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The Importance of Soft Skills in IT Recruitment

4 September 2026

The Importance of Soft Skills in IT Recruitment

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The Importance of Soft Skills in IT Recruitment

The world of information technology (IT) is constantly evolving, with new technologies emerging every day. As the industry continues to grow, the demand for skilled IT professionals has never been greater. While technical skills are certainly important, many hiring managers are now placing a greater emphasis on soft skills when recruiting for IT roles.

Soft skills refer to the non-technical skills that enable individuals to communicate, collaborate, and work effectively with others. These skills include things like communication, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. While technical skills are essential for success in the IT industry, soft skills are becoming increasingly important for several reasons.

Firstly, the IT industry is becoming more collaborative. With the rise of agile development methodologies, IT professionals are working more closely with one another, and with other departments within their organisations. This requires strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in teams.

Secondly, IT professionals are increasingly interacting with clients and end-users. Soft skills such as empathy, active listening, and the ability to explain technical concepts in non-technical terms are essential for building trust and maintaining positive relationships with clients.

Finally, soft skills are critical for leadership roles within the IT industry. As IT departments grow in size and complexity, leaders need to be able to communicate effectively, delegate tasks and inspire their teams to achieve their goals.

Given the importance of soft skills in the IT industry, how can hiring managers identify candidates who possess these skills?

Here are some strategies:

  1. Review resumes for soft skills: Look for evidence of soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and leadership in candidates’ resumes. This could include mentions of leadership positions held, volunteer work, or group projects.

  2. Use behavioral interviewing: Behavioral interviewing involves asking candidates to describe specific situations in which they demonstrated soft skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution, or teamwork. This can give hiring managers a better sense of how candidates are likely to behave in similar situations in the future.

  3. Administer personality tests: While not a perfect measure of soft skills, personality tests can provide some insights into candidates’ communication styles, leadership potential, and emotional intelligence.

  4. Check references: When speaking with candidates’ references, ask about their soft skills and how they worked with others. This can give you a better sense of how the candidate is likely to perform in a team environment.

In conclusion, soft skills are becoming increasingly important for success in the IT industry. While technical skills are certainly important, hiring managers should place a greater emphasis on identifying candidates who possess the communication, collaboration, and leadership skills that are essential for success in the modern workplace. By using strategies such as resume reviews, behavioral interviewing, personality tests, and reference checks, hiring managers can identify the candidates who are most likely to thrive in the IT industry.

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THE ONE GROUP

Where we're from,
and how we got here

Twenty years of specialist recruitment in the East – and a lot of small decisions that added up.

TOG started in Peterborough in 2004 with a small team and a simple idea: that recruitment is a people business, done best by specialists who stay in their sector long enough to know it properly.

More than two decades on, we've grown into four offices across the East of England and Home Counties. We recruit for finance leaders, HR directors, engineering managers, tech founders, scientists, and the commercial teams that keep businesses running day to day. Between us, we've built up over 258 years of collective recruitment experience across our specialist divisions, and a network of more than 150,000 candidates we've placed, coached, or come to know across two decades in the region.

The founding principle hasn't changed. Recruitment as it should be.

OUR STORY

Key events timeline

2004

Doors open in Peterborough.

Our first office launches with a team of six on Lynch Wood. Cambridge follows the same year, giving us two offices before our first anniversary.

2015

Northampton makes it three.

Our third office opens with a team of five, quickly growing to eleven consultants covering the wider Midlands region.

2017

Peterborough moves across the road.

The team has outgrown the founding office. We move into Arena House on Lynch Wood, big enough for a growing consultant base and the back-office team that supports the whole group.

2018

Cambridge moves too.

Our second office relocates to Cambourne Business Park, giving the growing Cambridge team the space it now needs.

2023

Four offices, three counties, one very good year.

The Hertfordshire & Essex office opens in Potters Bar, extending our footprint into the Home Counties.

In the same year, we're named Business of the Year in Northamptonshire, and Employer of the Year in both Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire at the regional SME Business Awards. Three counties, three panels.

TODAY

Still growing.

Four offices, more than 258 years of collective recruitment experience across our specialist divisions, and a network of over 150,000 candidates.

Same founding principle.

SPECIALISTS BY DESIGN

What we do

We're specialists, not generalists. Every consultant at TOG focuses on one sector and stays in it. Not because it's the only way to do recruitment, but because it's how you build the depth to spot the difference between a strong CV and a strong hire.

It's also why so many of our clients come back to us years, even decades, after a first placement.

01
Accountancy & Finance
→
 02
Human Resources
→
 03
Commercial Office
Administration, customer service, project management and more
→
 04
Technology
→
 05
Engineering & Manufacturing
→
 06
Scientific
→
 07
Sales, Marketing & Creative
→
 08
Executive Search
Across all of the above
→

Beyond the recruitment itself, we produce annual salary guides, regional market reports, and the practical resources our clients and candidates turn to when they want a clearer view of what's happening in their sector.

THE WAY WE WORK

How we work

Four principles show up in every conversation and every process.
01

Be curious.

We stay interested in the market we work in, and in the people who work in it.

02

Keep it human.

We remember your kids' names and know how you take your coffee. That's just how we work here.

03

Make a difference.

We're here to help people build careers they love and businesses they're proud of.

04

Enjoy the ride.

Recruitment is a career, but it should be fun too. If it isn't, we've done something wrong.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Recruitment
as it should be.

Hire with TOG → Looking for a role →
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