Data privacy recruitment is a dynamic and fast-moving environment. However, in the race to secure top talent, many employers prioritise technical credentials - ISO standards, GDPR knowledge, legal qualifications - while overlooking a critical differentiator: soft skills.
Soft skills are often underestimated in the recruitment process for privacy roles, yet they are central to how effectively professionals can influence, communicate and lead within an organisation. Here's why it's time to reframe the hiring conversation.
🧠 Data Privacy Is More Than Just Legal Know-How
It is undoubtedly important for data privacy professionals to have an excellent working knowledge of regulatory frameworks like GDPR and CCPA. However, ensuring compliance isn’t just about interpreting laws, it's about applying them in diverse business contexts: across departments - and often in situations with no clear-cut answers.
That’s where soft skills come into play.
🤝 Key soft skills in data privacy, and why they matter
Communication
Privacy professionals must translate complex legal jargon into clear, practical guidance for non-experts across back-office functions and senior leadership. This requires strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to tailor messaging for different audiences.
Why it matters: Miscommunication can lead to non-compliance, reputational risk, and fines. Clarity is critical.
Stakeholder Management
Implementing privacy frameworks often involves collaboration across departments with competing priorities. The ability to build relationships and influence key stakeholders is invaluable.
Why it matters: Privacy professionals frequently act as internal consultants. Influence without authority is their superpower.
Problem solving and adaptability
Laws change. Tech evolves. Unexpected breaches happen. Privacy pros must be able to think critically, respond quickly, and devise practical solutions under pressure.
Why it matters: Real-world compliance isn't black and white – and adaptability is a key skill.
Ethical Judgment
Privacy is as much about ethics as it is about legality. Professionals must weigh business goals against individual rights and broader societal impacts.
Why it matters: The best privacy decisions often go beyond the minimum legal standard.
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
Understanding the perspective of data subjects - whether customers, patients, or employees - is essential to building ethical and human-centred privacy practices.
Why it matters: Trust is the currency of the digital economy. Empathy builds it; apathy erodes it.
📉 The risk of overlooking soft skills in hiring
Recruiting solely on the basis of certifications and past roles risks hiring technically competent individuals who may struggle to gain buy-in, lead change, or represent your organisation effectively in a crisis.
This is especially true in hybrid or remote environments, where soft skills, such as proactive communication and relationship-building, are harder to observe but more important than ever.
✅ How recruiters can help employers strike the right balance
At Leonid, we always go beyond the CV. Our LeonidLive shortlisting process assesses not only technical capabilities, but also the interpersonal, strategic, and emotional intelligence skills that set top-tier privacy professionals apart.
Whether you’re hiring a DPO, Privacy Counsel, or Data Governance Lead, we ensure candidates bring the full package: knowledge, experience - and the all-important human qualities that make them truly effective.
Need help finding the right data privacy talent? Get in touch with Philip Redhead for a friendly, informal discussion.