When it comes to creating a resume, many job seekers focus on describing their education, work experience, and professional skills. However, it is equally important to present yourself in terms of personal skills and soft skills.
Indicating personal qualities and soft skills in a CV often poses challenges, especially for young job seekers. However, they can become an additional factor in the selection of a candidate for a position, and their description in a resume requires a careful approach.
So, how to describe your soft skills in the resume to stand out among other candidates and interest the employer? Here are some tips and examples that will help you do just that.
Why are personal qualities and soft skills necessary in a resume?
Personal skills and soft skills are characteristics that determine how a person interacts with others, handles tasks, and solves problems. They include communication skills, emotional intelligence, leadership qualities, teamwork ability, creativity, adaptability, and much more.
These skills are difficult to measure quantitatively, but they are extremely important for successful work in any organization.
How to describe personal skills and soft skills in a resume?
1. Identify your relevant qualities and skills.
The first step to successfully describing your personal qualities in a resume is to identify them. Think about your strengths, what comes easily to you, and what your managers, colleagues, clients, or teachers have noted. What qualities have helped you succeed in your studies, work, or personal affairs? What skills help you solve problems or handle conflict situations?
Before starting to create or adapt your resume, study the job requirements and find out which personal and soft skills are most relevant for the given position.
For example, if you are applying for a project manager position, it is important to emphasize your leadership qualities, planning and organizational skills, as well as your ability to work in a team.
2. Use specific examples.
The best way to confirm your personal qualities and soft skills in a resume is to use specific examples and achievements from your past experience. Describe situations in which you demonstrated these skills and the results you achieved.
For example, if you want to emphasize your leadership qualities, you can describe a project that you led and the success your team achieved under your leadership.
Or another example: you want to demonstrate your effective communication skills. Tell about a situation where you resolved a dispute between colleagues or convinced a client of the advantages of your product, which led to a major deal. Specific examples show the employer that you not only list skills, but also have real experience in applying them.
3. Use keywords.
Many HR managers use programs that automatically scan resumes for specific keywords. Make sure you include in your resume words and phrases related not only to your work experience, but also to the personal qualities and soft skills mentioned in the job description.
For example, if the job description mentions the need for “good communication skills,” “ability to work in a team,” or “creative approach,” you should indicate in your resume that you possess these qualities.
4. Use quantitative indicators.
Whenever possible, use quantitative indicators in describing your achievements to make your statements more specific and convincing.
For example, if you want to emphasize your organizational skills, you can write: “Successfully organized and conducted more than 10 round tables with 20-25 industry experts each.”
Or, if you want to demonstrate your time management skills: “Increased productivity by 15% by implementing effective time management methods in a team of 5 people.”
Such indicators give the employer a clearer idea of your capabilities and show that you can measure and evaluate your achievements.
5. Use action verbs.
To make the description of your personal qualities and soft skills more dynamic and convincing, use active verbs.
For example, instead of “took part in team projects,” write in your resume “actively participated in team projects.” Instead of “have experience working with customers,” use “successfully worked with customers, ensuring their loyalty and satisfaction.”
Verbs like “developed,” “created,” “organized,” “led,” “increased,” “solved,” and others show that you are proactive, energetic, and able to achieve results. They make your resume more lively and interesting for the employer.
6. Adapt the description to the position and company.
Don’t forget to adapt the list of your personal qualities and skills to the specific position and company. Different positions require different skills, and employers are looking for candidates who match their specific requirements.
For example, if you are applying for a sales manager position, you should emphasize your persuasion, negotiation, and customer service skills.
If you want to work in marketing, your creative and analytical skills, data management, and ability to find original solutions will be important.
Study the company’s culture and try to understand which qualities and skills will be valued in the team. This will help you highlight the aspects of your personality that are most relevant and attractive to the employer.
7. Indicate additional courses and trainings.
If you have taken courses, trainings, or received certifications related to the development of soft skills, be sure to add this information to your resume.
8. Be honest and objective.
Do not exaggerate your skills and achievements. And certainly don’t make up things that don’t exist. Instead, describe your strengths objectively and honestly, using real examples and facts.
And finally, here are a few more examples.
Examples of describing personal qualities and soft skills in a resume:
Communication skills: “Successfully conducted negotiations with key clients, increasing sales volume by 20% per year. I regularly participate in public speaking and presentations, receiving positive feedback on my ability to communicate information clearly and convincingly.”
Leadership qualities: “Managed a team of 5 people, increasing productivity by 30% per year. Regularly conducted training for employees, contributing to their professional growth and development.”
Teamwork: “Actively participated in cross-functional projects, collaborating with colleagues from different departments. Contributed to creating a positive and productive work environment, thanks to which the projects were completed on time and with high quality.”
Adaptability: “Quickly adapted to new technologies and processes, successfully implementing them in my work. I am able to work in conditions of uncertainty and changing requirements, maintaining productivity and efficiency.”
Creativity: “Developed and implemented an innovative marketing campaign that increased brand awareness by 30%. I regularly generate new ideas and approaches, contributing to the development of the business and increasing its competitiveness.”
Describing personal qualities and soft skills in a resume is an important step in the employment process. Using specific examples, keywords, and an objective assessment of your strengths, you can attract the employer’s attention and increase your chances of getting the desired position.
