Over the years, I’ve worked with companies of all shapes and sizes, helping them find the right talent to grow and thrive. One truth that keeps surfacing, no matter the industry or job level, is this: technical skills will get someone in the door, but soft skills—especially emotional intelligence—keep them there and help them shine.
As hiring practices evolve to match today’s workplace challenges, emotional intelligence (EQ) has become one of the most important things we look for in candidates. In this blog, I want to share why EQ matters so much, how it impacts your team, and how you can better integrate it into your hiring strategy.
What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Let’s start with the basics. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions—and to recognize, understand, and influence the emotions of others. It includes things like self-awareness, empathy, communication, and relationship management.
We often think of intelligence in terms of IQ—problem-solving, memory, analytical thinking. Those things are important. But emotional intelligence is what helps people collaborate, handle stress, adapt to change, and lead others. And in today’s complex, people-focused work environments, that matters a lot.
Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Now
The modern workplace is more collaborative, diverse, and fast-paced than ever before. We’re dealing with remote teams, hybrid schedules, and constant change. In that environment, soft skills are no longer “nice to have”—they’re essential.
Team members who are emotionally intelligent can manage conflict more effectively, adapt to shifting priorities, and bring people together. They create a culture of trust and respect, and they help prevent the kinds of breakdowns that cost companies time, money, and morale.
I’ve seen firsthand how hiring someone with strong technical skills but low EQ can disrupt a team. On the flip side, I’ve watched people with average technical skills but high EQ grow into rockstar leaders because they knew how to connect with others, stay calm under pressure, and keep learning.
The Cost of Ignoring EQ
When companies ignore emotional intelligence in their hiring decisions, they often pay the price. Poor communication, high turnover, lack of collaboration, and toxic work environments usually trace back to people who lacked emotional maturity or awareness.
Think about how expensive a bad hire can be—not just in terms of money, but time, energy, and team morale. Now consider how much stronger your team would be if every member could listen, adapt, resolve issues with grace, and lead with empathy. That’s the value of EQ.
How to Spot Emotional Intelligence in Candidates
The challenge is that emotional intelligence isn’t something you’ll find on a résumé. It’s not about where someone went to school or how many certifications they have. It shows up in how they speak, how they listen, how they respond to feedback, and how they carry themselves in stressful situations.
Here are a few things we look for when screening candidates for EQ:
- Self-awareness: Does the candidate understand their strengths and weaknesses? Can they talk about times they’ve failed and what they learned?
- Empathy: Do they show a genuine interest in others? Are they able to read social cues and adapt their communication style?
- Communication: Can they express their thoughts clearly and listen actively? Do they interrupt or dominate conversations?
- Resilience: How do they handle pressure, change, or feedback? Do they bounce back from challenges or become defensive?
Behavioral interview questions can help bring these traits to the surface. Asking about real-life scenarios—how they handled conflict, how they supported a teammate, or how they adapted during a tough project—gives you a window into their emotional intelligence.
Integrating EQ into Your Hiring Strategy
If you want to build a stronger, more agile workforce, start making EQ a priority in your hiring process. That means aligning your recruiters, managers, and interview panels around the importance of soft skills—not just technical fit.
Consider using emotional intelligence assessments as part of your candidate evaluation process. Encourage hiring managers to spend more time on behavioral questions. And create a culture where emotional intelligence is modeled and rewarded from the top down.
It’s also worth investing in EQ development for your current employees. Workshops, coaching, and regular feedback can help teams build stronger communication skills and navigate challenges more effectively.
EQ Is the Future of Leadership
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that soft skills are just for junior roles or customer-facing positions. The truth is, emotional intelligence becomes even more critical as people move into leadership.
Great leaders know how to inspire others, manage stress, handle conflict, and make people feel heard and valued. Those are all EQ-driven skills. If you want to build a strong leadership pipeline, start by hiring for emotional intelligence at every level.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, businesses are about people. And people are emotional beings. When we hire with that in mind—when we prioritize not just what someone can do, but how they do it—we build teams that are stronger, healthier, and more successful.
In my work, I’ve learned that talent is more than a checklist of qualifications. It’s the ability to bring people together, to lead with heart, and to grow through change. That’s the power of emotional intelligence—and it’s why it matters now more than ever.
