chance. Use a system that works.

Visit Refhub today to see how we can help you with your next hire. Let us help you find the perfect fit for your company culture.

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