When you need to hire administrative staff in Hawaii, soft skills make all the difference between average and high-performing workers.

Skilled office staff and administrative personnel are always in high demand in Honolulu and throughout the islands – and the competition for top talent is fierce. Effectively assessing and balancing soft skills with job skills can help you evaluate the differences between good candidates and find the best one.

Recruiting Strategies for Finding Ideal Admin Professionals in Hawaii

It starts by taking a strategic view of recruiting and hiring.

While temp help and office staffing services can fill gaps and offer employers more flexibility during economic downturns, it may be better to go with direct-hire administrative staff so your executives and department managers can focus on high-priority business needs.

First, you must understand how your administrative staff supports the company goals, key personnel, and business plan for growth.

  • What are the core functions of your administrative teams?
  • What are the technical skills and experience required to fill admin roles in your organization and in your industry?
  • Do you need to fill short-term positions during peak periods?
  • Would you benefit from specific expertise to help with special projects?

Consider your company’s mission, vision and values.

  • How do your administrative professionals reflect the company internally?
  • Does your admin staff work directly with your customers and clients?

Whether you’re looking to hire a temp to cover vacancies when a member of the admin team is out on vacation or a leave of absence, or if you want to find the ideal direct hire administrative staff to help grow your business, it’s critical to take a strategic approach.

What Qualities Do Recruiters Seek in Administrative Professionals?

An efficient administrative team is one of the most essential parts of any organization.

From fielding calls and emails, scheduling meetings, creating presentations, and supporting marketing and social media projects to handling routine and day-to-day tasks on top of a mountain of documents and details – in government agencies or non-profit organizations, healthcare, retail, legal or financial services, and every industry from hospitality to energy – it’s the administrative and office staff that keeps the business running smoothly.

The key to administrative recruiting in Honolulu – or anywhere in Hawaii – is to focus on quality-of-hire. This is essential for a high level of employee engagement which, in turn, maximizes productivity and retention.

That’s why you must look past simple competence and dependability to identify candidates who demonstrate dedication, commitment, and the soft skills needed to succeed.

Weigh these soft skills against job requirements and technical skills to assess all candidates fairly. Use a scoring system that assigns a value to hard-vs.-soft skills to identify the ideal administrative professionals.

How Can Administrative Recruiters Identify Candidates with the Right Balance of Skills?

With one of the most diverse workforces in the country, every local company in Hawaii has its own mix of personalities and unique workplace culture.

To identify the right balance of job skills and soft skills, consider the job requirements, industry, business model and your company culture.

A few essential soft skills to look for include:

  • Behavior and personality traits. This could be anything from a good sense of humor to working well under pressure.
  • Empathy and emotional intelligence. These are critical skills for working well with others in admin support roles.
  • Work ethic. Look for self-motivation, initiative, and discipline.
  • Creativity and adaptability. This includes creative thinking and a willingness to learn and adopt new technology.
  • Communication skills. It almost goes without saying that all administrative professionals must possess clear and effective communication skills. While the job description needs to be specific about duties, you’ll always want to look for candidates who are respectful and good listeners.
  • Culture matters. Take a look at your employees who are already successful in similar roles. What are the qualities and skill set that make them qualified, engaged, and productive team members?

Clearly Define Job Requirements

Better job descriptions help make better hires. To write a good job description that will attract and engage the ideal candidate, you must be accurate when defining the duties, responsibilities, and required technical skills.

Don’t be vague.

Specify what soft skills are needed in the context of the job requirements and duties. Clearly define how the soft skill sets will be applied on the job.

For example:

  • Well organized. What exactly needs organizing? Will the administrative assistant help with scheduling? Shuffle multiple priorities?
  • Accurate and detail-oriented. Why is accuracy important? What level of detail is needed? This could be vital if tasks involve government compliance reporting, financial information, or compiling critical data for executive business decisions.
  • Honesty and trustworthiness. Does the job involve handling confidential or proprietary information? Sensitive accounting or employee records?
  • Responsible and accountable. Who is the administrative assistant accountable to? One manager? Or an entire department? Will they have to deal with customers, clients, vendors, and others outside the organization?
  • Decision-making and problem-solving ability. Does the admin staff have to respond quickly to common issues that arise?

Be specific about communication skills.

Virtually every single job description ever written calls for effective communication skills. But what does that really mean? There’s a big difference between writing clear and concise emails and standing up to speak in a room full of people.

Clearly defined communication skills will attract better-qualified candidates.

Describe the work environment.

Give job seekers a clear picture of the soft skills desired by setting realistic expectations of the work conditions. Fast paced? Slow and steady? Remote or on-site? Formal or casual?

A good job description should weave in a sense of where the admin professionals fit into the big picture, along with desired soft skills. This will attract job seekers with the right mix of aptitude, desire to learn, and inherent abilities needed to succeed.

Conduct Effective Interviews to Assess Both Technical and Soft Skills

The best way to get candidates to talk about their soft skills is by using behavioral and situational interview techniques.

Whether you’re conducting a one-on-one interview, group, or panel interview, either in person or remotely, include some informal discussions to assess soft skills.

  • Describe realistic on-the-job challenges. Ask how a candidate would respond, handle or resolve issues.
  • Give hypothetical scenarios. Ask the candidate how they have navigated similar situations in the past.
  • Ask what-if questions. Present scenarios to see how a candidate would work through a typical day.

The ideal candidate may not meet all the “hard skill” qualifications of the job description. Yet they may still score well on the soft skills and have exactly what it takes to contribute to the company’s strategic goals.

Never underestimate the value of enthusiasm!

Look for determination and a strong desire to learn. Discuss any necessary training, on-the-job learning or mentoring you can offer to fill any gaps in a candidate’s technical skill set.

Ask Current Employees for Referrals

When you’re looking to fill administrative jobs in Honolulu, Hawaii or anywhere in the islands, referrals from your employees are the most cost-effective source of candidates.

Use the “coconut wireless.”

Enlist your employees as brand ambassadors to spread the word about admin job opportunities.

  • Offer an employee referral program
  • Pay a finder’s fee or bonus for new hires
  • Post job openings internally to drive referrals
  • Promote employee mobility from within

We’re all connected.

All your existing employees know people in the local community, as well as their personal and professional networks, who could have the right balance of technical and soft skills.

In fact, your own employees often know exactly what soft skills are most desirable to fill office staffing requirements.

Consult with Administrative Staffing and Recruiting Experts in Hawaii

It’s one thing to evaluate a candidate’s qualifications in terms of education, experience, and ability to get the job done. It’s quite another to balance the need for soft skills, non-discriminatory hiring practices, and create a positive candidate experience for all applicants.

It may be helpful to consult with local administrative staffing agencies to learn more about best practices for hiring administrative professionals in Hawaii and better evaluate necessary soft skill sets. Or you can use office staffing services to save time and refer ideal candidates.

Looking for Qualified Administrative Professionals? Partner with an Administrative and Recruiting Agency in Honolulu, Hawaii

At Bishop & Company, we understand the indispensable role that administrative professionals play in the success of your businesses. Our locally owned administrative staffing agency has provided exceptional service to employers for over 30 years.

Let’s talk!

Visit our website or stop by our conveniently located office in downtown Honolulu.

We offer expert staffing and recruiting services to help you build an administrative team or expand your existing staff. Whether you’re looking for temporary, contract, or direct hire employees for on-site, remote, or hybrid positions, we can quickly deliver exceptional candidates with the ideal balance of technical and soft skills to fit your business needs.