My 4 tips for investigating emotional intelligence when hiring

In today’s evolving job market, many companies are recognizing that niche experience can often outweigh cultural fit. As a result, the focus of internal interviews has shifted. There’s now greater emphasis on specific technical expertise, with less attention given to exploring candidates' emotional intelligence (EQ).

A Quick Recap on Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Emotional Intelligence, or EQ, refers to the ability to understand, manage, and influence emotions—both your own and those of others. It’s often just as, if not more, important than IQ (Intelligence Quotient) in navigating social dynamics, leadership roles, and interpersonal relationships.

EQ is crucial for ensuring that candidates align with your company’s culture and can excel in collaborative, fast-paced environments. While technical skills are undeniably important, EQ plays a key role in predicting long-term success, particularly for leadership or customer-facing positions.

The Five Key Components of Emotional Intelligence

1. Self-Awareness
   The ability to recognize and understand your emotions, and how they affect your thoughts and actions.

2. Self-Regulation
   The capacity to control your emotions, particularly in challenging situations.

3. Motivation
   The internal drive to achieve goals for personal fulfillment, rather than external rewards.

4. Empathy
   The ability to recognize and understand the emotions of others. Example: Offering support to a stressed colleague without them asking for it.

5. Social Skills
   The ability to manage relationships, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively

High EQ leads to stronger relationships, effective leadership, conflict resolution and stress management.

Rethinking "Cultural Fit"
Too often, “cultural fit” is used as a vague criterion for hiring, primarily focusing on communication style. While communication is important, it is just one aspect of a broader cultural alignment. To truly assess whether a candidate will thrive within your organization, you must take a deeper look at their emotional intelligence and soft skills.

Here are the four areas that I recommend to my clients to incorporate into their interviewing process.

1. Define the Soft Skills and EQ Your Company Values

Before assessing candidates, clearly outline the key emotional intelligence traits and soft skills your organization prioritizes. These might include:

• Key Soft Skills: Communication, adaptability, empathy, conflict resolution, and collaboration.

• EQ Competencies: Self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.

These traits can inform interview questions, allowing you to dig deeper into how candidates might align with both the technical and emotional demands of the role.

2. Ask the candidates about Personal Development and Self-Reflection 

A growth mindset is a desirable trait in candidates. Look for signs that a candidate is self-aware and open to learning.

• Growth Mindset Questions: Ask candidates how they have worked on developing their emotional intelligence or other soft skills.
  Example: “Can you share an example of a time when you worked to improve your communication skills or manage stress? What was the outcome?”

• Self-Reflection Questions: Inquire about a past mistake or failure and how they handled it. The ability to reflect on personal growth indicates emotional maturity.
  Example: “Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work. How did you handle it, and what did you learn?”

3. Assess Empathy and Conflict Resolution Abilities

• Empathy Questions: Ask candidates how they approach understanding others’ perspectives and emotional needs.
  Example: “How do you handle working with colleagues who have different work styles or viewpoints?”
  Example: “Tell me about a time when you helped a colleague through a personal or professional challenge.”

• Conflict Resolution Scenarios: High EQ is essential in resolving disputes and ensuring that all parties feel heard. Ask candidates to share how they’ve managed conflicts.
  Example: “Can you describe a time you successfully resolved a workplace disagreement?”

4. Utilize Psychometric Assessments (if available)

If your company uses psychometric assessments, make sure to fully leverage them. There are certainly EQ tests available to explore but many talent assessment tools offer insights into emotional stability, adaptability, and interpersonal dynamics that all align with EQ and are crucial for assessing a candidate’s fit. 

By putting a stronger emphasis on emotional intelligence during the hiring process, you’re investing in candidates who will thrive in your organization’s culture, effectively manage relationships, and contribute to a positive, collaborative work environment. Striking the right balance between technical expertise and EQ ensures a more holistic approach to recruitment and a healthier, more productive workplace.

 Regards,

Mike