Non-Cognitive Soft Skills Assessment
RCTReview
Job seekers frequently lack precise objective data regarding their non-cognitive or soft skills, such as communication and interpersonal attributes. Uncalibrated self-perceptions cause candidates to misjudge their suitability for specific job tiers, leading to unrealistic job search targets.
Picture this
Soft skills assessment feedback acts like an accurate diagnostic scan on a vehicle. Rather than a driver guessing how much weight their vehicle can tow, the scan provides clear mechanical limits so the driver avoids overloading the engine or underutilizing its capacity.
What the evidence says
Trainees who received objective feedback about their soft skills updated their expectations in line with reality regarding eligible jobs, though they became less willing to accept lower-quality employment.
- Who was studied
- Human vocational training participants in urban Uganda evaluated via the BRAC Job Placement Program.
- How
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) assessing feedback on soft skills following standardized testing.
What to do
Administer objective soft skills diagnostic assessments to job seekers following vocational training to align candidate expectations with realistic employment matches.
From the source
"In urban areas of Uganda, when participants of a vocational training program were given information about their soft skills after a skills assessment through the BRAC Job Placement Program, they shifted their expectations closer in line with reality about which jobs they could apply for."
Improving_job_seekers_employment_and_earnings_through_credible_skills.pdf