Essential Skills Employers Look for in Employees

Updated June 18, 20225.3k

Gauging the employer’s needs is the first step to writing a winning job application. Get the lowdown on this year’s top employability skills and land a new job!

Essential Skills Employers Look For in Employees

Showcasing your skills is an essential part of any job application, and your skillset should shine throughout your resume and cover letter. While some skills apply to all professions, others will be specific to the role. Striking the right balance between soft skills and hard skills is key to your application. This guide will show you: - How to find out what skills the employer wants to see - The difference between soft and hard skills - How to present your skills effectively in your application

What Are the Top Skills Employers Look For?

There are several core skills that all hiring managers look for in job candidates, regardless of the role in question. These are referred to as soft skills. They include:

Communication
Teamwork
Time management
Problem-solving
Decision-making

These transferable skills serve as a minimum requirement for the majority of jobs. So if you’re a team player, and have great people skills and a strong work ethic, you’re already well-equipped for success in a variety of professions.

Other Skills Employers Want To See From You

Beyond the core skills listed above, recruiters will also want to see some more specific soft skills, as well as relevant hard skills. These skills will be tailored to the job role in question.

Additional soft skills include:

Interpersonal skills
Critical thinking
Leadership
Adaptability
Organizational skills
Emotional intelligence
Attention to detail
Active listening

You will also need to reference role-specific hard skills and technical skills in your application. These vary widely depending on the position and work environment. Here are a few examples:

Computer skills
Public speaking
Negotiation
Budgeting
Project management
Social media marketing

Finding the right balance of skills is an important part of the application writing process. Any job posting will list more desirable skills than you can fit in your application. Your job is to work out which of these important skills you should highlight on your resume and cover letter.

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

FAQ: Skills Employers Look For

Do I need to include hard skills on my resume?

Hard skills are an important part of your resume and should be featured in the dedicated skills section. However, with hard skills, your employer may allow you to learn these on the job. This is less true for soft skills, which are often regarded as essential by hiring managers. The recommended ratio between soft and hard skills will vary depending on the role.

Should I showcase these skills on my cover letter as well?

The cover letter is a crucial component of your job search, and you can use this opportunity to expand on some of the skills referenced in your resume in greater detail. Draw on examples from your previous roles to actively showcase your skills. For example, this could be how you helped a former employer achieve their business goals, or used your strong communication skills to lead your team members to success.

Will the required skills vary from role to role?

The skills you choose to present in your application will vary widely depending on the role you are applying to. For example, the skills required by a programmer will differ from those of a retail assistant. Before starting your application, read the job description and pick out any essential or desirable skills that you possess. You should also check resume and cover letter examples from your industry.

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About The Author

Jessie Oleson Moore

Jessie Oleson Moore is a Philadelphia-based freelance writer / ghostwriter and artist. As a writer, she has written extensively on finance, day trading, personal growth, and career development and has extensive experience producing in-depth, research-based articles and guides. In addition, she is an accomplished illustrator and author who has appeared on The Today Show and been featured in Publisher's Weekly. In her free time, she’s an avid traveler, Ashtanga yoga practitioner, and unicorn enthusiast.