Soft skills are some of the most important skills to list on your resume. How do you effectively display your soft skills in your resume?
What To Know About Soft Skills on Your Resume
What Are Soft Skills?
In your job hunt, one of the first things you need to decide is what key skills to put on your resume. Not only will you typically list these skills in your resume’s skills section, but you’ll also showcase them throughout your resume. There are two main types of skills employers look for: soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills are non-technical skills that revolve around your ability to interact with others and the world at large. Unlike hard skills, which are more technical and job-specific, soft skills help you collaborate with team members, solve problems, and handle workplace challenges.
Examples of In-Demand Soft Skills
Here are some examples of soft skills that hiring managers often look for in candidates:
- Problem-solving skills
- Time management skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Adaptability
- Critical thinking
- Emotional intelligence
- Leadership skills
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Active listening skills
- Decision-making skills
- Conflict resolution skills
- Dependability and reliability
As you can see, all of these skills relate to how you interact with others and manage workplace situations. Highlighting these effectively on your resume can set you apart from other job seekers.
How To Add Soft Skills to Your Resume
How can you include soft skills on a resume? Here are the steps you can take.
Decide on two or three of your best soft skills
First, it’s important to focus on your top soft skills rather than listing every skill you possess. Recruiters prefer seeing a few well-developed strengths rather than a long, generic list. Choose two or three soft skills that best represent your strengths and align with the job you’re applying for.
Incorporate soft skills throughout your resume
You shouldn’t just list soft skills in the skills section—you should weave them into your resume summary, work experience, and cover letter. For example, instead of simply stating “Strong communication skills,” you can write:
“Effectively led cross-functional teams by facilitating clear communication, ensuring project milestones were met ahead of deadlines.”
By showcasing real examples of how you’ve applied these skills in past roles, you make a stronger impression on hiring managers.
Consider certifications for important soft skills
If you want to be certain that you’re able to show off your skills, you might want to consider obtaining certifications for job-specific soft skills. For example, if you’re working in project management, you might want to find certification in soft skills training for specific skills you’ll use every day, like effective communication.
Tips for Listing Soft Skills on a Resume
Now that you understand where to put your soft skills, how can you make them really stand out? If you want to get the job interview, here are a few things to consider.
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Use specific examples when discussing soft skills
Instead of just passively describing yourself, it’s a better idea to specify how you’ve used your skills. When you say, “Great team player,” what experiences do you have that back up that description? Instead, note all the team experiences you had throughout your work experience where you stuck to good communication to finish your projects. For example: "Collaborated with a diverse team to streamline processes, reducing project turnaround time by 20%."
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Determine the best soft skills for your industry
It’s also important that you tailor your skill set for your specific industry. Hiring managers in different industries are going to be looking for specific traits. If you need to highlight social skills, a positive attitude, or something different entirely, you can be more prepared by looking at resume examples from your industry.
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Showcase soft skills as personality traits
Lastly, try to incorporate your soft skills as being part of your personality. This can put you above other job seekers. Instead of just stating that you’re good at teamwork, for example, you can mention that you really enjoy working in a team. This gets across the same idea, but it indicates that being a team player is just part of who you are.
Soft skills play a crucial role in your career success. By strategically placing them throughout your resume, using real examples, and even obtaining certifications, you can make your application stand out. If you're looking to improve your resume even further, consider checking out our full resume writing guide.
