What Skills Should I Put on My Resume?

In various fields of business activity, employers make multiple demands pertaining to the applicants' skills. Those are a combination of the expertise and abilities needed for an applicant to work in a particular position. Skills help perform a job more efficiently and faster, as well as achieve the desired results in business. The skills block in a resume enables a job seeker to be presented in the best way. Also, the indicated skills help show the employer what exactly a candidate can do.

The functionality of a journalist is not limited to only writing articles, an accountant does more than drawing up reports, and the builder's duties go beyond placing bricks. You can recall what you needed to do at previous jobs and add these chops to your resume. However, these capabilities must comply with the desired position. If you submit your skills correctly, the path to a new job may become shorter, and you will gain an advantage over competitors.

Do Recruiters Pay Attention to Skills on Resume?

The block with the skills in a resume is not a critical section, but it can affect the recruiter's decision to invite an applicant for an interview. Of course, HR officers take into account the skills that were mentioned by a job seeker. In particular cases, neither education nor work experience will tell the employer about the candidates' expertise more than the skills acquired.

The problem is that sometimes people confuse skills with personal qualities. Some applicants indicate in the resume such items as the desire to learn something new, the ability to find a common language with people, and readiness to work in a team. It usually tells about the template approach and shows that the applicant did not manage to adapt the resume to a specific vacancy.

Many do not know what to write in this treacherous graph designed for skills and confuse unique and professional skills with personal qualities, like sociability, stress tolerance, and responsibility. These general terms describe your personality but not professionalism. Personal qualities speak about the properties of your character. For example, such individual characteristics as activism and sociability are qualities, while sales experience and strategic planning are skills.

So, a job applicant may wonder, "What skills should I put on my resume?" Some skills without specific examples from work experience do not tell the employer anything about you. So it is better not to indicate them in the corresponding section. Nevertheless, some skills that are correctly justified will look beneficial in any resume, namely:

1. Managerial skills

A common opinion exists that only bosses need them, but it is not true. Even if you do not command people, this does not mean that you do not need to have skills in management. Such a person knows what needs to be done, how to distribute responsibilities in a team and bring a company to success. People like that are confident in themselves, know how to take responsibility, convince others, and admit mistakes. If you are a specialist of any kind, you are not just an employee - you are a leader.

2. Negotiating and persuading skills

Speaking skills are needed in many life and work situations. A person who speaks beautifully and convincingly can adapt much easier to a new workplace and another team. While working, an employee with a glib tongue can calm down a raged-out client, motivate colleagues to achieve specific goals, carry out presentations, and negotiate with partners. If all this describes you, describe these skills in your resume and back them up with real-life examples from your practice.

3. Research skills

You do not need to know the answers to all questions and the solution to all issues that may arise in business. However, this is not a reason to run to the immediate supervisor in the hope that he or she will solve another challenge. If you have a well-developed researching skill, you realize where to find an answer, whom to talk to, and which resources to use. In this way, you can build an algorithm for solving the problem based on the information received. For that, the company management has to appreciate you.

4. Adaptability

Nobody likes change. Most people are afraid of them and approach them with caution. It is understandable since changes can bring embarrassment. However, they are needed for company growth, employee development, and profit increase. If you consider yourself flexible, can adapt to the given situation, and work effectively during transformative processes, do not hesitate to write about this ability in your resume.

5. Languages

A skill of knowing several foreign languages can aid you in finding a job with better conditions. This advantage should be indicated in your resume. Also, do not forget to note the level of command of a foreign language. Other things being equal, employers often give preference to candidates who speak other languages. Such specialists get a chance to take a well-paid position in a company operating internationally.

This skill implies that the applicant decided to acquire an additional advantage to standard knowledge set for increasing individual value in the labor market. Therefore, such an applicant is purposeful, disciplined, and hard-working. Let potential employers learn about this at the stage of resume consideration.

List of Universal Skills Fit for Many Applicants

Below is a list of other skills for various use. Choose the right skills for your profession and include only essential ones in your resume for attention of the potential employer:

• Proficiency in computers, office equipment, and specialized software;
• Experience in writing sales posts, commercial offers, as well as editing texts;
• Ability to quickly win the audience and knowledge of psychology;
• Skills of quick data search and systematization;
• Experience in negotiating and dealing with conflict;
• Teamwork and motivation skills;
• Development and organization of promotions and advertising companies;
• Sociological research and surveying skills;
• Proper setting of priorities;
• Documentation and reporting;
• Creating, developing, and maintaining a customer base;
• Drafting of contracts, complaints, and claims, etc.

Basic Rules on What Skills to Indicate in a Resume

Each job involves its specific requirements, and applicants have no choice but to meet them. The company will give you a call only if you fit these requirements in terms of your education, work experience, skills, and other parameters. So, carefully read the job description before submitting your resume. Build a CV for a specific vacancy and list particular skills that will be useful to a particular employer.

Giving an answer to the matter "What skills should I put on my resume?", it is essential to follow the main guidelines that determine the indication and description of individual skills in a resume. You should select the right number of abilities, reinforce them with evidence, and distinguish them from personal qualities. Also, the indicated skills should match the position you are applying for.

1. Know the difference between skills for specific positions
   A typical mistake of candidates is that they can look for a job of leaders, and, at the same time, they write skills of lower-level specialists in their resumes. Your CV should demonstrate whether you are a manager or a subordinate. The quality of job offers will depend on this.
2. Read the job description carefully
   Usually, employers indicate what they want from potential employees. You can simply rephrase the stated requirements and transform them into key skills. For example, find several vacancies suitable for you, analyze them, and copy the basic conditions along with responsibilities.
   Of course, you will have to amend something, but, by and large, you do not need to invent anything. All you need is already written. However, not every job description gives many details about the position. Additionally, you can see information about the vacancy on the Internet, look for data on the company, and even contact a recruiter directly to clarify requirements.
3. Write precisely and concisely
   Be honest when writing about your skills. You can embellish your data a little, but do not lie. Do not specify more than three critical skills in your resume. Otherwise, the resume will be difficult to read, and the HR person can miss some essential data.
   For example, if you are a programmer, you need to describe in detail software and technologies you know. If you are a top manager, a phrase such as "a confident PC user" will be enough. However, you would not go amiss if you elaborate on the level of expertise of a particular skill. It will give the employer some certainty when considering your candidacy.
4. Justify each skill
   It is recommended to provide detailed information on your abilities. For example, you can state sales skills for three years in the wholesale department or management of a team of up to 30 people. If you decide to choose a good learning ability, write what you mean exactly. Maybe you have learned Japanese in six months or passed a course of Toyota car repair in two weeks.
5. Finally, consider the meaning of the written words
   Most applicants add the same skills in their resumes with the hidden meaning "offer me a job." How to amend this situation? Choose two or maximum three of your skills and write one short sentence about each of them. If there is nothing to mention, it is better not to write anything at all.

Types of Skills

A contemporary job seeker can ask: "What skills should I put on my resume?" So, professional skills can be divided into two main categories - hard and soft. Hard skills are sometimes called technical ones. They are related to professional competence that we gain from performing specific tasks. It can be mastering computer software, knowledge of a programming language, or ability to repair specific equipment. Soft skills are non-specialized and universal competencies that help in the workflow. For example, this group includes such skills as creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, etc.

When the labor market is oversaturated in the crisis time, and tens or even hundreds of candidates apply for one vacancy, employers are looking for applicants with specific technical experience for spending a minimum of resources on their training. Therefore, hard skills are still in priority.

However, do not forget that perfect employees are holistic personalities. People can master well some kind of software. However, if they are not able to work in a team, show self-organization, and the desire to develop in the given position, they are unlikely to stay in the company for a long time. So, soft skills are also essential for a successful business.

In 2019, LinkedIn conducted a study, during which 50,000 skills listed in user accounts were analyzed. It turns out that the ideal candidate should have an equal number of hard and soft skills. Meanwhile, creativity and strategic managerial skills are becoming the most popular competencies in the present day.