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Odd One Out: Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

CAT 2023 Slot 3 · Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension · Medium · Verbal Ability

This is a medium Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension question from the CAT 2023 Slot 3 paper. It tests Verbal Ability. The full answer key and a step-by-step explanation are below — try it yourself first, then reveal the solution.

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Five jumbled up sentences (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), related to a topic, are given below. Four of them can be put together to form a coherent paragraph. Identify the odd sentence and key in the number of that sentence as your answer.

  1. Although hard skills have traditionally ruled the roost, some companies are moving away from choosing prospective hires based on technical abilities alone.
  2. Companies are shaking off the old definition of an ideal candidate and ditching the idea of looking for the singularly perfect candidate altogether.
  3. Now, some job descriptions are frequently asking for candidates to demonstrate soft skills, such as leadership or teamwork.
  4. That's not to say that practical know-how is no longer required – some jobs still call for highly specific expertise
  5. The move towards prioritising soft skills "is a natural response to three years of the pandemic" says a senior recruiter at Cenlar FSB.
Answer

2

Explanation

Sentence 2 is the odd one out. Sentences 1, 3, 4, and 5 form a coherent narrative discussing the shift from hard skills to soft skills in hiring practices. Sentence 2 talks about searching for a 'singularly perfect candidate', which is off-topic.

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