A skill is a skill, right? Well — sort of.When it comes to applying for jobs, there are hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are specific and verifiable — think coding in Python, proficiency with digital marketing tools, or degrees and qualifications. On the other hand, soft skills, such as leadership, adaptability, and collaboration, are less tangible but equally important.
So, how do you showcase soft skills on your resume, especially when they're harder to quantify?
In this article, we'll discuss how to demonstrate competitive soft skills, how to determine the best skills to highlight, and provide examples of how to showcase commonly sought-after soft skills.
What are soft skills on a resume?
Soft skills are the skills you pick up from everyday life, like leadership, communication, interpersonal skills, and time management. Unlike hard skills, soft skills are hard to evaluate and even harder to prove. Despite that, most job descriptions list soft skills as “must haves,” meaning they need to be on your resume somewhere.
How have resume soft skills evolved in recent years?
In the contemporary job market, soft skills extend beyond traditional interpersonal skills. Today's remote work environment requires skills like digital literacy, remote team management, digital communication proficiency, adaptability to new tech platforms, and virtual collaboration. Highlighting your proficiency in these emerging soft skills will demonstrate to potential employers that you're not just competent in traditional soft skills but are also equipped for the modern, evolving workplace.
The golden rule of listing soft skills on your resume
There is one golden rule when it comes to resume soft skills: don’t list soft skills directly in your skills section.
That might seem counterintuitive — surely listing your skills is the best way for employers to see them? But soft skills are subjective, so hiring managers want to see proof of these skills rather than just take your word for it. But don’t worry. There are loads of ways to show your soft skills without listing them outright. So, let’s get to it.
How to list soft skills on your resume
The best place to demonstrate soft skills on your resume is in your work experience bullet points through details and well-chosen accomplishments. And remember, the key to soft skills is to show, don’t tell. Here’s how:
Use action verbs and quantified metrics.
To show your skills rather than stating them, start each statement with an action verb that highlights the soft skill in question and use numbers and metrics to substantiate it. For example:
- Led a remote team of 10, increasing overall project efficiency by 25% through strategic use of digital collaboration tools.
- Streamlined virtual communication processes, leading to a 30% reduction in email overload and a significant improvement in team satisfaction.
Highlight transferable skills
Soft skills are less industry or role-specific than hard skills, allowing you to demonstrate them using experience from a wide range of fields. Focus on emerging soft skills like digital literacy, virtual teamwork, and online project management, as well more traditional skills such as initiative, leadership, analytical, and communication. Use examples from various fields and emphasize how these skills relate to the job you're applying for.
Choose soft skills that reflect the company culture
Research the company's values, mission, and work environment to understand the best soft skills to add to your resume. For instance, a startup might value adaptability and innovation, while a non-profit organization might emphasize empathy and teamwork.
Reflect this understanding in your resume by highlighting relevant soft skills that align with the company's ethos. This demonstrates not only your capabilities but also your alignment with the company's values and work style, making you a more attractive candidate.
Tailor your resume to the job description
Some roles will require particular soft skills, which will likely be listed in the job description. Management or senior-level roles, for example, require strong leadership and motivation skills, while client-facing roles need communication and customer service skills. Tailor your resume to each application by choosing examples that directly showcase these relevant skills, and remove any experience that isn’t related to your desired field.
What soft skills are employers looking for?
There are two reliable ways of finding the right soft skills to list on your resume:
- Read the job description. Pay close attention to how the posting describes the ideal applicant and what kind of work you'll do. For each skill in the job ad, include at least one bullet point demonstrating that skill.
- Browse your industry or enter the job title in our industry-specific keyword finder for targeted skills suggestions to include on your resume.
Here is a list of commonly saught-after soft skills that are a good addition to any resume:
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Adaptability
- Digital literacy
- Problem-solving
- Leadership
- Time management
- Emotional intelligence
- Creativity
- Conflict Resolution
- Work ethic
To see if your resume showcases the right soft skills for your industry, or find more soft skills to add to your resume, upload your resume to the tool below. It’ll scan your resume and let you know if you’ve shown enough soft skills like communication, leadership, management, and initiative.
Examples of how to showcase top resume soft skills
Here are examples of good soft skills to add to your resume, and how to describe each skill through accomplishments and quantified metrics.
Teamwork
Most roles require some degree of teamwork. Companies want reliable employees who can get along with others and are pleasant and professional to work with. To show teamwork skills, emphasize accomplishments that demonstrate your role in past teams and what you achieved. For example:
- Collaborated with marketing and web development teams to deliver all projects on time or ahead of schedule.
- Coordinated with a cross-functional team using tools like Asana and Microsoft Teams to successfully launch a digital marketing campaign.
Digital literacy
The ability to effectively and efficiently use various digital technologies and tools is essential in today's fast-paced and technology-driven work environment. Describe your proficiency with digital tools and platforms, and experience with remote team management, digital communication, and virtual collaboration.
For example:
- Utilized a suite of digital tools (like Slack, Zoom, and Trello) to manage a distributed team, resulting in a 20% increase in project efficiency.
- Orchestrated a seamless transition to cloud-based systems, leveraging platforms like Google Workspace and Salesforce, which enhanced team collaboration, leading to a 30% growth in client engagement.
Adaptability
Adaptability is a crucial soft skill to showcase as it demonstrates your ability to adjust to new challenges, environments, and technologies. Highlight specific instances where you successfully navigated changes or challenges in the workplace, demonstrating your flexibility and problem-solving skills.
For example:
- Rapidly adapted to the shift from in-office to remote work, implementing new workflows that increased team productivity by 15%.
- Quickly adapted to remote working conditions in 2020, implementing innovative workflow adjustments and leading my team to exceed project targets by 15%.
Communication
Communication is one of the most frequently listed soft skills in job descriptions. It’s also one of the most challenging skills to evaluate. Point to examples where you communicated professionally, such as organizing an event, speaking at a conference, and spearheading marketing initiatives. Also, focus on virtual communication skills, such as navigating and managing remote interactions and ensuring clear and empathetic communication across digital mediums.
For example:
- Organized and conducted monthly meetings with city council executives and other community leaders to raise funds for city recycling initiative.
- Facilitated virtual team-building sessions that improved team morale and collaboration in a remote setting.
- Developed an internal monthly newsletter, enhancing company-wide communication and engagement.
Initiative
When hiring managers are looking for employees who show initiative, they want people who can make decisions, work independently, and be proactive in suggesting solutions. Use action verbs like “Conceived,” “Overhauled,” and “Pioneered” to show how you’ve taken initiative in past projects.
For example:
- Spearheaded the adoption of a remote project management tool, improving team efficiency by 35%.
- Identified steps to reduce return rates by 10%, resulting in an eventual $75k cost savings.
Leadership
Leadership will likely be your most needed soft skill if you’re applying for a senior-level or management position. In your resume, give examples of teams you’ve led or people you’ve mentored and what they achieved.
For example:
- Led a remote team of 15 in developing a new SaaS product, resulting in a 25% increase in customer acquisition.
- Taught workshops on team building and cooperation; improved team productivity by 50%.
Problem-solving
Basic critical thinking and problem-solving skills are used in just about any profession. Recruiters want to see how you approach unexpected hurdles and solve problems before they become issues, especially if you’re in a public-facing position or one working closely with clients.
For example:
- Analyzed user feedback from social media channels using analytics tools to enhance product features, leading to a 40% increase in user satisfaction.
- Developed an Excel macro and standardized reporting templates, resulting in efficient data collection and a 35% reduction in turnaround time.
Organization
Organization doesn't just include the ability to tidy a desk or file a document. Potential employers often look for skills like good time management, multitasking, and organizing projects, people, and events. For example:
- Managed a virtual conference with over 1,000 attendees, ensuring seamless coordination of speakers and schedules.
- Coordinated mailing over 40,000 invitations, formal letters, and information packets annually.
Creative and design skills
Not all positions require design skills, but if you’re in a creative industry or role, it’s likely to be at the top of the “must-have” list. Choose examples for your resume that show your ability to conceptualize new ideas and see projects to fruition through the entire design process.
For example:
- Redesigned a mobile app’s user interface, which increased user engagement by 30%.
- Created a new company logo as part of a rebranding initiative that resulted in a 30% increase in brand awareness among the target demographic.
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution doesn't always have to be high-stakes. Customer retention, resolving disputes, and ensuring members of your team are happy and productive all fall under the heading of conflict resolution.
For example:
- Assisted customers by addressing their questions and providing information on procedures or policies, continuously exceeding expectations on customer satisfaction.
- Implemented a customer feedback system to address service issues, reducing complaints by 45%.
Attention to detail
Attention to detail is particularly necessary for administrative and clerical professionals, as well as anyone who works with data, finance, or sensitive documents.
For example:
- Handled all aspects of preparing the weekly payroll and expense reporting for a 200-person office; kept detailed audit records and processed 100% of payments on time.
- Conducted a detailed analysis of e-commerce transactions to identify and rectify discrepancies, boosting revenue accuracy by 98%.
How to highlight soft skills on your resume when changing careers
As a career changer, most of your transferable skills will likely be soft skills. If you lack hard skills in the industry you’re moving into, emphasizing soft skills is even more important.
- Identify universal soft skills: Reflect on your previous roles and identify universal skills, such as adaptability, problem-solving, and effective communication.
- Showcase transferable achievements: Use your work experience bullet points to highlight how your soft skills contributed to success in your previous roles. This can include examples like leading a diverse team in a non-related industry, which showcases leadership and team management skills transferable to any sector.
- Highlight adaptability and learning: Emphasize your ability to adapt to new industries quickly. For example,"Successfully transitioned from a healthcare background to a tech startup, leveraging strong learning agility and communication skills to effectively manage cross-departmental projects."
- Bridge the industry gap: Make a direct connection between your past experiences and the skills required in your new industry. Demonstrate how skills from your previous career can solve problems or add value in your new field.
How to demonstrate your soft skills: The STAR method
A powerful way to demonstrate your soft skills on your resume and during an interview is through the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. This approach helps you to describe how you've used soft skills in real-world situations. Here’s how it works:
- Situation: Set the context for your story. Describe the background and the challenge you faced.
- Task: Explain the task and your responsibilities related to the soft skill you want to highlight.
- Action: Detail your specific actions to address the situation or task.
- Result: Explain the outcome, emphasizing how your use of soft skills contributed to the success.
For example, to showcase problem-solving skills, you could say:
- Situation: Faced with a sudden drop in customer satisfaction scores.
- Task: Tasked with improving the customer service experience.
- Action: Conducted a comprehensive analysis of customer feedback and led a series of team workshops to develop new service protocols.
- Result: Successfully improved customer satisfaction scores by 20% within six months.
By using the STAR method, you can frame your experience to highlight your soft skills in a structured and memorable way. This not only demonstrates your capabilities but also gives employers a clear picture of how you can apply these skills in their organization.
How to demonstrate soft skills in other areas of your resume
Soft skills can be effectively showcased in various resume sections, not just in your work experience section.
In your education section
In the education section of your resume, demonstrate soft skills by mentioning activities or roles undertaken during your studies that reflect these abilities, such as leading a group project, participating in student organizations, or volunteering. Highlight accomplishments or experiences showcasing teamwork, leadership, and effective communication.
Under certifications and training
Certifications and training can highlight soft skills alongside hard skills and qualifications. Include relevant certifications, such as leadership or communication courses, in a dedicated section. Choose certifications that align with your job application and showcase ongoing learning to emphasize your dedication to professional growth.
In your resume summary
In your resume summary, demonstrate soft skills by highlighting essential skills that align with the job requirements, such as adaptability, teamwork, or leadership. Use concise language to describe how these skills have contributed to your professional achievements.
In your cover letter
In your cover letter, illustrate soft skills by providing specific examples of how you've successfully applied them in past experiences, such as leading a team through a challenging project or effectively communicating in high-stress situations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between soft skills and hard skills?
Hard skills are like facts — they're objective. Saying that you have a bachelor's degree or that you know how to code in Python is easy to prove. Soft skills are more like opinions in that they're highly subjective. Simply saying you're a brilliant leader doesn't convince other people that you are, hence why you need to provide real examples.
If you’re not sure which skills you can list on your resume, use the skills search tool below to search for the job you’re applying for. It’ll give you a list of hard skills relevant to the job.
Are soft skills the same as personality traits?
Not exactly. Though there is some overlap, personality traits are inherent and hard to change, while soft skills can be learned. That doesn't mean you should start looking for courses on how to be a team player — instead, think about what soft skills you'd like to develop and actively seek out opportunities that allow you to practice them.
Do Applicant Tracking Systems scan for soft skills?
No. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) do not screen for soft skills. Even if a job description lists “leadership” as an essential skill, there’s no point in simply listing it in your skills section — it isn’t a keyword the ATS is looking for.
