Sure, we get it. Talking about yourself can be tricky. You want to sound proud but at the same time not sound like you’re bragging. You want to sound highly skilled but not come across as a know it all. Without a doubt, one of the top 3 client frustrations we hear is how to properly express career skills.
If you’re new to the workforce than a shortage of well-rounded skills can be a limitation. For those with extensive years of work history, the challenge becomes that of streamlining an entire career into a cohesive, easy to read, list of skills.
The goal is to get that interview. Here are a few tips we use to keep the message tidy and descriptive.
Skills to Put on a Resume
Stating that you worked as a brand manager at Company XYZ is no longer enough to secure a job interview. Even if you’re applying for the same position at another company. The job market is heavily saturated so recruiters and hiring managers are seeking a combination of skills and specific traits associated with job titles.
So, let’s make sure we’re on the same page when it comes to what skills should be listed on your resume.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the basic skills to show off.
1. Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are specific universal abilities. The most sought-after skills recruiters want to see include:
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- General Organization, Motivation, and Time Management Skills
- Communication Skills
- Creativity
- Analytical or Critical Thinking and Numeracy Skills
These are skills we can all relate too however not everyone can deliver efficiently.
Take public speaking for example. Not everyone can handle the stress of standing in front of an audience, especially that of skeptical clients or stakeholders. That’s why you should provide examples of what it looks like when you use that skill.
Put the skill in the context of actual achievement to show hiring managers the impact you have when you’re in action.
2. Job Specific Skills and ATS Keywords
To sieve through large numbers of resumes, companies are turning to applicant tracking systems. This software crawls through applications in search of specific words and phrases, including skill keywords.
Here’s the problem — the algorithms behind the software understand only as much as you tell them. You can’t depend on them to infer your skillset from the jobs you’ve held.
So, how can you improve your chances of having your skills recognized by a resume reading robot? Check out our previous article on how to optimize your resume for ATS for a few tips.
Sharing your unique set of skills requires more than just listing your skills one-by-one in the skills section. To stand out from the crowd, be specific.
If you lead a team of sales representatives, don’t just add “leadership” to the list, share more details like the example below:
Leadership Skills
- Lead a team of 4 sales representatives who generated 25% of total sales revenue and outperformed 7 remaining teams.
- Motivated team to increase their productivity by 17%.
Being explicit about your abilities isn’t limited to general skills like communication skills, teamwork, or leadership. Do the same for technical skills as well.
A skills section should be the mainstay of any resume.
Ideally, a recruiter or hiring manager should glance at your skills section and see the requirements they’re seeking as well as your unique capabilities.
Need help? Our team at PWU offers Resume updates, Cover Letters, LinkedIn Optimization and Recruiter Services. Book a free 15-min consult here https://calendly.com/powerwritersusa-ca