Time management skills allow you to complete tasks and projects before deadlines while also maintaining work-life balance. Staying organized can help you allocate your workday to specific tasks by importance. Deeply understanding your individual, team and company goals can provide a starting point when deciding how to manage your time.
10 Best Skills To Include on a Resume (With Examples)
The skills section of your resume shows employers you have the abilities required to succeed in the role. Often, employers pay special attention to this section to determine if you should move on to the next step of the hiring process. In this article, we examine 10 important skills to include on a resume, as well as tips on how to best craft the skills section of your resume.
are abilities specific to the job and/or industry. Generally, these are more technical skills that you learn in school, certification programs, training materials or experience on the job. Hard skills might include proficiency in things like:
Hard skills are usually teachable while soft skills are much harder to develop because they are typically personality traits and, therefore, extremely valuable to employers. In most cases, your soft skills can enhance your hard skills. For example, if you’re a detail-oriented software developer skilled in a computer programming language, you’ll likely be able to catch errors and correct issues in the code you and your team create.
As a job seeker, it’s important to highlight your best hard and soft skills to position yourself as a well-rounded candidate. It’s also helpful to consider how the two types of skills relate to one another and the job so you can speak to this in your next interview.
12 examples of good hard skills for your resume
Design
Companies in nearly every industry need creatives with a strong sense of design to help them develop attractive products and content. Whether you specialize in graphic design, UI/UX design, or illustration, you should clearly list your design expertise on your resume to attract the attention of employers.
Marketing
Data analysis
Data is more valuable than ever – more valuable than oil according to some experts – and with all that data comes the need for people experienced in data analysis. Candidates who are able to inspect, model, and pull useful information from data are in high demand right now, especially in the tech industry.
Computer technology & software
Project management
Knowing how to guide a project from conception to completion effectively is essential for nearly any position. Even if you’re not seeking a job as a project manager, strong project management skills are still valuable for many different careers and should be highlighted on your resume.
Mathematics
Whether you work in software development or retail, having at least a basic understanding of math is a valuable hard skill for most industries. Even in more traditionally “creative” fields like marketing, strong math skills can help with specific tasks like A/B testing or running surveys.
Research
Knowing how to conduct research efficiently and find information (no matter how obscure) is an important hard skill for many different jobs. Especially if you work in journalism, market research, or business analysis, you’ll want to prominently display your research skills on your resume.
Writing & editing
Being a strong writer isn’t only helpful if you work as an editor. Being able to write clear, effective emails, papers, presentations, and messages is a valuable skill for many different jobs, especially those in business and marketing.
Scientific expertise
If you work as a lab researcher or another field in the hard sciences, your resume needs to highlight your relevant scientific skills. The skills you need will differ depending on your position, but they should always be displayed prominently because they’re one of your key qualifications for the job.
Social media
Foreign language skills
Whether you work in retail or in finance, knowing how to speak multiple languages makes you a valuable asset to any company. Being able to fluently communicate in a foreign language helps you immediately connect with people from other countries, and gives you an advantage over other similarly qualified candidates when applying for a job.
Accounting & finance
Companies always need employees who can handle their finances and perform accurate bookkeeping. Even if you don’t work as an accountant, being able to handle basic finance tasks is helpful for a variety of jobs in business and fundraising.
12 of the best soft skills to list on your resume
While hard skills are what make you qualified for a job, your soft skills are the qualities that set you apart from other candidates. For many jobs, having strong soft skills is essential, particularly in customer-facing positions.
Verbal and written communication
Being able to convey your ideas clearly is an important skill for nearly any job. Even if you don’t regularly work with people face-to-face, having strong communication skills can help you present your ideas to colleagues and even negotiate for raises or promotions.
Teamwork
There are very few jobs that don’t require you to work with other people. Even remote work usually requires some form of online collaboration. Employers want to be sure that you can function effectively on a team before hiring you.
Show them you’re able to thrive in a team setting on your resume. Showcase examples of work you accomplished thanks in part to your excellent teamwork skills, and employers will be more confident in hiring you.
Adaptability
It’s increasingly important to show employers that you can keep up with rapid changes and be flexible in the way you work. Impress potential employers by demonstrating how you’ve adapted to new situations or work requirements and managed to thrive amidst these changes.
Problem solving
No matter your industry, problem-solving skills are useful to tackle any obstacles you face while working. If employers know you’re a good problem solver and capable of handling issues on your own (whether small or large), then that’s less for them to worry about.
Patience
Patience is a desired soft skill in a wide range of contexts. From interacting with customers and training new employees to performing long and complex tasks like video editing or negotiating business deals, being patient simply makes work easier.
Creativity
Showcase your creativity on your resume by highlighting instances at work where you spearheaded a new project, innovated a method, strategy, or product, or discovered a creative solution to a company problem.
Strong work ethic
If there’s one thing all employers prize, it’s a strong work ethic. Candidates with a strong work ethic are more likely to excel in their role, achieve highly, and grow into managerial positions. Employers can also rest easy knowing that you’re doing your work without the need for much supervision or micromanagement.
Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills help you build positive relationships with colleagues and the people you encounter at work. Your interpersonal skills determine your ability to cooperate within a group and contribute to a healthy and productive workplace.
Time management
Having good time management skills helps you complete your work effectively, meet deadlines, and stay organized. Employers love to see that candidates have time management skills because it means you’ll be able to contribute to the smooth operation of the business.
Multitasking
Being able to handle multiple tasks at once is a valuable soft skill to have for many different jobs. From office work to food service, employers are always interested in candidates who have strong multitasking skills.
To grab the attention of employers, list your ability to multitask clearly on your resume. You should also show them you’re able to handle tasks efficiently and juggle the demands of a busy day with examples in your work experience section.
Leadership
Attention to detail
Having an eye for detail is a skill you can apply to nearly any job. Employees with strong attention to detail produce reliable work and require less micromanagement, which makes your coworkers’ lives easier.
How to convey your level of skill proficiency
The difficult thing with a resume is that it is difficult to indicate that level of proficiency you have in a certain skill. If your ability with Excel is basic, you might think twice about including it in your skills section, but not including it might mean that the ATS rejects you before a hiring manager has even read a word.
One easy solution for this is including a skills section that has a graphical representation for the level of skill (with bars, stars or some other visual effect). This is quite basic, but it is effective and will allow you to include those must-have skills without having to overplay your experience.
It is true to say that your experiences will give an indication of your proficiency in certain skills, so don’t waste too much resume space in detailing exactly what level of skill you possess in a certain area. That will come at a later stage in the interview.
Soft skills are great, but is it compassionate skills that truly make a difference? Soft skills such as time management and attention to detail are important on an individual level, but for me it is the “compassionate” soft skills that make more of an impact. Skills such as active listening and empathy allow us to show compassion to others – that is what truly lies at the heart of a great team.
Sources:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/best-resume-skills
https://resumegenius.com/blog/resume-help/skills-for-resume
https://resume.io/how-to-write-a-resume/list-skills-on-your-resume