If you’re applying for roles in software engineering, product, data, or design, you might be focused on ticking off the technical requirements. But here’s the truth: technical skills are just the starting point.
At Ocho, we speak to hiring managers across top product-led tech companies every day. Here’s what they consistently tell us they value - beyond the code.
✅ 1. Curiosity and a Growth Mindset
Hiring managers love candidates who ask thoughtful questions, keep learning, and aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions. Whether it’s picking up a new language, diving into a side project, or contributing to open source, a willingness to grow stands out.
💡 Tip: Mention recent learning experiences in your CV or interviews - whether it's a course, a new tool, or lessons from a failed sprint.
💬 2. Strong Communication Skills
Even in highly technical roles, collaboration is key. Can you explain your thinking clearly? Can you discuss trade-offs? Can you write a decent pull request comment or participate in a design review?
💡 Tip: Practice giving concise, structured answers in interviews. Avoid jargon unless you know your audience is on the same page.
🤝 3. Team Fit > Solo Hero
Yes, you can be technically excellent - but if you don’t work well with others, it’s a no. The best teams are made of people who lift each other up, take feedback well, and know when to step in or step back.
💡 Tip: Share examples of how you’ve supported teammates, resolved conflict, or contributed to team wins.
🔍 4. Real-World Impact
Hiring managers want to know how you’ve applied your skills - not just that you’ve got them. Did your work speed up deployment? Improve UX? Save the business money?
💡 Tip: Add measurable outcomes to your CV. “Refactored codebase” is fine, but “Refactored legacy code, reducing bugs by 30%” is better.
🧠 5. Problem-Solving Under Pressure
Whether it’s a production issue or a shifting product roadmap, things rarely go to plan. Hiring managers want to know: How do you react? Can you stay calm, prioritise, and communicate?
💡 Tip: In interviews, talk through a real challenge you’ve faced - and what you learned from it.
Final Thoughts
Yes, your technical skills matter. But when we talk to hiring managers, it’s these traits - curiosity, collaboration, impact, clarity - that keep coming up.
If you're preparing for your next move, now's the time to reflect on more than just your tech stack. How do you show up in a team? What have you delivered? Where do you want to grow?
At Ocho, we help tech professionals present the whole picture. If you’d like help getting your next role, or just want a second opinion on your CV or interview prep - we’d love to chat.
