6 Top skills to put on your resume
Nowadays, even if you have the experience and the knowledge to fulfill a certain position this does not immediately grant you the attention of a company. Recruiters are now sifting through an array of suitable candidates looking for a set of capacities that can bring added value to the company in more than one way. That is why, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you should consider these top skills to put on your resume.
Writing a good CV is a task that requires attention to detail. Using only a few words, you need to show that you fulfill all the requirements for the position you are applying for, but now, more than ever, you also need to let the companies know that you have a set of skills that makes you stand out.
In their recruitment process, companies are no longer only looking for someone who can solely perform the tasks inherent to the position they are hiring for. They are looking for candidates that can bring added value to the organization and make it grow and perform more effectively.
If you want to increase your chances of getting hired, here is a list of the skills you should consider including in your resume.
1. Communication skills
Communication is among the most valued skills by any organization. Whether written or verbal, you need communication skills to be able to clearly convey your ideas and opinions to others and to understand what they are saying to you.
A good communicator can also adapt their speaking style to get their message across. Any job requiring direct contact with clients will benefit from having someone who can express themselves with ease. Even when contact with the public is not required, you also need to be able to communicate clearly with your co-workers or your boss.
How to include these skills in your resume: if you have any experience as a writer or content producer, make sure to list it in your CV and let the recruiter know where he or she can access some examples. It is also important that your resume is well written, clear and concise, and has no spelling mistakes.
2. Creativity
People who think outside the box tend to be more flexible in finding new solutions to problems. They often bring to the table new perspectives and ways of doing things that prompt innovation and progress within the company.
It is not always about finding the easiest solution, but rather finding the most effective and the one that can be more profitable in the long run.
Although creativity is essential in creative roles such as that of a writer, graphic designer or architect, to name a few, it can also be important in other careers to propel R&D for example.
How to include these skills in your resume: try to mention a situation where you found a creative solution to a problem or obstacle. If you have an artistic vein, include some notes on where the recruiter can find examples of your art.
3. Organizational skills
Organizational skills are among the top skills that companies look for in any resume. In this context, this does not mean that companies are looking for someone who knows how to keep their desk neat (although it may be a plus in some cases).
Rather, they are assessing the candidate’s ability to organize their agendas and time, manage their tasks and keep all the data and information organized, structure their projects, and work in teams.
Organization is key to meeting deadlines, finding the most efficient strategy to complete one’s tasks and work with others.
How to include these skills in your resume: a structured and organized resume is the best way to show that you have this set of skills. You can also provide examples of situations where you had to apply your organizational skills (e.g. planning seminars, and meetings).
4. Responsibility
Responsibility is a skill that comprises two capabilities. On the one hand, it implies the ability to perform one’s tasks independently. In other words, you are responsible for fulfilling your duties and do not need your manager constantly overlooking what you are doing or telling you what to do. A responsible person is expected to complete their tasks, actively search for solutions for whichever problems they may face, and ensure a good quality of work within the set deadline.
On the other hand, this skill also implies being able to take responsibility for your own performance. You are expected to own up to your own mistakes and learn from them, as well as take credit for your successes.
How to include these skills in your resume: mention previous work experiences in which you were able to complete tasks successfully without the need for direct supervision.
5. Leadership skills
Leadership skills are important to include in your resume if you are applying for a managerial position. These skills can be divided into two categories.
The first one is your ability to organize and structure a project and a team, as well as positively influence your co-workers to motivate them to do their best. To excel at this, you also need to have good communication and organizational skills. You need to be able to express yourself clearly so your team understands what needs to be done and the goals to accomplish and to create a plan to reach your goals in the most effective way possible.
The second category refers to decision-making skills. A good leader should be able to assess a situation, detect problems and devise possible solutions and make swift decisions with ease.
How to include these skills in your resume: provide examples of situations where you were in charge. For example, have you ever had to lead a team of coworkers or even a sports team? Do you have any experience presenting business proposals or outlining projects?
6. Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills refer to your ability to interact and communicate with others. Overall, this is a very valued set of skills but some companies may put more or less emphasis on them depending on the position.
They are very important if you have to deal directly with clients, need to lead a team or project, or if you need to work in teams. Even if your position requires you to work alone, companies tend to prefer employees who can interact with their colleagues with ease when needed.
How to include these skills in your resume: when applicable, you can mention having experience with customer service and show how you were able to increase customer satisfaction. You can also mention instances when you worked to facilitate communication within a team to improve the project performance, for example. The key is to provide examples of situations in which your interaction with others resulted in a positive outcome.
Tailor your resume
These are 6 top skills valued by any company. However, the weight companies place on them may vary depending on the position you are applying for.
As such, you should strive to tailor your resume accordingly to increase your chances of being hired.
For example, if you are applying for a customer service position your communication and interpersonal skills should be highlighted as opposed to your leadership skills which are an added value but not essential. A position in IT support requires responsibility and good organizational skills but less so interpersonal skills.
Most importantly, you should not lie on your resume. The “fake it until you make it” approach will only work to a certain extent and you may find yourself in a position where you do not enjoy your job and have no motivation to deliver a good performance nor to seek personal growth.
Try to always highlight your strengths and give less emphasis to the skills in which you are weaker at. To learn more about your style of working, you can take our skills test based on the Great Eight competency factors.
You can also take our PAPI test, which is a tool frequently used during recruitment processes to assess the candidate’s soft skills and main personality traits. The results can help you better structure your resume and give you hints on what to highlight in it.