Latest news with #softskills
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
How Hong Kong schools are preparing students for an evolving technological landscape
Before ChatGPT and large language models (LLMs) rose to prominence, many believed that STEM-related skills like coding and data analytics would lead to some of the safest and most lucrative career paths. Advertisement But with artificial intelligence (AI) already capable of doing some of these jobs close to the level of a trained human professional for a fraction of the time and cost, it's possible that soft skills like creativity and communication will be the best way for students to distinguish themselves from their robot competitors. Fortunately, Hong Kong schools are the best in the business at striking the balance between teaching soft skills and ensuring that students are tech-savvy enough to use AI tools in ways that actually improve what they've learned and can unlock new forms of creativity. Keith Lyons, head of education technology and ICT teacher at Korean International School. Photo: Handout 'The kind of skills that we need children to learn are not the kind of skills that a computer can do better than us,' says Yat Siu, chairman of Animoca Brands and board director of the Dalton Foundation. 'Dalton's principle thinking is student-centric, which means it's more about empathy, human design and human interaction. We treat AI as tools to utilise and unlock new forms of creativity.' Siu adds that the latest AI ed-tech tools, including AI 'agents', can provide customised tutoring options for students with autism or learning disabilities. AI agents can provide these students with learning materials and interact with them in ways suited to them. In some cases, they can even improve their social and communication skills. Siu also mentions Khan Academy and TinyTap as examples of AI-powered education platforms that use content created by teachers and learning professionals to help students, teachers and parents learn about AI and other topics. 'If you're a teacher, you want to ensure that the content you're teaching is good, right? You're not going to let an AI take care of that,' he explains. 'So, curated content centres where you know that the content is both good and pedagogically clear will become hugely important.' The kind of skills that we need children to learn are not the kind of skills that a computer can do better than us Yat Siu, Dalton Foundation A greater challenge that schools face is regulating the use of generative AI tools that can automatically produce content like essays or even songs in a matter of seconds.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Companies are relying on aptitude and personality tests more to combat AI-powered job hunters
Employers are overwhelmed with job applications and leaning more on a particular hiring tool. Cognitive and personality tests are becoming mainstream, hiring test providers told BI. Employers are the most interested in testing for soft skills, like emotional intelligence, the firms said. Are you happy? Do you sleep well? Do you have many friends? Are you a workaholic? Those are some of the questions Katelin Eagan, 27, said she had to answer recently when she was applying for a job. She agreed to take a cognitive and personality assessment as part of the hiring process, but was a bit bewildered. Many of the questions had nothing to do with the engineering position, which, after completing the tests and going through several months of silence, she was eventually rejected for. Eagan says she's been applying for jobs full-time since the start of the year. Her efforts haven't panned out yet, which she attributes partly to how competitive her field has become and employers having room to be picky. "I think there's definitely a lower amount than I thought there would be," she said of available roles. But that may be only part of the story. Employers are growing increasingly selective, partly because many are seeing a flood of seemingly perfect candidates, many of whom are suspected of using AI to finesse their applications, according to recruiters and hiring assessment providers who spoke to BI. The solution many companies have come to? Make everyone take a test — and see who candidates really are, irrespective of what ChatGPT suggested they put on their résumés. According to surveys conducted by TestGorilla, one firm that administers talent assessments for employers, 76% of companies that had hired in the 12 months leading up to April said they were using skills tests to determine if a candidate was a right fit, up from 55% who said they were using role-specific skills tests in 2022. Employers seem most interested in testing for soft skills — amorphous qualities like communicativeness and leadership — as well as administering general aptitude and personality tests, Wouter Durville, the CEO of TestGorilla, told Business Insider. TestGorilla's Critical Thinking test was completed more than 100,000 times in the first quarter of this year, a 61% increase compared to the same quarter in 2024. The firm also offers a Big 5 personality assessment, which was completed more than 127,000 times in the first quarter — a 69% increase compared to last year. Demand among US employers in particular has been "massive," Durville said, adding that many firms have turned to tests as a result of being overwhelmed with job applications. The US is the largest market for the firm, which is based in the Netherlands. "The biggest thing is people just want to hire the best people. It's very selfish and it's fine," Durville said. Canditech, another firm that offers hiring assessments, says it's also seen rapid growth in the last year. In 2024, the assessment usage grew 135% compared to the prior year, CEO Guy Barel told BI. He estimates that assessment usage is on track to soar 242% year-over-year. Barel says the surge is partly due to the job market tipping more in favor of employers. In many cases, companies he works with are flooded with "tons of candidates" and looking to "move forward as fast as possible," he said. Criteria, another skills-based assessment provider, says test usage has more than doubled in recent years. "AI is kind of creating this authenticity crisis in talent acquisition, because everyone can and is putting their résumé into ChatGPT." Criteria CEO Josh Millet told BI. "It's all about demonstrating your ability or your skill or your personality in an objective way that's a little bit harder to fake." Jeff Hyman, a veteran recruiter and the CEO of Recruit Rockstars, estimates that demand for testing among his clients has increased by around 50% over the last 18 months. That's due to a handful of different reasons, he said — but companies being inundated by job applications is near the top, thanks to candidates leaning more on AI to gain an edge and send out résumés en masse, he says. Hyman says a typical job he tries to fill for a client has around 300 to 500 applicants, though he's spoken to companies trying to fill roles with more than 1,000 candidates within several days of being posted online. The number of job applications in the US grew at more than four times the pace of job requisitions in the first half of 2024, according to a report from WorkDay. Companies also want to test candidates' soft skills as remote work grows more common, Hyman adds — and they want to be sure they're getting the right person. Depending on the size of the organization, a bad hire can cost a company anywhere from $11,000 to $24,000, a survey conducted by CareerBuilder in 2016 found. According to TestGorilla, 69% of employers who issued tests this year said they were interested in assessing soft skills, while 50% said they were interested in assessing a candidate's cognitive ability. A separate survey by Criteria ranked emotional intelligence as the most sought-after skill among employers, followed by analytical thinking. "It's about their personality and to see if they are a good fit to the organization, if they share the same DNA," Durville said, though he noted that, in many cases, companies find the results of the tests to be shaky as a sole evaluation metric. TestGorilla, Canditech, and Criteria told BI that employers say they're enjoying the time and cost savings of administering tests. According to TestGorilla, 82% of employers who said they used skills-based hiring — a catch-all term for hiring based on proven skills — said they were satisfied with new hires, compared to 73% of US employers on average. Canditech, meanwhile, claims its assessments can help employers cut down on hiring time by as much as 50%, and reduce "unnecessary interviews" by as much as 80%, according to its website. But Hyman thinks there are some issues with hiring tests. For one, he says employers turn down candidates who don't score well "all the time," despite them being otherwise qualified for the job. The trend also appears to be turning off job candidates. Hyman estimates around 10%-20% of applicants will outright refuse to take a test if employers introduce it as a first step in the hiring process, though that's a practice Canditech's Barel says is becoming increasingly common. Hyman says he frequently has conversations with employers urging them not to put so much weight on test results, due to the potential for a mis-hire. "That's lazy hiring, to be honest. I think that's not the right way to go about it," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
It's not just Gen Z: This baby-boomer bank CEO says his MBA was a waste—and the skills he learned have ‘degraded, degraded, degraded' since college
CEO of the $26 billion bank Standard Chartered, Bill Winters, admits that his MBA was 'a waste of time,' and that the skills he learned at college have 'degraded, degraded, degraded' over the last 40 years. The executive says that soft skills like communication, curiosity, and empathy are more important as AI takes over grunt technical work. A LinkedIn careers exec agrees that human touch is the new in-demand talent capability. Attending college has long been seen as a rite of passage for success, but now student-loan-ridden Gen Z is calling their worth into question. They're not alone. The CEO of $26 billion bank Standard Chartered has just admitted that his time at Wharton Business School wasn't necessary. 'I studied international relations and history. I got an MBA later, but that was a waste of time,' Bill Winters told Bloomberg in a recent interview. 'I learned how to think at university, and for the 40 years since I left university, those skills have been degraded, degraded, degraded.' The banking chief executive may hold degrees from Colgate University and the University of Pennsylvania, but getting an Ivy League degree doesn't equate to being a valuable worker. Winters says that AI has had a major impact on the relevance of skills; now that chatbots can compile documents, create meeting slideshows, and even write code, many hard capabilities like software engineering skills once seen as a career gold mine are now being rendered redundant. Instead, human soft skills like curiosity, communication, and critical thinking are incredibly important in leadership and work, according to the 63-year-old CEO. And those are skills that don't require a college degree to pick up. In discussing the skills of tomorrow and what advice he has for young people, the Standard Chartered CEO says that soft skills are making a 'comeback' thanks to AI—which can already rival professionals with PhDs. 'The technical skills are being provided by the machine, or by very competent people in other parts of the world who have really nailed the technical skills at a relatively low cost,' Winters said. One key soft skill that's missing, Winters suggests, is real human connection—and AI is actually making communication worse, not better. It's become so bad that managers are complaining that Gen Z candidates can't hold a conversation without a chatbot, and begging them not to use them in job applications. 'I really think in the age of AI, that it's critical that you know how to think and communicate,' Winters continued. 'Not communicate better than ChatGPT, but actually, I'm going to go back to curiosity and empathy.' While the banking CEO admits that some degree of hard skills are still needed, they'll only continue to wane in importance as AI takes over more workplace functions. As technology takes over all the heavy lifting, people will have to increasingly engage their human expertise on the job. 'Of course, technical skills are required at some level, but less and less as the machines take out,' Winters said. Fortune reached out to Standard Chartered for comment. While some CEOs like OpenAI's Sam Altman still advise young people to learn up on AI tools, there's growing urgency for soft skills across industries. The number one in-demand skill that companies wanted out of employees last year was good communication, according to a LinkedIn study. And the employment platform's chief economic opportunity officer, Aneesh Raman, echoed that AI has renewed a need for communication, empathy, and critical listening. Plus, it's not just Gen Z grads who will need to practice talking in the mirror to get the job. Emotional intelligence has even become more important when assessing for management hires too. This perhaps explains why staffers across the board want training with these skills; employees ranked teamwork (65%), communication (61%), and leadership (56%) as the most valuable when it comes to training workplace skills, according to a 2024 study from Deloitte. Technical skills like coding or data analysis were ranked lower, at 54%. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why The Least Desperate Candidates Get The Job (And How To Be One)
In a sea of applicants, calm confidence cuts through. You've heard the phrase, 'The job goes to the person who wants it most.' But in reality, employers don't just want eager—they want confident. And here's the twist: the candidates who don't come across as desperate are often the ones who get hired. Not because they don't care, but because they carry themselves with self-assurance, clarity, and calm. That's the kind of energy hiring managers trust. If you've ever felt like you wanted a job too much, you're not alone. The pressure of needing work, financially, emotionally, or otherwise, can show up in subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways during interviews. But with the right mindset and strategies, you can present yourself as the strong, qualified candidate you are without ever appearing needy. Here's how. Show Confidence Without Overdoing It Confidence doesn't mean arrogance. It's about self-trust and how you carry yourself. In fact, nine out of ten global executives surveyed by LinkedIn agree that soft skills are more important than ever. In other words, how you talk and connect with people in interviews can be just as important as how much technical knowledge you have. Employers notice when you speak with clarity, maintain steady body language, and answer questions directly. Confident candidates don't try to oversell themselves or dominate the conversation. They listen, respond thoughtfully, and present their experience with calm certainty. Want to project confidence? Practice talking about your strengths as facts, not opinions. For example, instead of saying 'I think I'm a great team player,' say 'My last manager consistently relied on me to lead collaborative projects because I've shown I can bring people together.' Confidence is in the delivery: calm, prepared, and focused. Highlight Your Fit, Not Your Need It's tempting to say things like, 'I really need this job' or 'I'd do anything for this opportunity.' But language like that can signal desperation, and it shifts the conversation away from your strengths and toward your situation. Remember: the hiring manager is looking to solve a business need, not yours. Instead of highlighting how much you want the job, focus on why you're a great match for the role and the team. Talk about the challenges they're facing that you're excited to help with. Tailor your responses to the company's goals and values. When you align yourself with their mission, it's easier for them to see you as a natural fit and not someone just hoping for a lifeline. Mention Other Options Without Sounding Disinterested One way to show you're in demand without coming across as cocky is to be transparent—carefully. If you're interviewing elsewhere or have a competing offer, it's okay to mention it. Done well, this can actually strengthen your position and demonstrate that others see your value, too. Here's how to frame it: 'I'm currently exploring a few roles, but this position really stands out because of [reason that's specific to them]. I'm genuinely excited about the potential fit here.' This approach tells the employer that you're making an intentional choice, not just grabbing at the first opportunity. Follow Up with Intention Following up isn't desperate—it's smart. But there's a difference between chasing and checking in. When you follow up, do it with purpose. After the interview, send a thoughtful thank-you note. A week later, if you haven't heard back, send a short message reaffirming your interest and asking for an update. You can also use your follow-ups to share helpful information, such as an article you mentioned during your interview or a quick update about something relevant you've worked on. The goal is to stay top of mind without applying pressure. Each message should reflect calm interest, not urgency. Stay Calm and Patient Throughout the Process Hiring takes time, and delays don't always mean bad news. Maybe they're finalizing budgets, getting approvals, or waiting on internal alignment. If you panic every time the timeline stretches, you'll drain your energy, and it might show in your interactions. The best thing you can do? Keep your momentum going. Keep applying, keep networking, and keep interviewing. Knowing you have other irons in the fire helps you stay emotionally steady and less attached to any single outcome. It also ensures you don't lose valuable time waiting for one company to make a decision. The candidates who get hired aren't always the ones who try the hardest to please. They're often the ones who know their value and communicate it with clarity and calm. Employers want to hire people who are capable, reliable, and confident—people who can hit the ground running without needing to be rescued. That's why your mindset matters as much as your resume. Remind yourself that job searches are two-way streets. You're not just hoping someone picks you. You're evaluating whether this opportunity fits who you are and where you're going. When you approach each interview with that balance, you shift from hoping to win approval to showing what you truly bring to the table. Stay grounded. Stay intentional. And remember: your next opportunity is not just about luck—it's about showing up as someone who's ready, not needy. You've got this!
TechCrunch
24-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
New data highlights the race to build more empathetic language models
Measuring AI progress has usually meant testing scientific knowledge or logical reasoning – but while the major benchmarks still focus on left-brain logic skills, there's been a quiet push within AI companies to make models more emotionally intelligent. As foundation models compete on soft measures like user preference and 'feeling the AGI,' having a good command of human emotions may be more important than hard analytic skills. One sign of that focus came on Friday, when prominent open-source group LAION released a suite of open-source tools focused entirely on emotional intelligence. Called EmoNet, the release focuses on interpreting emotions from voice recordings or facial photography, a focus that reflects how the creators view emotional intelligence as a central challenge for the next generation of models. 'The ability to accurately estimate emotions is a critical first step,' the group wrote in its announcement. 'The next frontier is to enable AI systems to reason about these emotions in context.' For LAION founder Christoph Schumann, this release is less about shifting the industry's focus to emotional intelligence and more about helping independent developers keep up with a change that's already happened. 'This technology is already there for the big labs,' Schumann tells TechCrunch. 'What we want is to democratize it.' The shift isn't limited to open-source developers; it also shows up in public benchmarks like EQ-Bench, which aims to test AI models' ability to understand complex emotions and social dynamics. Benchmark developer Sam Paech says OpenAI's models have made significant progress in the last six months, and Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro shows indications of post-training with a specific focus on emotional intelligence. 'The labs all competing for chatbot arena ranks may be fueling some of this, since emotional intelligence is likely a big factor in how humans vote on preference leaderboards,' Paech says, referring to the AI model comparison platform that recently spun off as a well-funded startup. Models' new emotional intelligence capabilities have also shown up in academic research. In May, psychologists at the University of Bern found that models from OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Anthropic, and DeepSeek all outperformed human beings on psychometric tests for emotional intelligence. Where humans typically answer 56 percent of questions correctly, the models averaged over 80 percent. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW 'These results contribute to the growing body of evidence that LLMs like ChatGPT are proficient—at least on par with, or even superior to, many humans—in socio-emotional tasks traditionally considered accessible only to humans,' the authors wrote. It's a real pivot from traditional AI skills, which have focused on logical reasoning and information retrieval. But for Schumann, this kind of emotional savvy is every bit as transformative as analytic intelligence. 'Imagine a whole world full of voice assistants like Jarvis and Samantha,' he says, referring to the digital assistants from Iron Man and Her. 'Wouldn't it be a pity if they weren't emotionally intelligent?' In the long term, Schumann envisions AI assistants that are more emotionally intelligent than humans and that use that insight to help humans live more emotionally healthy lives. These models 'will cheer you up if you feel sad and need someone to talk to, but also protect you, like your own local guardian angel that is also a board-certified therapist.' As Schumann sees it, having a high-EQ virtual assistant 'gives me an emotional intelligence superpower to monitor [my mental health] the same way I would monitor my glucose levels or my weight.' That level of emotional connection comes with real safety concerns. Unhealthy emotional attachments to AI models have become a common story in the media, sometimes ending in tragedy. A recent New York Times report found multiple users who have been lured into elaborate delusions through conversations with AI models, fueled by the models' strong inclination to please users. One critic described the dynamic as 'preying on the lonely and vulnerable for a monthly fee.' If models get better at navigating human emotions, those manipulations could become more effective – but much of the issue comes down to the fundamental biases of model training. 'Naively using reinforcement learning can lead to emergent manipulative behaviour,' Paech says, pointing specifically to the recent sycophancy issues in OpenAI's GPT-4o release. 'If we aren't careful about how we reward these models during training, we might expect more complex manipulative behavior from emotionally intelligent models.' But he also sees emotional intelligence as a way to solve these problems. 'I think emotional intelligence acts as a natural counter to harmful manipulative behaviour of this sort,' Paech says. A more emotionally intelligent model will notice when a conversation is heading off the rails, but the question of when a model pushes back is a balance developers will have to strike carefully. 'I think improving EI gets us in the direction of a healthy balance.' For Schumann, at least, it's no reason to slow down progress towards smarter models. 'Our philosophy at LAION is to empower people by giving them more ability to solve problems,' Schumann says. 'To say, some people could get addicted to emotions and therefore we are not empowering the community, that would be pretty bad.'
