If you are wondering about the genesis of the term “soft skills,” it was coined by the U.S. Army. According to Wikipedia, in a formal training manual in 1972, soft skills were defined as “important job-related skills that involve little or no interaction with machines and whose application on the job is quite generalized.”

Recruitment advertisements are surprisingly intricate. Why is that? First, they must grab attention, resonate with the right talent, and stand out amidst the noise—all while aligning with your company’s broader hiring goals.

There is a name for the process of winnowing down candidates step by step until only new hires remain: it’s called a recruiting funnel. It starts with many applicants, some of whom are screened out. 

In today’s business world, business owners no longer need to limit themselves to full-time employees when looking for talent. Often, departments need extra help but can’t justify splashing out on a long-term hire, or perhaps only require additional one-off or seasonal contributions. 

When someone refers to recruiting, most people think about the process of attracting job seekers, interviewing candidates, and making a final hire. This process is a common form of recruiting, but it represents only one type of recruiting—external recruiting.