A species thrives not by possessing every advantage, but by excelling in the traits most suited to its environment.
On the anniversary of Darwin Day (12th February), this article explores how the qualities employers seek in candidates have evolved, with a greater shift towards prioritising soft skills. As a result, it is important to align role requirements with these traits to find the “fittest” candidate.
The Evolution of the Market
In an evolving job market, “survival of the fittest” in recruitment has taken on a broader meaning, expanding beyond the mastery of technical skills. While technical expertise remains essential for certain roles, companies increasingly prioritise soft skills across all roles—teamwork, resilience, communication, and adaptability—when identifying the “fittest” candidates. These traits have become critical for success in workplaces where change is constant. However, it is equally crucial for employers to recognise the inherent conflicts between some soft skills and how key traits associated with specific roles may clash with other desirable qualities. Understanding these trade-offs is essential—because you can’t have it all, and chasing unicorns may leave you with nothing at all.
Why Soft Skills Matter
Employees with strong teamwork skills not only contribute to harmony in the workplace but they can also enhance productivity and innovation by creating a culture of shared ideas and collective problem-solving.
Workers with strong adaptability can thrive amidst uncertainty, making them invaluable in times of crisis or transition; from a pandemic to a company merger or even an out-of-order coffee machine. These circumstances demand employees who can adapt to new tools, roles, and challenges.
Effective written and verbal communication underpins almost every professional interaction, from client negotiations to team discussions and conflict resolution. Recruiters now emphasise candidates’ ability to convey ideas clearly, listen actively, and adapt their communication style to different audiences.
Resilience is a critical trait in handling setbacks, stress, and demanding work environments. Companies value employees who can maintain their performance and morale during tough times, contributing to the organisation’s overall stability.
The Unicorn
When an employer describes their vision of the “fittest” candidate the soft skills are present no matter how specialist the role is. In comparison, not all roles require specialist hard skills such as industry experience or qualifications.
However, the shift in focus, which brings soft skills to the centre stage, is a slippery slope. Certain soft skills, for example, creativity or collaboration, may inherently conflict with traits necessary for specific roles, such as assertiveness or decisiveness. The employer’s natural desire to have a “perfect” candidate who possesses every soft skill is a fool’s errand.
Recognising the inherent trade-offs helps avoid the unrealistic expectation of finding a “unicorn” candidate who embodies all desired traits. This “perfect” candidate isn’t the “fittest” candidate for the role. Unrealistic expectations can prolong hiring processes, increase costs, and result in missed opportunities.
Employers must learn to prioritise which traits are non-negotiable based on the role’s requirements. For example, a sales role might prioritise persuasion and resilience over patience or deep analytical skills. People who excel in communication and thrive in a customer-facing role are not going to be equally happy hidden in a back-office combing through Excel sheets. Hiring individuals whose traits clash with the demands of their roles may lead to dissatisfaction, burnout, or poor performance, increasing turnover risks. By acknowledging and aligning expectations, a better fit between candidate and role is created, and retention is improved.
Employers hunting for “unicorns”—candidates who embody every ideal trait—fail to grasp the delicate balance of real-world adaptation.