Essential Skills Employers Look for in Employees

How to Showcase Your Skills in Your Application

Here are six tips on how best to present your job skills when applying to a new job:

1. Check similar applications.

   Checking resumes from other applicants in your industry is a good place to start. Resume examples and cover letter examples for specific jobs will give you an idea of what hiring managers are looking for, as well as how successful applicants choose to present their skills.

2. Respond to the job description.

   Take time to read through the job description and pick out the role’s essential and desirable skills. These will serve as the foundation of your job application. Match as many of these skills to your own as you can, and feature them in your resume and cover letter.

3. Focus on the skills section in your resume.

   The cover letter and job interview are two major opportunities to showcase your skills. However, you can also do so with your resume. Make space for a dedicated skills section and list 8 to 12 relevant skills. This section can be easily adapted for each new role you apply to.

4. Go for a mix of soft and hard skills.

   It’s important to cover transferable skills and role-specific technical skills in your application. With hard skills, focus on essential skills listed in the job posting. For those listed as desirable skills in the job posting, there is generally more leeway to learn these on the job.

5. Use specific examples.

   Most candidates simply describe their skills, rather than actively demonstrate them with examples. When writing your resume’s work experience section and cover letter, bring up specific tasks and accomplishments from previous jobs that show you know how you utilizer your skills. Also be prepared to give evidence of your skills in a job interview.

6. Get some official certifications.

   Another way to confirm your skills is to get an official certification or accreditation. Certifications are especially useful with hard skills such as computer programming and data analysis, which are far easier to test than soft skills.