15 Best soft Skills for a Resume

The skills you highlight will show your potential employer if you have what it takes to succeed. If you are wondering how to show off your great skill sets and get invited to interviews, keep reading! Below is an example of skills that will help you in the job hunt.

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

Your skillset consists of two main sections: hard skills and soft skills.

• Hard skills
• are job or industry-specific skills typically learned through education, training, or experience.
• Soft skills
• are transferable abilities applicable to any job, often referred to as “social skills” or “people skills”.

While training can help you develop hard skills, soft skills are much harder to learn. They mostly consist of personality traits, which be hardly changed. Thus, having the right mix of both is valuable in the workplace. When job hunting, highlight both your hard and soft skills to emphasize your value. Furthermore, consider how your hard and soft skills complement and relate to one another.

15 examples of soft skills for a resume

• Leadership:- Also referred to as management skills, these encompass many strong characteristics. For example, strategic thinking and the ability to motivate make a great leader. This is one of the most sought-after skills for a resume.
• Time management:- Hand in hand with discipline, those with this skill focus and deliver results on time. In other words, they make the most of their day and deliver a high standard of timely work.
• Problem-solving:- Overcoming conflicts through effective communication is a key skill. In other words, being able to tackle problems improves the quality of work results.
• Flexibility:- Employees who can adapt to new approaches and are dynamic are always sought-after. This includes being open to new solutions, new challenges, and changes in the workload.
• Communication:- Without a doubt, communicating is critical in the workplace. This includes speaking about problems, listening to others, and presenting ideas or solutions.
• Teamwork:- When working with a team of any size, having interpersonal skills can help your team succeed. With this in mind, employers often seek applicants who know how to work with others and empathize.
• Creativity:- New approaches, ideas, and solutions help businesses grow. It is thus important to show off your creative side on your resume.
• Positivity:- A proactive, positive approach to problems and challenges is a huge plus in the workplace. It will put you in a can-do mindset. Additionally, it can also motivate others to do the same and tackle problems head-on.
• Responsibility:- Without a doubt, holding yourself accountable for your successes and mistakes is crucial. It shows that you are aware of your duties and how you must complete them.
• Decision making:- It is beneficial to be able to make well-informed decisions on the spot. At times, your supervisors will leave this task up to you. With this in mind, you should be able to make a decision and be ready to justify it.
• Self-motivation:- Every employer is glad for workers who take initiative without reminders. When thinking about your skills for a resume, make sure to highlight a time when you took initiative. Give details on what you did and how you overcame a challenge.
• Adaptability:- Technology and processes are changing. Hence, employers appreciate applicants who adapt to new environments and continue to learn.
• Emotional intelligence:- Especially for management, this is one of the most important skills for a resume. It refers to being able to understand and address yours and others’ emotions.
• Active listening skills:- Active listening lies in focusing on and understanding the speaker. In general, active listeners engage with the speaker and show interest in what is being said.
• Organization:- Organization and dedication to excellence are crucial to a good work ethic. Adhering to these will not only make your work better but also make you more likable to employers.

Use skills from the job description

Hiring managers often look for specific keywords in the applicants’ resumes. The most qualified are those who have the keywords in the advertisement in their resume. Thus, make sure to include specific keywords and phrases from the posting in your resume. Customize your resume to stand out from the crowd of generic resumes.

The skills on your resume will help the hiring manager decide if you are the right fit for the position. Hence, write down strong, sought-after skills for a resume. Moreover, tailor your resume so that the skills you highlight align with those needed for the job. This will help you catch the hiring manager’s attention and land an interview for the job of your dreams.