In your resume, skills include your theoretical knowledge or ability to work with software and tools to complete a professional task. In short, your skills define how well you will perform a task when holding a job position. Some of the skills to list in your resume are universal, while others are strictly job-related. If you’re confused about which skills to add to your resume, check the tips from our experts in the article below.
Why Is the Skills Section Important?
A vast Skills section with relevant hard and soft skills proves your professional ability to exercise tasks effectively and on time. A modern employer will prioritize skills over experience, which is why most resume services will do their best to let your skills shine, especially if you’re a beginner or an industry changer with a burning desire to dive into a new industry on better terms.
How to find which skills are essential for your resume?
- Brainstorm your hard and soft skills, which the job position demands. Which are the core skills one needs to succeed in your career? For instance, strong knowledge of surgery techniques, surgical equipment, and healthcare protocols are vital skills for a surgeon.
- Think of relevancy. Is it necessary to mention your knowledge of PASCAL or Coffee Script in 2022? Yeap, some tools and software are out of date, so you better omit them from your resume;
- Explore the industry you’re planning to enter. For example, do you want to work in hospitality that highly values interpersonal and communication skills, or in construction that values attention to detail and physical stamina?
If choosing skills to put on your resume is torture, choose ones from the list of universal skills below.
#1: Teamwork
Most industries praise the applicant’s teamwork since most company activities happen in teams or departments. However, if you look at any company’s structure, you’ll find that the departments are chained to each other, making them interdependent. Therefore, if one department, aka a team fails, other departments suffer as well. Meanwhile, great teamwork results in innovative ideas, reduced stress, better problem-solving, and increased productivity.
How to boost your teamwork skills?
- Practice active listening;
- Make a decision after consulting with the team members;
- Be the one to initiate brainstorming sessions;
- Participate in team-building activities or organize them yourself.
#2: Communication Skills
These are similar to teamwork and are applicable to communication with the company’s clients and customers. Some job positions are fully communication-based, meaning your employee efficiency is determined by how well you communicate with others. For instance, communication comprises up to 80% of the sales representative and support customer representative’s work. Whether you’re a natural speaker or a natural writer, practice both. Again, you can improve your communication skills by joining an online course in speaking and writing or getting on-job-training.
#3: Interpersonal Skills
Another set of skills that go hand in hand with teamwork and communication. Having great interpersonal skills means various things the recruiters are tracking down. First, it implies you’re friendly yet pleasant to deal with. Second, you manage conflicts and communicate your ideas to others. Lastly, great interpersonal skills equal effective teamwork and active listening.
How to improve your interpersonal skills:
- Upgrade your emotional intelligence;
- Engage in active listening when communicating with others;
- Show interest in the work and ideas of your colleagues.
#4: Critical Thinking
The popular opinion says that only math-driven specializations require critical thinking. However, the truth is that all professions demand crucial thinking skills. Why so? Being able to think critically means solving problems, deducing facts, and building strategies by gathering and interpreting data. All this is done for the company’s well-being.
A critical thinker knows that even the most efficient solutions have weak spots. Yet the job of a critical thinker is to determine the weak spots in ideas by drawing conclusions and troubleshooting solutions.
Which job positions require critical thinking as a core skill?
- Healthcare jobs;
- Accounting jobs;
- IT positions;
- Project management;
- Careers in law and education, etc.
#5: Computer Literacy
Nope, not only IT specialists live and breathe technology. Looking around, you’ll find that everyone is mesmerized by their gleaming screens. The world is booming with new apps and tools, confidently taking the space in our homes and workplaces. Hence, no wonder an average employer will ask about your computer skills.
Sure, some professions might be more technically driven and others less. For instance, being a hairdresser would mean that your computer literacy would matter more only if you combine your basic responsibilities with scheduling client appointments. Meanwhile, a web developer’s skill set will mostly consist of software and tools knowledge.
#6: Creativity
This skill is highly underestimated in the business world. We wouldn’t have had Apple or Microsoft if it weren’t for creativity. We would not have had so many tools and appliances we got used to in our daily lives. Being creative means finding an out-of-box solution when no one can see a quick solution to a particular problem. Sure, some positions might list creativity as one of the top required skills, while others will put it on the Soft skills list. Regardless of your profession, make creativity your best friend.
#7: Willingness to Learn
Whether or not you’re ready to refine your skills constantly depends on your passion for the job. If you’re happy with your chosen path, then learning new things about the industry will be crucial to upgrading your skills. So why do employers search for applicants who have a thirst for knowledge? Because your desire for learning determines whether you can keep up with the industry changes while keeping your mind sharp.
Final Thoughts
Your hard and soft skills are an entry ticket to your dream job. Hence, mentioning the right skills will maximize your chances of securing a job and starting a stellar career. Remember that hard and soft skills matter when listing skills on your resume. To add universal skills (ones that apply to most jobs), choose the ones from the article above.
We hope the article was helpful to you. Good luck!
