How to Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence During a Job Search

Emotional intelligence is one of the most sought-after skills in today’s job market, but it’s not something you can list on your resume like other soft skills or hard skills. So, how exactly do you demonstrate emotional intelligence during a job search? There are actually many opportunities to show it through your actions, communication, and self-awareness. Here’s how to demonstrate emotional intelligence during a job search.

Showcasing Emotional Intelligence on Your Resume

Typically, resumes focus on technical abilities and job experience, but with the right use of language you can also demonstrate emotional intelligence quite effectively. Check out these before and after examples of a bullet point that might appear on a resume:

• Before: Managed a five-person team on a product launch.
• After: Led and motivated a five-person team, fostering collaboration that resulted in a product launch two weeks ahead of schedule.

As you can see, the action-oriented language in the “after” example really takes everything to the next level. By focusing on how your work positively impacted your team, customers, or other colleagues, you’re subtly showing your emotional intelligence. Along with this, words like “led” and “motivated” will also showcase your ability to take initiative and lead others, which could help set you apart from other candidates.

Showcasing Emotional Intelligence in Your Cover Letter

The key here is self-awareness—all employers appreciate candidates and employees who can take an honest look at themselves and recognize their strengths, as well as their shortcomings. If you want to acknowledge how you’ve overcome challenges or improved a skill, try something like this in one of your body paragraphs:

• Early in my career, I realized that success depended not just on technical skills but on my ability to collaborate effectively. By taking steps to actively improve my communication and leadership skills, I’ve been able to lead teams with empathy, resolve conflicts efficiently, and foster a positive work environment.

Another way to demonstrate emotional intelligence is by showing how you handle pressure or setbacks. Check out this example:

• During a high-stakes product launch, our team faced a major supply chain disruption. By focusing on the solution and maintaining open communication, I helped my team navigate the issue, adjust timelines, and successfully deliver the project with minimal impact on customers.

Dealing with Recruiters and Hiring Managers

Recruiters and hiring managers begin assessing emotional intelligence even before the interview stage. Luckily, there are some strategies you can employ to showcase your emotional intelligence early on in the hiring process. For starters, always respond to emails and phone calls promptly and with politeness. It's also important to ensure that the recruiter or hiring manager knows you’re listening intently—this will show them that you respect their time.

Positivity is also incredibly important, regardless of the outcome. You never know where you’ll end up, so even if you aren’t selected for the job, express gratitude by thanking the hiring manager for their time and consideration. In this scenario, you might say:

• “I truly appreciate the opportunity, and I respect your decision and would love to stay in touch for future opportunities.”

Demonstrating Emotional Intelligence in Interviews

If you really want to showcase your emotional intelligence during the hiring process, there’s no better time than a job interview. For maximum impact, follow these principles:

Practice Active Listening

When answering questions, don’t just wait for your turn to speak. Listen very carefully and respond thoughtfully. Here are two examples of how a candidate might answer a question about the importance of teamwork:

• Bad Answer: “Yeah, teamwork is important.”
• Good Answer: “I agree that teamwork is key. In my last role, I collaborated with a cross-functional team to streamline our workflow, improving project efficiency by 20%."

The bad answer lacks depth and may come off as dismissive. The good answer might seem like a tall order when you’re under pressure, but take your time—it would be far better to take a deep breath and think about your answer than to blurt out whatever comes to mind.

Be a Storyteller

When answering questions during your interview, use real examples of times when you demonstrated emotional intelligence, whether it was solving a workplace conflict, adapting to change, or helping a teammate succeed. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t just shoehorn these stories in; instead, look for openings where relevant stories are appropriate to tell.

Keep Your Composure

This is sometimes easier said than done, but in time and after multiple interviews you’ll get the hang of it. Let’s say the interviewer challenges you with a question like, “Tell me about a time you failed.” Here, don’t get defensive. Show self-awareness by answering like this:

• “In one project, I didn’t communicate deadlines clearly, which led to confusion. I took accountability, learned from the mistake, and implemented better project management tools to improve communication.”

If you’re preparing for an interview, consider challenging yourself by practicing these tough questions.

Remember, employers don’t just hire for skills. They also take into consideration a candidate’s attitude, ability to adapt, and how well they work with others. Your emotional intelligence could be the deciding factor when it comes time to make a hiring decision, so let your personality shine in every interaction during your job search.

Rob Porter is an editor at Vault.