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October 24, 2024
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This post was originally published in December 2022 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
The purpose of a resume is to provide the basis of why you should be considered for an open position. A resume is a professional summary presenting your qualifications, experience, education, accomplishments, and, of course, your skill set. Each is essential for evaluating whether or not you’re a good fit for the role you’re applying for.
Impressing a potential employer, securing an interview, and eventually obtaining an offer begins with this one document.
When it comes to skills for your resume, careful consideration should be given to ensure you’re as close to the company’s desired applicant as possible. Is the company a culture-first type of business? Emphasizing you’re a team player and collaborative will help your resume stand out among competition that isn’t. If the organization is looking to fill a management role, then leadership skills should be front and center.
This is just the place for sorting out the type of skills that will help you tailor your resume to the job you hope to get.
Before resume writing and summiting job applications, you should start with some light research regarding what the position and company are asking for in terms of skill, experience, and cultural fit.
Go the extra mile by reviewing the requirements of similar job descriptions and job specifications before deciding which skills make the cut and become bullet points on your resume.
Since 2022, skills have taken over the spotlight when it comes to sourcing and acquiring talent. According to TestGorilla, two years ago, 56% of employers used skills-based hiring as their main recruitment method; this number has gone up to 81%, and most of the companies that used it state that it’s more predictive of on-the-job success.
Aside from its effectiveness, the demand for skills in the workplace is also due to the labor and abilities shortage. According to the Winter 2024 Fortune/Deloitte CEO Survey, it’s become one of the top external issues that influence or disrupt businesses’ strategy.
Companies are growing their current workforce with upskilling practices, but job seekers with the right skill set are an in-demand asset hiring managers are looking for.
Two of the most popular abilities categorizations are soft skills and hard skills, also known as technical. All skills have value depending on how you frame them within the context of the position you’re applying for.
Soft skills are habits, traits, and interpersonal qualities that shape your work individually and with others. Despite the belief that soft skills aren’t a game-changer in the workplace, 75% of US companies prefer candidates with these abilities, even if they don’t have technical skills for the role.
Make sure to have some of the best soft skills in your resume, even if you’re opting for a career change. By doing so, an employer will likely prefer to take you into their company and provide you with the training needed to perform your duties.
Hard skills are technical knowledge or training you’ve gained through career or educational life experiences.
Of course, soft skills are great for companies nowadays, but if you already have some of these abilities and add some hard skills needed for the role you’re applying for to the mix, you’ll get a competitive edge over other candidates.
With this in mind, make sure to review the most common technical skills for the role you’re aiming for; if you already have some of these core abilities or others related, dedicate some time to upskilling and make your profile more attractive to hiring managers.
Here are some hard skills for your resume that will make you stand out if you mix them with a solid set of soft skills.
When you’re just entering the labor market or making a career change, you need to have skills on your resume that balance the lack of industry experience. Communication skills are an effective asset for this purpose due to their influence in keeping processes flowing and improving workplace productivity.
But why are communication skills so essential in your resume? As simple and routine as communication seems, it can take you further. Whether you want to make things flow smoothly, seal a new deal with a two-minute speech, or network with professionals who will excel in your career, never underestimate the importance of a well-crafted message to achieve a successful outcome.
Here are a few communication skills that can make decision-makers turn your way:
Another set of the best skills to have on your resume is problem-solving abilities. Workplaces and even remote jobs are more prone to stress and unpredictability. Most of these situations result from disputes with coworkers or customers, uncomfortable conversations, or decision-making disagreements.
Conflict resolution goes beyond imposing positions or thoughts. Instead, its main purpose is finding peaceful solutions to disputes: to achieve it, you should aim to leave all parties involved equally satisfied. Whether it is through meditation or empathy, here are some problem-solving skills that ease conflict resolution.
Entry-level roles are ideal for professionals looking to break into a new industry. While specific education or previous work history differs from job to job, the skills you’ll need on your resume should indicate that you’re ready and capable of taking on whatever necessary challenges the position has in store.
There are types of skills useful for entry-level jobs in the workforce.
Unlike the list of skills for entry-level jobs, leadership positions require skill sets that reflect a professional’s ability to handle a wider variety of responsibilities. Showcasing a set of skills regarding ownership and team support is how job seekers pursuing leadership or management roles stand apart from their competitors on the market.
For those seeking to obtain a leadership role, these skills on resumes are an asset:
Career changes continue at an all-time high given the climate of this year’s workforce trends. Gainfully employed professionals and job-seekers alike are constantly on the search for opportunities that will satisfy their workplace desires and help propel their career goals, regardless of wheter it means entering a new industry.
This set of skills doesn’t come from specific industry experience but is essential for transitioning into a role where you want your growth to continue.
Looking for industry experts to help with your job search? Contact one of our industry-specialized recruiters and set your career change up for success.
Drafting your first resume can stir up some worry regarding inexperience. But here’s some good news: A good balance of skills is just as valuable and sought after in the workplace.
Even when a new job-seeker lacks work history, there’s a wide range of job skills that are of interest to potential employers, and many of them can be learned while in school, playing sports, or even through family teachings.
Professionals with useful skill sets under their belt, even without specific work experience, reflect the potential for continued growth and development. Take your job search to the next level by writing a resume that leads with skills hiring managers won’t pass up.
A robust skill set, from a first resume to your 50th version, is desirable, but it’s how you pair those abilities with relevant projects, courses, and certificates that conveys confidence in your self-worth. After all, skills are an important part of your resume, but not the only thing on there.
Even though your resume may lead to the next phases of the hiring process, being able to support them in conversations with potential employers will speak volumes. Compliment the skill set on your resume by having examples ready when applying for a job, answering interview questions, and steps further along the hiring process.
Contributed by Mary Dominguez and Luis Arellano
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