How to Highlight Soft Skills on Your Resume
Soft skills—those non-technical abilities like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving—are increasingly valued by employers.
Unlike hard skills, which are specific and measurable, soft skills are often more subtle and harder to quantify.
However, effectively showcasing these skills on your resume can set you apart from other candidates.
Here’s a guide on how to highlight your soft skills to make your resume stand out.
1. Identify Your Key Soft Skills
Start with Self-Assessment
Before you can highlight your soft skills, you need to identify which ones are your strengths.
Consider the following common soft skills and reflect on your experiences:
- Communication: Verbal and written communication abilities.
- Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others.
- Problem-Solving: Aptitude for identifying issues and finding solutions.
- Adaptability: Flexibility in handling change.
- Leadership: Capability to guide and motivate others.
- Time Management: Skill in managing time efficiently and meeting deadlines.
- Creativity: Ability to think outside the box and innovate.
2. Integrate Soft Skills into Your Professional Summary
Showcase Your Strengths Early
Your Professional Summary or Objective statement is a prime spot to highlight key soft skills.
Briefly mention your top soft skills and how they have contributed to your past successes.
Example:
“Dynamic project manager with over 8 years of experience leading cross-functional teams. Known for exceptional communication and problem-solving skills, I excel in developing strategies that improve team performance and drive project success.”
3. Use Specific Examples in Your Experience Section
Demonstrate Skills Through Achievements
Instead of merely listing soft skills, illustrate them with specific examples of how you applied these skills in past roles. Quantify the impact where possible to provide context and evidence.
Example:
Project Coordinator
ABC Corp, June 2019 – Present
- Led a team of 10 in the successful completion of a major project ahead of schedule, demonstrating strong leadership and teamwork skills.
- Developed and implemented a new communication strategy that reduced project delays by 25%, showcasing excellent problem-solving and communication abilities.
4. Include Soft Skills in Your Skills Section
Highlight Skills Directly
While your Experience section provides detailed examples, your Skills section should succinctly list key soft skills. Use bullet points for clarity and impact.
Example:
Skills:
- Effective Communication
- Team Collaboration
- Creative Problem Solving
- Time Management
- Adaptability
5. Incorporate Soft Skills into Your Education and Certifications
Show How Education and Training Enhanced Your Skills
If you’ve developed relevant soft skills through coursework, training, or certifications, include this information to provide additional context.
Example:
Bachelor of Business Administration
XYZ University, 2018
- Completed coursework in Organizational Behavior and Leadership, enhancing skills in team management and effective communication.
6. Leverage Keywords and Phrases
Optimize for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems to scan resumes for specific keywords. Ensure your resume includes keywords related to soft skills that align with the job description.
Example:
If the job description mentions “strong interpersonal skills,” use this phrase in your resume where relevant to increase your chances of passing the ATS filters.
7. Showcase Soft Skills in a Separate Section
Create a Dedicated Skills Section
If you have multiple soft skills that are highly relevant to the job, consider creating a separate section to highlight them.
This can be particularly effective if the skills are a major focus of the job.
Example:
Core Competencies:
- Leadership
- Conflict Resolution
- Strategic Planning
- Client Relationship Management
- Negotiation
8. Use Action Verbs to Highlight Skills
Choose Powerful Language
When describing your experiences, use strong action verbs that convey the soft skills you utilized. This helps make your resume more engaging and effective.
Example:
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop innovative solutions.
- Facilitated training sessions to enhance team productivity.
- Mentored junior staff, improving overall team performance.
9. Seek Feedback from Others
Get an External Perspective
Sometimes, others can provide valuable insights into your soft skills.
Ask colleagues or mentors to review your resume and offer feedback on how well you’ve highlighted your abilities.
10. Be Honest and Authentic
Avoid Overexaggeration
While it’s important to showcase your soft skills, make sure your claims are honest and backed by real experiences. Overexaggerating can lead to discrepancies during interviews or on the job.
Conclusion
Effectively highlighting soft skills on your resume involves more than just listing them.
It requires providing concrete examples and integrating them into various sections of your resume.
By identifying your key soft skills, demonstrating their impact through specific examples, and optimizing for keywords.
You can create a compelling resume that stands out to both human recruiters and Applicant Tracking Systems.