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What Soft Skills Should You Include in Your Resume


Communication Skills

Traditionally, crafting an effective resume emphasized focus on your technical skills, academic qualifications, and work experience. However, in recent times, the job market has become so competitive that it takes more to stand out. Recruiters are now looking for candidates who possess both technical expertise and high proficiency in soft skills. What are soft skills and what soft skills do you need to include in your resume to be more appealing to recruiters? Let’s find out!



What are soft skills?

Soft skills are based on who you are rather than what you know. It’s how you communicate and interact with others, your leadership abilities, and how you foster relationships with colleagues, superiors, clients, and other people. These interpersonal or people skills combined with technical knowledge and expertise are what recruiters look for when choosing candidates. A good balance of technical (hard skills) and soft skills can be a great advantage to a company. 


Top Soft Skills 

Job candidates who possess a certain set of soft skills are more likely to become an asset to their company and help in the drive and success of their endeavors. The best soft skills you should include on your resume are:


1. Communication Skills

It is without a doubt that communication is the key to basically everything. It involves the ability to give and receive information effectively. This means being able to express your ideas, feelings, or opinions efficiently through speaking and writing. Your communication skills determine how you forge relationships with your colleagues, superiors, clients, and other people you interact with on and off the job. Communication skills also include active listening, comprehension, and presentation skills. On your resume, you should highlight any experience in presentations, writing reports, and public speaking to showcase your communication skills. 


2. Teamwork and Collaboration Skills

Teamwork and collaboration span across almost every type of job or workplace. Recruiters value candidates who can actively collaborate with team members, respect and appreciate diverse perspectives, and contribute to a harmonious team dynamic. This creates a positive work environment that fosters creativity, innovation, and personal development. Teamwork and collaboration skills also depend on good communication skills, which can greatly assist in problem-solving, conflict resolution, and innovation amongst colleagues. Therefore, it’s important to provide examples of projects or experiences where you worked as part of a team on your resume and how your contributions supported a positive outcome. 


3. Leadership Skills

You don’t need to be a manager to possess leadership skills. If you are good at taking initiative, motivating colleagues, or leading by example, it can work in your favor as a candidate. It shows your ability to adapt to situations where a superior is not present but you or the team must get the work done on target. In your resume, provide examples where you assumed leadership roles, mentored colleagues, or led successful projects. If you had any leadership training via workshops or courses, be sure to mention them to further strengthen your case as a strong candidate for the job. Having strong leadership skills will also be an asset for promotion and career advancement over time. 


Teamwork

4. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

Problem-solving skills are greatly sought after by employers for various reasons. If you are good at identifying issues and analyzing a problem to come up with viable solutions and alternative or innovative ways to solve problems that save time, money and boost productivity, be sure to mention that in your resume. Companies value this skill because it brings fresh perspectives to the table which lead to innovation and improvement in output, quality, and efficiency overall. 


5. Creativity

Creativity is a valuable asset. Having the skill to think out of the box and come up with new ideas that foster innovation and experimentation can make you stand out to recruiters. Mentioning projects where you developed a new product or system that made your work easier and more productive can give you a competitive edge in your application. Creativity also works hand in hand with problem-solving and both skills complement each other. 


6. Time Management

Companies don’t like when time is wasted, deadlines are not met and performance is not optimal. This means that they look for candidates who can efficiently manage their time and prioritize tasks effectively. This makes you a reliable and efficient employee that is an asset to any company. On your resume, showcase your organizational skills, ability to meet deadlines, and proficiency at, multi-tasking and handling more than one project simultaneously. If you have experience leading a team or coordinating tasks, highlight your time management abilities in those roles.


7. Adaptability

Being able to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to a changing work environment with ease is a trait that many people struggle with. This soft skill involves being able to learn and grow with changes within the company and adapting to new technology or systems. Adaptability helps you to stay relevant and remain a valuable asset to your workplace, especially during setbacks or negative factors that affect the company. 


8. Work ethic

Work ethic is crucial to being chosen as the right candidate for the job. It entails discipline, punctuality, respect, and empathy for others as well as a commitment to the job and a professional attitude. Arriving on time to work, meetings, and functions, adapting to company policy, and treating colleagues with respect despite differences in opinion are all little things that can make you a better fit for the role. You can include recommendations or reviews from past employers, colleagues, or past team members on your resume to help highlight your work ethic. 



Conclusion

In today's competitive job market, possessing the right soft skills can make all the difference in landing your dream job. When creating your resume, don't overlook the importance of showcasing soft skills and providing relevant examples. A well-rounded set of technical skills combined with exceptional soft skills can significantly enhance your chances of getting the job you applied for!

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