![How to Rock Your CV with a Soft Skills Section [Tips, Examples, 2024 Advice]](https://studycorgi.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/resume-application-employment-form-concept-1.jpg.webp)
Studies have revealed that it takes only six seconds for a recruiter to decide if an applicant is suitable for a job.
How is that possible?
HR specialists pay close attention to a list of soft skills. Soft skills, or common skills, combine social skills and character traitsâfor example, teamwork, critical thinking, multitasking, and other abilities that most jobs require. Soft skills are part of a recruiterâs first impression since they are usually listed at the beginning of a resume. Below youâll find out how to master this part of a CV and make a job-winning resume. For more information, check our essay database â youâll find thousands of free papers on different topics.
đĽ Top 10 Soft Skills in Demand for 2024
Consider these soft skills when crafting a resume in 2024. Weâve compiled this list based on McKinseyâs research of the current job market.
- Critical thinking.
- Planning and ways of working.
- Communication.
- Mental flexibility.
- Teamwork.
- Developing relationships.
- Self-management.
- Entrepreneurship.
- Achievement of goals.
- Digital fluency.
đ What Are Soft Skills on a Resume?
For a recruiter, soft skills set the ideal candidate apart from other applicants.
Imagine an HR specialist is choosing between the candidates with the same work and education experience. If one of the applicants has listed the soft skills required by the company while another hasnât, the former will probably get the job.
Most employers believe soft skills are as necessary as hard skills â technical knowledge essential for a specific job.
Soft Skills
Soft skills influence how employees deal with tasks, manage time, and interact with others. In other words, soft skills arenât job-specific but facilitate an employeeâs ability to get a job done. Examples of soft skills are communication and listening skills, time management, and emotional intelligence. Some soft skills are difficult to learn or develop, so it is important to show your strengths.
Soft Skills Vs. Hard Skills
Hard skills describe an employeeâs ability to perform a specific professional task. Hard skills can be acquired through practice and education. Examples of hard skills are budgeting, coding, or any other professional skill you acquire at work or college. These abilities increase employeesâ productivity and company performance.
The critical difference between these two types of skills is that hard skills are teachable and measurable while soft skills are not. It is believed that hard skills might get an employee through an interview, but soft skills will help them keep the job. Consequently, soft skills complement hard skills and together make a perfect candidate.
Types of Soft Skills
Numerous soft skills are relevant for different jobs. We’ve developed the following categories to help you better understand the types of soft skills.
- Problem-solving skills
Conflicts and challenges often occur in the workplace. Companies highly value employees who can come up with practical solutions in a short time. Here are the fundamental abilities for efficient problem-solving:- Negotiation.
- Patience.
- Diplomatic skills.
- Risk management.
- Stress resistance.
- Communication skills
Effective communication skills are vital for many jobs. Persuasive communication helps to prove your point or disagree with others without causing conflict. The following skills are necessary:- Active listening.
- Public speaking.
- Confidence.
- Empathy.
- Presentation skills.
- Time-management skills
Time management is essential for workplace success. Employees who manage their time well are more likely to stay productive and avoid emotional burnout. The core skills to manage your time wisely are:- Prioritizing.
- Scheduling.
- Delegating.
- Setting goals.
- Planning.
- Creativity skills
Creative employees can find uncommon ways to perform the most difficult tasks. Creativity is necessary to make work processes exciting and attract new customers. These are the characteristics of a creative employee:- Innovativeness.
- Risk-taking.
- Experimentation.
- Curiosity.
- Open-mindedness.
- Adaptability skills
Changes occur in any organization, not to mention global transformations, like world pandemics. Employers highly value workers who can quickly adapt to new circumstances. Hereâs what you need to perform well in changing circumstances:- Observation skills.
- Consistency.
- Optimism.
- Enthusiasm.
- Cooperation skills.
đ Soft Skills According to Job
Some soft skills are universal and benefit any type of work. Common soft skills include teamwork, critical thinking, motivation, time management, etc. However, some soft skills are explicitly required for certain specialists. When crafting your resume, it is necessary to focus on relevant skills for the desired position. Here are examples of top soft skills for popular career fields. Consider including them in your resume to show that youâre the perfect candidate!
Marketing
The list of soft skills for a marketing position needs to reflect the candidateâs creative and analytical sides.
- Communication
- Creativity
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Interpersonal skills
- Open-mindedness
- Adaptability
- Critical thinking
- Networking
Business
Running a business requires the ability to perform many tasks at the same time.
- Leadership
- Risk management
- Multitasking
- Conflict management
- Collaboration
- Emotional intelligence
- Training and mentorship
- Problem-solving
- Presentation skills
Administrative jobs
Applying for an administrative job usually means taking on new responsibilities. Specific soft skills can make an administratorâs work less stressful.
- Confidence
- Optimism
- Empathy
- Flexibility
- Multitasking
- Time management
- Written communication
- Adaptability
- Customer service skills
- Analytics and problem-solving
Customer service jobs
A customer service job requires dealing with people and resolving their issues. A candidate must have excellent interpersonal skills to succeed in this area.
- Clear communication
- Self-control
- Listening skills
- Positive attitude
- Assertiveness
- Collaboration
- Empathy
- Patience
- Diplomacy
- Speed and efficiency
IT jobs
In the IT industry, soft skills are as necessary as coding to accomplish tasks.
- Analytical abilities
- Resourcefulness
- Project management
- Perseverance
- Curiosity
- Ability to learn
- Accountability
- Productivity
- Self-awareness
- Being pro-active
Creative jobs
Digital artists, videographers, and illustrators do not only create art. They also need to deal with administrative tasks and clients on a daily basis, which is easier if they have specific soft skills.
- Storytelling
- Observation
- Innovation
- Creative thinking
- Imagination
- Flexibility
- Strategic thinking
- Brainstorming and ideation
Freelance jobs
A freelance job gives a lot of freedom but also brings great responsibility. Here is a list of essential soft skills for freelancers to manage their tasks and time efficiently.
- Punctuality
- Flexibility
- Ability to accept criticism
- Collaboration with clients
- Effective communication skills
- Maintaining a positive approach
- Stress management
- Creativity and innovation
- Self-motivation
- Commitment to deadlines
đ Main Resume Writing Rules
When youâre worried about finding a job, itâs easy to overlook something in your resume. Weâve developed the best resume tips to help you craft a CV that will catch a recruiterâs attention.
- Ensure your contact information is accurate and up-to-date. Always double-check your phone number and email.
- Use reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job. Your goal in the experience section is to emphasize the most relevant professional background.
- Organize your content so that itâs readable. Make all the keywords bold so that a recruiter notices them immediately.
- Include links to your blog or your social media profiles. This practice can be especially beneficial when applying for a creative job.
- Remember to refer to the soft skills list when describing your work experience. This way, you can demonstrate how you put them into practice.
Why It Is Crucial to Introduce Your Skills Properly
Each part of your resume is essential, especially when applying for a corporate job. Attractively introducing your soft skills can single you out among the applicants. Other benefits of a well-structured soft skills section are the following:
- It allows you to show your potential and pinpoint the areas where youâre exceptionally talented.
- It makes your resume look more professional, especially if you lack work experience.
- It showcases your expertise since your soft skills reflect how you deal with tasks and communicate with colleagues.
Doâs & Donâts of a Resume Skills Section
Weâve collected good practices for your skills section. Check them out:
- Keep a list of your competencies relevant to the job youâre pursuing. For instance, if youâre seeking a customer service job, mention diplomacy and active listening skills.
- Be precise when describing your capabilities. For example, specify your written communication skills instead of saying you communicate well.
- Provide a bulleted list of your abilities. Use bold font and italics to help a recruiter navigate your CV.
- Add soft skills that are in demand. Qualities like analytical thinking, open-mindedness, and flexibility are particularly valued today.
- Keep the list of your soft skills short and sweet. Including 10 items will be more than enough.
- Ensure your soft skills correspond with the hard ones. For instance, if you do digital design, highlight your creative abilities and imagination.
- Add only the skills you possess. Focusing on your unique features is always better than copying something you found online.
Now, consider things that are best to be avoided:
- Donât use the same list of soft skills for all the positions you apply for, especially if they belong to different business areas. It is better to craft a separate resume for every specific job!
- Avoid adding soft skills that are too general. Instead of saying youâre a team player, mention your empathy and accountability.
- Refrain from organizing your soft skills in a paragraph. Recruiters donât have time for long reads.
- Exclude outdated soft skills. Instead, consider modern values like tolerance, collaboration, and critical thinking.
- Donât list more than 10-15 soft skills. Remember, there should be a balance in your CV between soft and hard skills.
- Leave out soft skills unrelated to your previous work experience or education. For instance, donât list project management competencies if you have only worked as a barista at Starbucks.
- Donât pretend to be someone else by crediting yourself with qualities you lack. Any lie will become evident if you get the job.
đ Tips on Making a Job-Winning Soft Skills List
We prepared a step-by-step guide to help you stand out among other candidates and win that perfect job. This section will teach you how to identify relevant soft skills, organize your resume, and show off your best features.
1. Identify the Relevant Soft Skills
When making a resume, it is crucial to research skills that are in demand in particular work areas. Carefully read the employerâs requirements and highlight the skills they value most. You should analyze what skills you have and which of them are the most relevant for the job youâre applying for.
Consider the extract from the job offer we provide below. You must pay close attention to the job requirements to indicate the desired soft and hard skills. Weâll show you how to do it!
Example
Digital marketing coordinator requirements:
- Ability to discuss and execute new ideas.
- Soft skills: Imagination, being open to feedback, brainstorming, and collaboration skills.
- Hard skills: Experience with online-meeting tools and organization through Microsoft Office software.
- Knowledge of all social media platforms.
- Soft skills: Creativity, multitasking, and storytelling skills.
- Hard skills: Knowledge of social media marketing tools.
- Capable of understanding the meaning behind analytics to form recommendations.
- Soft skills: Analytical and critical thinking.
- Hard skills: Experience with big data analysis.
- Project management skills.
- Soft skills: Organization skills, leadership, coaching, and mentoring.
- Hard skills: Knowledge of project management tools, like Kiss Flow Project.
- Ability to work in a productive environment with defined deadlines.
- Soft skills: Time-management, stress-management, problem-solving, and planning skills.
- Hard skills: Experience in scheduling management.
Bonus tip: Check out resumes for similar positions on the Internet. However, donât copy the soft skills of other candidates!
2. Organize Your Skills
When youâve come up with the relevant soft skills, the second step is to organize them. Here, building a logical structure that is easy to follow is essential. Remember to distinguish soft skills from hard ones.
You can also start your list of soft skills with the most in-demand ones or those you excel at. Make them stand out so that a recruiter notices them. Finally, remember that 10-15 soft skills will be enough when organizing your list.
Example
Elementary school teacher requirements:
- Prepare courses and provide learning activities within the schoolâs guidelines;
- Work with other teachers to meet studentsâ individual needs;
- Organize and supervise student activities;
- Provide support to students; remediation;
- Evaluate the performance and progress of students;
- Monitor late arrivals and absences of students.
Soft skills from most to least relevant:
- Effective communication, both written and oral.
- Student motivation.
- Empathy.
- Praising and rewarding.
- Constructive feedback skills.
- Group dynamics.
- Guiding.
- Presentation skills.
- Problem-solving.
- Creativity.
3. Highlight Leading Skills
The next step in building the perfect resume is highlighting your leading skills. Leading skills are those that help you stand apart from other candidates. Think about the soft skills youâve developed to an expert level and let a recruiter learn more about them.
By emphasizing your strengths, you make your resume attractive and desirable. In addition, focusing on your strongest skills is more valuable than coming up with a long list of less relevant ones.
Example
Wedding photographer requirements:
- Being the team leader, providing directions and guidance to the second photographer.
- Planning a timeline review with the couple before their wedding day.
- Providing direction and guidance to the couple regarding posing and locations.
- Managing and maintaining your equipment and the studioâs lighting equipment.
Leading skills:
- Creativity and imagination. It is essential to highlight that youâre a creative person with a versatile portfolio of photos. You can also mention your storytelling skills here to show you can tell a coupleâs love story through a wedding photoshoot.
- Planning and organization. Here it is important to highlight your ability to handle various responsibilities and deal with multitasking. It is also essential to demonstrate your time-management skills, which are crucial for an event photographer.
- Communication and collaboration. Since this job requires a photographer to work with assistants, you must show that youâre a team player. Moreover, a job like this requires the ability to guide the couple and guests. Finally, empathy and optimism will demonstrate that you can maintain an atmosphere of happiness.
4. Use Power Words
The language of your resume tells a lot about you as a candidate. HR managers read hundreds of resumes a day. To bring attention to your CV, we recommend using power words. They will make your skills and achievements stand out!
Power words are action words that add practical context to your resume and help recruiters better understand your value as an employee. For example, instead of saying that you were responsible for the companyâs social media accounts, try this: âI managed the companyâs social media accounts and maintained the communication with customers.â Check out some more examples:
Simple wording: I was responsible for communication with stakeholders.
Power words added: I informed stakeholders about all the changes in the company and collected their feedback.
Simple wording: I helped increase the companyâs annual revenue by 30%.
Power words added: I designed a successful marketing campaign that rocketed the companyâs annual revenue by 30%.
Simple wording: I started a training program for the new employees in our company.
Power words added: I developed and coordinated a training program for the new employees in our company.
Simple wording: I was a team player and participated in all the product development brainstorming sessions.
Power words added: I collaborated with my colleagues daily, provided my ideas, and shared feedback during the product development brainstorming sessions.
Simple wording: During the planning stage, I paid attention to all the details.
Power words added: During the planning stage, I spotted everything that could be upgraded and shared my recommendations.
đ Skills You Should NOT Include in Your CV
Not all skills can benefit your resume. There are some things you should not include if you want a recruiter to see you as a professional. The list of skills to avoid in your CV contains:
- Outdated skills
For example, if you plan to work in an IT sphere, you shouldnât include knowledge of obsolete software or technology. - Irrelevant skills
If you apply for a creative job, like a digital designer, you donât have to mention too many analytical skills. Focus on your creative side and highlight your imaginative abilities! - General skills
Some characteristics like passion for your job are overused. Try to avoid things that are too obvious. - Skills that everybody should already have
Every company expects its employees to stay focused and have some experience. Do not add the minimal requirements to your soft skills list. - Skills that you donât have
We all want to be the best versions of ourselves. Yet, this doesnât mean you should claim to have the skills you lack. If you struggle with time management, look for a job with no strict deadlines instead of lying about how well you organize your time.
đ Conclusion
Letâs wrap up what weâve learned about soft skills in your resume!
Soft skills combine professional attitudes and social skills. They reflect how you deal with work tasks and other workplace challenges. These competencies are in demand in all occupations and can bring your resume to a new level! Recruiters pay close attention to these qualities, which can become a critical factor in hiring.
Remember that your soft skills should demonstrate your strongest sides and correspond with your hard skills. List them in your resumeâs first paragraphs and cite them in other sections when needed. Donât worry if you still lack some necessary soft skills! Write down what applies to you, and youâll find the job that matches the best!