What Skills to Put on Your Resume

Writing a good resume is tricky because you have to consider several different things. Not only do you have to keep it short and simple, but you also ensure all relevant information makes into one page. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that one resume would be sufficient for all job opportunities. Every job is unique and demands a particular set of skills. How you report them on your resume will say a lot to the hiring manager. Moreover, if you get an offer, the skill set you have displayed on your resume can help you get a good salary.

But as we mentioned earlier, it's not that easy, and people do face a hard time structuring their resume because they are unsure of what skills to list. However, even if you are facing a hard time, there is no need to worry. We have got you covered. This blog will outline what skills you should put on your resume to stand out. Let’s begin.

Soft Skills Vs. Hard Skills

Of course, you probably have a list of skills that you are tempted to list on your resume. These can be hard skills or soft skills, and having both of them on your resume can seal the deal. Hard skills are technical abilities that help you in a particular job. They are often measurable. For instance, if you are a software developer, one of your hard skills would be to know a specific programming language. Hard skills are acquired through repetition, practice, and education. They are crucial in the workplace because they involve increasing efficiency, productivity, and satisfaction in the workplace.

On the other hand, soft skills involve personal skills or creative abilities that a person naturally possesses, but that can be enhanced with time. Examples of soft skills include time management, people skills, adaptability, and more.

Soft Skills You Should Put on Your Resume

There are several soft skills that you can include in your resume. According to the iCIMS study, oral communication, adaptability, collaboration, written communication, and problem-solving are the top soft skills demanded by employers today. However, these, along with other soft skills that you should put on your resume, are discussed below:

Adaptability

Regardless of whether you are a fresh graduate or a manager, you have to adjust to the company’s culture and the job requirements. That means dealing with the disruption and frustration of adapting to a new place. Hiring managers want employees who can adapt to their surroundings quickly and blend in with the environment.

Collaboration

How well you get along with other people in your department or work in a team can set the tone for your career. Hiring managers want people who have great people skills and can get along even when things become overwhelming. To show your hiring manager you are a team player, you can give examples of your work history where you have diffused an intense situation among teammates. If you are a fresh graduate, you can talk about your coursework or extracurricular activities where you demonstrated teamwork.

Meticulous

Having an eye for detail can help you progress in your career. No one likes mistakes, particularly not managers. They are expensive to businesses and take away from their time and profits. To show hiring managers that you have attention to detail, you should proofread your resume and write a flawless cover letter that indicates your conscientiousness and diligence.

Verbal Skills: Regardless of what industry you are in, verbal skills are crucial. No one wants to hire someone who doesn't have good reading, writing, and speaking skills. As an employee, you might be expected to give presentations and speak to people from different backgrounds. You will definitely be hired if you can speak to an audience with confidence and without resorting to jargon.

Quick Thinking Skills

Many managers want candidates who can make good decisions on the spot. They don’t want to monitor their employees as it takes away from their time. So if you have the skills to assess the situation properly and make some good decisions, feel free to list it down on your resume. It’s sure to entice your manager, and they offer you the job on this ability.

Creativity

Businesses expand and flourish with innovation and creative ideas. Hiring managers will look for candidates who have strong creative skills to help the company grow, bring in new ideas, challenge the old ones, and offer better solutions to the existing problems.

Leadership: Even if you are just a fresh graduate, having leadership skills can put you miles ahead of the competition. That’s because leadership skills help you motivate team members, keep a cool head when things go awry, and encourage fairness. Be sure to highlight your leadership skills in your resume wherever you can.

Empathy

Understanding the emotion of your colleagues is essential if you want to work well in a team. The ability to put yourself in someone’s shoes and see things from their point of view can help you ease conflicts and ensure that everyone is getting a say or not feeling too overburdened.

Positivity

Being positive doesn’t mean that you are always optimistic and cheerful to the point of being annoying. Rather, it means that you have a can-do attitude. You can face any difficult project with determination and resilience and get the job done. It’s not having a negative mindset. Employers look for this trait in potential candidates because they know they can solve problems and get the work done.

Hard Skills to List on Your Resume

The industry you are applying to will require a different set of hard skills for every job. When you are applying, find out the range of hard skills you will need. However, we have listed down a bunch of hard skills that almost every industry needs.

Design

Aside from the web and graphic designs that demand this skill, plenty of jobs in branding, advertisement, marketing, and even engineering require designs. So it’s crucial to list them on your resume and let the hiring manager know you possess the skill.

Data Analysis

We live in a world that works with data. Businesses use it to understand if the product they have launched is taking off. Social media use it to track who is coming to their website and reading their content. Websites want to know how long consumers are spending time on their websites and which portions need change. In short, having command of data will help businesses expand and explore new avenues. So be sure to list down any software you may know.

Multilingualism

These days, corporations are going global. As a result, plenty of businesses have clients or audiences in other parts of the world. While it’s good to have a grasp of the English language, it's not always sufficient. These days, second languages are sought after by companies depending on the industry—Arabic, French, Chinese, German, and Spanish, to name a few. Even if the position doesn’t demand fluency in another language, you can still mention it because it would give you an upper hand and let you stand out against the competition.

Mathematics

Engineering, business, finance, construction, logistics, healthcare, and operations will require you to be competent at math. If you are good in math or have won some awards, be sure to list it on your resume.

Marketing

Marketing involves promoting goods and services. Companies look for this particular skill among their candidates. Knowing about the company's products, writing about them, or advertising them in any way is sure to earn you some brownie points. If you have social media marketing experience in any capacity, be sure to list that down. Since things have mainly become digital, this skill is sure to put you way above the competition.

Project management

Several jobs require project management skills. Hiring managers need people who can complete their assignments on time and manage the workflow. If you have used any project management software in the past, be sure to list it down as it shows you have experience.

Search Engine Optimization

SEO and SEM are useful skills to have in this age, considering how much online content we are dealing with. Editors, writers, HRM professionals and people from other backgrounds. If you have experience using Google Analytics, keyword optimization, Keyword Planner, data analysis tools, JavaScript, and more.

Typing Skills

Schedulers, transcribers, medical coders, data entry specialists, and administrative professionals need fast and accurate typing skills to stay ahead. However, the question is, how fast is fast? Well, it depends on the job requirement and the industry that you are working with. If you want to check your speed and accuracy and ensure that it is in line with the job, you can visit free typing websites and for consistency, be sure to return and retake the test.

A combination of hard and soft skills will help you land the job of your dreams. So be sure to list them down neatly and precisely. If you have issues, read this guide, and you'll be done in no time. Good luck!