150+ Soft Skill Assessment Questions For Interview 

It is important to focus on two distinct areas when you’re trying to improve yourself: self-awareness and intuitive thinking. 

Self-awareness helps you understand whether the candidate can connect his or her actions to the outcomes in the professional environment. 

Empathy and teamwork are two important traits that can be investigated using intuition. 

All this comes from focussing on the improvement of your soft skills, so you can ace the upcoming interviews in your career. 

And for that, you need to prepare for the soft skill assessment questions. 

Here are some top soft skill assessment questions that are recommended by expert interviewers to evaluate soft skills.

Top Interview Questions to Evaluate Soft Skills

What was the most unusual thing you’ve ever been asked to do? What did you think about it? And what did you learn from it?

This question tests the ability of the candidate to adapt to new situations. A candidate who shows this characteristic can help the company grow.

An ideal candidate will have the ability to remain calm and composed under pressure.

They also will be able to utilize advanced tools, strategies, and techniques when performing their duties. 

They’re also likely to come up with effective solutions when problems arise They’ll be quick to accept new team members and they’ll adapt to different working styles if necessary.

Can you Talk About A Time or A Situation when you had to manage your own team through difficult Circumstances?

An interview question is asked to assess your leadership skills.

Describe a situation where you had to take complete ownership of a project and explain why your judgment made you a qualified candidate for that role.

Describe your biggest failure at work. What was your takeaway from this experience?

A large failure and key learn­ings display your resili­ency in the workplace.

Use an example that shows you’ve learned from past mistakes and are able to adapt quickly when things don’t go according to plan.

What are the three main aspects of a job, according to you?

You want someone who fits into your company’s cultural norms. The culture is a direct reflection of the company‘s core values and mission statement. 

There is no one “right” culture in a company. Different cultures can thrive in different environments. 

Hiring employees who fit well will increase the chance of success. Before we begin the interview process, we recommend that you briefly introduce yourself and your company.

What is your greatest strength?

You should always mention any hard skills relevant to the job. But don’t forget to include soft skills as well. Explain one or two reasons why they’re relevant. 

It is better to talk about how critical thinking skills are essential in marketing but make sure you also explain how crucial is to understand the target audience as well.

To help you decide which soft skills to emphasize, look at the job description. There are probably some soft skills mentioned in the job description that the employer has specified they want.

Can you give us some examples of when you worked with people who were difficult? What did you do when faced with the problem?

The question tests the ability to collaborate effectively. It is important that when assessing a candidate’s ability, you consider their ability to work well with people. 

The modern workplace puts a lot of emphasis on teamwork to get things done. You need to recruit people who have the ability to work well with others. 

Even if it is an administrative job, the ability to communicate and interact is crucial for getting the job done on schedule. 

This is one of the important soft skills interview questions that should not be overlooked.

What is your biggest weakness?

Well, this is a question that candidates do not like to answer. But answering the ‘What is your biggest weakness’ question is easier if you’re prepared for it. 

Your response doesn’t need to be perfect—the interviewer understands that everyone has areas they can improve.

To sweep soft skills effortlessly such as empathy into this answer, you can mention some particular skills you haven’t had much success in but currently improve and making better.

Make sure that the skill you’re talking about isn’t a core part of the role. For example, if you say that you struggle to stay organized in a fast-paced setting, it won’t go well.

How do you prioritize tasks when you have multiple due dates?

Managers often want to know how well you prioritize tasks to get a sense of your organizational skills.

Mention the tools that you use to organize your projects and why they help you decide which tasks to work on next.

Have you ever been stuck in a situation where nothing went according to plan? How did you react? What was the outcome?

This helps evaluate soft skill sets such as leadership qualities. Remember that leadership is not just about managing people. 

It’s not just about you; it’s also about setting an example for others in the organization. 

You want to hire someone who can show they’re able to look after and inspire others. Mistakes are bound to happen in any workplace, and you want someone proactive with solutions. 

When testing the leadership trait, you should also look at other soft skills, like communications.

What would your friends say about you?

There are several variations of this question, including “How would your co-workers describe you?” and “What are three adjectives that your friends/colleague would use to describe you?” 

Regardless of how you phrase it, these soft skills interview questions give you an opportunity to share the positive qualities you possess.

The hiring manager wants you to tell them more than just what you did in previous jobs. 

They want to know if you’d be a good fit for their company culture. Share a story that illustrates one strength you have. 

You could choose one particular trait that you’ve displayed through your relationships that really stands above the rest.

Tell me about a difficult situation you’ve encountered at work. What did you do when it happened?

Whether this is your first job interview or your 50th one, you can expect some behavioral interview questions to pop out. 

To answer, choose a situation where you needed soft skills to save the situation. An excellent example to discuss would be an internal conflict between teams.

Maybe the sales team wasn’t happy with how the marketing team tried to attract customers, and they needed some interpersonal skills to get everyone on the same page.

Whatever it is, no one else is responsible for it, so don’t blame anyone else.

 And if there’s anything you want to point out, highlight how Practice telling the story ahead of time so that you don’t get too caught up in the details and ensure that the answers are relevant.

Describe a situation where you had no manager to guide you through a difficult decision. What did you do when faced with this situation, and who did you talk to?

Being able to make decisions without supervision is a mark of your growth and overall abilities.

Explain the results of your decision in detail and how this decision impacted your company.

What are some things you like to do outside of work?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. The hiring manager just wants to learn more about you.

 Instead of trying to come up with something that sounds cool, choose a few of your favorite things and incorporate them into your responses.

Do you go for a run every day? This demonstrates discipline and stress management. A part of a book club? What does that mean? 

This is a great indication that you enjoy learning and socializing. Whatever extracurricular activities you mention, make sure they highlight positive traits.

What was the most significant problem you’ve solved at work?

Interviewers look at how you respond to this question as a means of exploring your approach to problem-solving. 

Describe an experience where you directly helped someone else and that had a positive result.

What would you do if you were in a situation where your supervisor or manager was unavailable?

It’s important to estimate the growth potential of the candidate.

This question helps gauge whether or not the candidate is able to step up and make some important decisions, when necessary. 

A good employee will know what to do when faced with such a challenge.

You also want to get their perspective when it comes to being proactive in an organizational setting.

Why did you apply for this job?

If you read the job description and researched the company, this interview question should be a breeze. 

Explain aspects of the job description or company that appealed to you, like the opportunity to work in a collaborative atmosphere or with a group that strives to produce the highest quality of work.

Employers are looking for someone who doesn’t mention that they were applying for every job out there because they were desperate or someone who didn’t even read the job description. 

While you want to have a good answer, the takeaway here is to say something about the job that shows you are actually interested.

Have you ever done something without any prior experience?

If you’re working on tasks not mentioned in the job description, it shows that you’re willing to go above and beyond for the company.

 Make sure you include any experiences outside of your employer’s primary responsibilities on your resume. If it relates to your prospective job, you might incorporate it into your answer.

How did you manage to juggle multiple projects at once? What did you do when you were faced with the problem?

Ask this question when trying to determine whether someone has good prioritization skills. It can also be useful for measuring their time management skills when they’re faced with a set of assignments. 

You should hire someone who can organize their workload efficiently and follow deadlines.

 A good manager should be able to effectively prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, adapt well to pressure, deal with workplace stress, and avoid distractions at work.

How do you explain things to people who aren’t familiar with them?

Employers ask questions related to your communication skills to determine whether you’re a good fit for the position.

 Describe a situation where you introduced something new and described how you would use your communication skills going forwards.

Can you tell us a story about a time when you encountered a challenge that you had not previously experienced?

This question is especially revealing when it comes to evaluating the candidate’s ability to solve problems and their persistence. 

These two traits are essential for any professional setting. There will always be obstacles in any professional setting, so a potential candidate should be open enough to discuss how he or she overcame them.

How would you explain something complicated to someone who doesn’t know anything about it?

The purpose of this interview question is to test the candidates’ communication skills. 

Communication is one of those crucial soft skills that a person should possess. The person might be a good fit for the job, but it doesn’t matter if he or she can’t communicate effectively.

How would your current or previous manager rate your performance?

It’s obviously best to be positive when answering this question. Don’t say your manager dislikes your idea. 

As far as exactly what to say, however, the best approach is for you to mention specific areas where have successfully worked.

It’s fine to mention any areas where you had to grow as an employee, but make sure to demonstrate that you have learned from these experiences and grown as an employee in the future. 

Remember to work on your soft skills—focus on two or three talents you have and emphasize them.

Describe a situation when the results didn’t go according to plan. How did you adapt?

The interviewer might ask questions about your adaptabili­ty skills to understand how much changing things affects your approach to work Note a time when you adapted to change, which affected your previous employer.

What does constructive criticism mean to you?

Ask this question when trying to determine whether someone is a good fit for the company. Some people don’t like to be criticized. 

The answers you get may reflect how they’ll react to constructive criticism to point to the areas where one could potentially improve.

What questions would you like answered?

It’s a good time to emphasize that soft skill development is just as important for candidates as it is for employers. 

Talk to the people you’ll be collaborating with to get an idea of their personality and level of collaboration.

Do you need more help answering this interview question? We’ve put together some of our favorite interview questions to help you prepare for your next job interview.

What are your actions when employees disagree with your decision?

If you can work well with people who don’t agree with you, then you’re showing good collaborative skills. 

Describe a situation when you had a disagreement with a coworker about something and how you resolved the conflict.

Have you ever been caught doing something dishonest?

Honest employees are beneficial to companies in so many ways. 

It’s important to evaluate soft skills, including honesty, carefully because many of their experiences or capabilities stem from whether they tell the truth. 

Recruiters tend not to prefer frankness and honest­ness in their new employees. 

Honest employees are usually hard-working and give their best when performing their duties for their employer. 

An honest employee recognizes his or her own weaknesses and tries to improve them.

Tell me about the most recent time you stayed late at work. Did that happen unusually often?

While this may seem simple, it actually reveals a lot about the candidate’s time management abilities.

 Do they constantly work late to go above and beyond their own expectations, or do they have to put extra effort into meeting them?

Name three of your top considerations when working for an organization.

Listing what is important to you in a career highlights your core values. Explain the three things that are the most important to you and how they match the company’s core values.

More Soft Skill Assessment Questions

Communication

• Tell me about yourself.
• Have you ever had trouble working with a boss?
• What do you do when you’re stressed or pressured?
• Tell your 95-year-old grandma what you do for a job.
• Which would you prefer: written or verbal communication?
• Which one is more critical to you and why: being a good listener or a communicator?
• Are you good at working with others?
• What would you say about yourself?
• How would your colleagues describe your personality?
• What major challenges and issues have you faced? What did you do when they asked for help?
• Write up to five sentences to convince me to buy a pencil.
• Your colleague is publicly criticizing your work achievements. What do you do for fun?
• Describe a difficult project or situation at work and how you overcame it
• What have you learned from your mistakes?
• What was it like having your supervisor as a boss?
• A good supervisor should be able to help you improve your skills.
• What was the greatest disappointment in your lifetime?
• What are you most passionate about?
• What are your pet peeves?
• What do people most commonly criticize about me?
• When was the last time you felt angry? What happened?
• Do you prefer working alone or with others?
• Give some examples of how you worked together to complete a critical project.
• Why are you the most qualified person for the job?
• What makes you want to work here instead of somewhere else?
• What can you offer this company?

Teamwork

• Which one do you like better and why? Teamwork or working alone?
•  How important are team events for you?
• If a team isn’t performing well because members aren’t getting along, tell me how you’d overcome that situation.
• Everyone agrees on how to approach a certain task, but you disagree. How do you react?
• Team spirit means something different to everyone. How would you go about building team spirit?
• How would you handle a team member who isn’t doing his/her fair share of work?

Leadership

•  Are you a leader? 
• You know your manager is 100% wrong about something. What do you do?
• Describe a situation in which you have led a team
• Your team members are quitting one after another. What do you do?
• How do you go about delegating responsibilities to a team?
• What makes a good team leader?
• You’re worried about your company’s finances and you need to cut down on staff costs. How would you decide who to fire?

Flexibility/adaptability

• What was the most difficult change you’ve encountered in your career? 
• Do you like surprises?
• How do you go through your schedule if something unexpected happens?
• Give me an example of when you’ve had to deal with a sudden request.
• Do you like routine tasks?
•  

Creativity

• If your life were a book, what would its title be?
• How could you spice up meetings to improve creativity?
• Give me an example where a business was creative in order to be successful.
• In what ways have you encouraged your employees to be more creative and innovative?

Problem-solving

• Give me an example where you’ve successfully solved a problem.
• Give me an example of when you’ve had to solve a problem creatively or unconventionally.
• Tell me about a situation where you had to analyze information in order to successfully solve a problem
• Describe a time when you identified a problem and then solved it before it became an issue.
• Describe a time you had to solve a business problem during a crisis.

Interpersonal skills

• What are the key elements to building good relationships with people?
• How do you handle situations where there is tension with a colleague?
• Describe how you’d communicate difficult or unpopular information.
• Tell me about a situation where you built a good relationship even though you didn’t really like the person.

Time management

• Are you a multi-tasking person?
• Which one better describes who you are: ‘done is always better than perfect’, or ‘everything has been perfectly done?
• If you have a number of upcoming deadlines, how do you prioritize your work?
• Describe a situation where you’ve had trouble meeting deadlines. What did you do?
• Your boss assigns you a big task at the end of the day, but he doesn’t tell you what it is. How would you respond?

Work ethics

• Are you working too many hours?
• What are the most import­ant ethics in the workplace? 
• Give me an example of when you faced an ethical decision at work.
• If you found out that a manager was breaking company policy, what would you do?
• You finish your work faster than expected. Do you allow yourself some time off? Are you going to ask for additional tasks?

Customer service

• Give an example of when you’ve had to deal with an unsatisfied customer and how you did so.
• What steps do you need to take to gain a customer’s trust?
• Give an example of when you went the extra mile to provide excellent customer service.
• How would you handle a customer who you feel is becoming unreasonable?

Motivation and enthusiasm

• How do you keep yourself motivated when working alone on projects?
• How do you stay interested when working on a project you don’t care for?
• How do you generate excitement on days when you’d rather not be at work?
• How do you deal with when colleagues lack enthusiasm?
• Which one of these aspects is most important to you at work? What matters most is career development, perks, and benefits packages.
• What do you hope to achieve during your first six months here?

Organizational skills

• Give an example of a time when your planning led to successful results.
• How do I stay organized when I am working on multiple projects?
• How do you keep tabs on your progress when working on a project?
• How often do you clear out what you don’t need at your desk, files, and electronic files?

Strategic planning

• What is your understanding of strategic planning? How does it differ?
• Tell me about a project that you planned and executed well. What were the outcomes?
• How do you set your team’s long-term goals? How do you evaluate performances?

Handling feedback

• Constructive criticism means giving honest feedback without attacking the person.
• Your boss tells you that you’ve done a poor job. How do you respond when someone asks you a question?
• Give an example of when you’ve used feedback to improve your own performance.
• How do you prefer for your manager to give you feedback: through formal performance reviews, or daily/weekly meetings. Why?

Negotiating

• Describe a challenging negotiation situation you’ve encountered. What was the outcome?
• If you were asked to change an institution’s “this is how we always did it” attitude, what would you do differently?
• How would you go through the process of negotiating something with a manager/supervisor?
• What is the best way to win someone over when negotiating? Negotiating is an art form.

Conflict resolution

• Give me an example where you’ve successfully resolved a conflict in an office setting.
• How do you deal with when there are differences of opinion in the office?
• What steps would you recommend for resolving a heated conflict that broke up between two members of your staff?
• If you could see that your colleague’s anger was likely to cause problems, how would you go about calming them down?

Handling stress

• What are some techniques you use to handle stress?
• Describe the most stressful work situation you’ve ever been in. What did you do to handle it?
• What are some good ways of preventing things from getting too stressful in the beginning?
• What work do situations get you most stressed?

Presentation skills

• How do you prepare to deliver a presentation?
• If you notice that your audience looks bored during a meeting, what would you do?
• Describe a time when you had to deliver bad news to your team
• When is it appropriate to use humor?

Decision-making

• Give an example of a time when you had to make a decision quickly. How did you deal?
• Would you rather be responsible for making decisions or would you prefer to let others make them?
• What was the hardest decision you’ve had to make at work? How did you decide which one to use?
• If you realize you’ve made a bad or wrong choice, what do you do?
• What do you think are the most difficult decisions you’ve had to make?

Confidence

• Your project fails completely. How do you deal with it?
• Have you ever done anything at work even though your boss or colleagues told you not to?
• If you lack confidence, what do you do to increase it?
• How do you prevent overconfidence?

Cultural fit

• Describe the type(s) of work environments in which you are most effective.
• If you were to quit a job in the very first month, what would make you do so?
• Have you ever found an organization’s policies unfair or inefficient? If so, what were the policies, and why? What did you do or what would you do, in this case?

Honesty

• Have you ever felt that you are not qualified for the job assigned to you?
• If a colleague confessed a serious crime to you, what would you do?
• Give an example of when it would be better not to tell the truth.
• Have you ever been truthful even though it has hurt you? What happened?

Analytical skills

• Describe a time when you had to solve a particular problem, but didn‘t have all the necessary info about it in hand. What did you do?
• How do you weigh up the pros and cons before deciding on something?

Similar Posts:

• A Quick Guide To Behavioral Interview Questions
• Ultimate Guide on Conducting Interviews that Will Make You Wonder
• A Quick Guide Preparing For A Second Interview
• A Quick Guide On Soft Skills For Interview Success
• 100+ List of Icebreaker Interview Questions