Learn five tips to show emotional intelligence (EI) on your resume and impress employers. EI is the ability to understand and manage emotions in different situations.

If you're aiming to keep your resume straightforward without overusing specialized terms like emotional intelligence, focus on practical skills and experiences that demonstrate your interpersonal abilities. Don't complicate your mind with complex terms.

What do you do if your resume lacks emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand and manage your own and others' emotions, and to use them effectively in different situations. EI is increasingly valued by employers, who look for candidates who can communicate, collaborate, and cope with challenges. But how do you show EI on your resume, especially if you lack relevant experience or achievements? Here are some tips to help you boost your EI on your resume and impress potential employers.

1 Use the right keywords

One way to demonstrate EI on your resume is to use keywords that reflect the skills and competencies that are related to EI. For example, words like empathy, adaptability, resilience, teamwork, and leadership can indicate that you have EI. You can use these keywords in your summary, skills, or achievements sections, and back them up with specific examples or metrics. For instance, you can say that you led a project team that achieved a 20% increase in customer satisfaction, or that you adapted to a new software system in a week.

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Omar Aridi, MBA, SHRM-CP

I help job seekers stand out | Academic Advisor I Career Development I Job Search Strategies I Resume Writing I HR ProfessionaI I LinkedIn Optimization
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If you're aiming to keep your resume straightforward without overusing specialized terms like emotional intelligence, focus on practical skills and experiences that demonstrate your interpersonal abilities. Don't complicate your mind with complex terms.

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Dr. Azqa Shahzad (RPh)

Founder and CEO | Entrepreneur and Research Mentor | Registered Pharmacist
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To enhance your resume's emotional intelligence, focus on using the right keywords that convey your soft skills effectively. Opt for simple language that highlights qualities like empathy, adaptability, and communication. By incorporating these keywords, you'll ensure your resume resonates with employers seeking emotionally intelligent candidates, increasing your chances of landing interviews and showcasing your interpersonal strengths succinctly.

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Sajeda Islam

HR & Recruitment Professional,Resume Enhancer,Hr Operations & Consulting,Change Management. Sectors worked -Engineering, Automation ,Automotive & Auto ancillary, Consultancy & CA Firms, Healthcare., Public Administration
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It cannot be one rightful way of managing this as EI is about managing yourself in order to succeed.It’s a combination of using the right keywords, highlighting of accomplishments , instances or highlights where empathy has ruled over the social norms and policies.

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Samuel T Parirenyatwa

CV & Cover Letter Writing | Careers & Employment Expert | Certified Interview Coach (CIC) | Certified Digital Career Strategist (CDCS) | Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) | Founder of Creative-CV
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If your resume lacks emotional intelligence, it's essential to revise it to ensure that it effectively communicates your emotional intelligence skills and qualities. By incorporating these strategies, you can enhance the emotional intelligence aspect of your resume and present yourself as a well-rounded candidate to potential employers.

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2 Highlight your accomplishments

Another way to show EI on your resume is to highlight your accomplishments that demonstrate how you used EI to solve problems, overcome obstacles, or achieve goals. You can use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your bullet points and explain the context, challenge, action, and outcome of your accomplishment. For example, you can say that you resolved a conflict between two colleagues by listening to their perspectives, facilitating a dialogue, and finding a mutually agreeable solution.

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Dr. Azqa Shahzad (RPh)

Founder and CEO | Entrepreneur and Research Mentor | Registered Pharmacist
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To bolster your resume's emotional intelligence, emphasize your accomplishments with clarity and impact. Instead of simply listing job duties, spotlight instances where you demonstrated empathy, resolved conflicts, or fostered collaboration. Use concise language to illustrate how your actions positively influenced team dynamics or client relationships. By highlighting specific achievements that showcase your emotional intelligence, you'll distinguish yourself as a candidate who can navigate workplace interactions adeptly and drive meaningful results.

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3 Show your personality

A third way to show EI on your resume is to show your personality and what makes you unique. You can do this by adding a hobbies or interests section, or by including a personal statement that reflects your values, passions, or motivations. For example, you can say that you enjoy volunteering for a local charity, or that you are passionate about learning new languages. This can help you show that you are well-rounded, curious, and socially aware.

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4 Tailor your resume

A fourth way to show EI on your resume is to tailor your resume to the specific job and employer you are applying for. You can do this by researching the company culture, values, and goals, and by identifying the EI skills and competencies that are most relevant for the role. You can then customize your resume to highlight how you match the employer's expectations and needs. For example, you can use the same keywords that the job description uses, or you can emphasize how you share the company's vision or mission.

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5 Proofread your resume

A fifth way to show EI on your resume is to proofread your resume carefully and avoid any spelling, grammar, or formatting errors. This can show that you pay attention to details, that you respect the employer's time and standards, and that you care about making a good impression. You can use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to check your resume for errors, or you can ask a friend or a professional to review your resume and give you feedback.

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Megan Neal Yantis

Senior Recruiter | Talent Match Maker | Accounting, Finance, Procurement
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Remember to proofread for consistent formatting. Are your fonts and sizes the same? Are you ending bullets with a period (you shouldn't be!)? Is your spacing correct? Are your dates in the same format? This is an easy way to demonstrate attention to detail or the lack thereof.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Cole Thomas

Professional Resume Writer | Career Storyteller | Resume Writing | CV Writer
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Its pretty much impossible to demonstrate emotional intelligence on a resume. This is just a delusional AI prompt from LinkedIn.

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What do you do if your resume lacks emotional intelligence?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Use the right keywords

2 Highlight your accomplishments

3 Show your personality

4 Tailor your resume

5 Proofread your resume

6 Here’s what else to consider

Resume Writing

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What do you do if your resume lacks emotional intelligence?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Use the right keywords

2 Highlight your accomplishments

3 Show your personality

4 Tailor your resume

5 Proofread your resume

6 Here’s what else to consider

Resume Writing

Rate this article

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