A resume is a document that summarizes your skills and qualifications for potential employers. It typically includes your name, contact information, work experience, education history as well as any professional certifications or licenses you may have.
Employers want candidates that are trained in relevant fields. They need to be able to do the job. Employers don’t want good at theorizing good, they want someone who is qualified to do the work. That’s why you should list all your relevant skills and qualifications on your resume.
Make sure you research the company before applying, find out what knowledge, skills, abilities, and qualifications they are looking for.
What Skills Do You Need to Highlight
The most important of these qualifications is of course the skill set. Here is a list and brief description of some skills and qualities that employers want to see on your resume:
Creativity
A creative mind with an imaginative approach to problem solving, combined with visionary leadership skills. Creativity can be encouraged by things like brainstorming and storytelling.
Creativity is a quality that employers want to see, but it can be difficult to summarize and put on a resume. One way to show how creative you are is to find examples of times you’ve been creative in the past and include them on your resume. Then, other ways to highlight creativity are through things like stories and brainstorming.
Communication
Communication skills are an important part of your resume. Communication skills are used frequently in most workplaces, so it’s important to highlight them on your resume. Communication skills can be highlighted through words, examples, and hard numbers. Certain words like “strong” or “influential” can be used to demonstrate strengths, while you can also share examples of time communicating with people which you might include in a project portfolio.
Employers also look for verbal skills when reading resumes. Verbal skills are important because they help people communicate more effectively with others and they’re necessary for jobs that require phone calls, meetings, or general interaction with the public (e.g., customer service representative). Employers typically do not expect candidates to have finished degrees in verbal communication, but they do expect their employees to know how to communicate effectively with others.
Leadership
A willingness and ability to take charge of group projects is essential for those who wish to excel in the workforce. Leadership experience and the ability to motivate and train co-workers is a highly valued skill among employers. At its simplest, leadership skills can be demonstrated by successfully completing a group project as a student.
Organizational Skills
Employers look for evidence of organizational skills on resumes because these skills are vital to being successful in many workplaces. Organizing one’s time effectively is necessary for those working regular hours. Also, employers often expect their employees to have initiative and the ability to prioritize tasks. If you demonstrate organizational skills through things like time management or leadership, employers will recognize your organizational skills more easily.
Technical Skills
While technical skill sets are relevant for many job postings, they’re especially important for those in the tech industry and who work with specific software and hardware on a regular basis (e.g., graphic designers and programmers).
Writing
All resumes should be written in a clear and concise manner, but those involved in writing may need to use advanced skills like persuasive language, which employers typically look for. For example, if you’re applying for a job as a social media manager or other communications-related role, employers will expect you to know how to write persuasive messages.
Teamwork Skills
Teamwork is another skill that employers look for on the resumes of potential employees. A successful employee needs to be able to work well in a team, which means there should be evidence of teamwork on your resume. If you have any leadership experience or if you completed group projects as a student, these are good examples of ways you can show teamwork skills on your resume. You can also include any time spent working collaboratively with others and taking the lead when necessary.
Employers also typically expect their employees to be willing to take charge of group projects, so it helps if you demonstrate this willingness by listing any leadership experience that you have had. Teamwork skills are essential for those who want to excel in the workforce and take charge of group projects.
Customer Relations
One of the most common skills employers are looking for in resumes is customer relations skills. This means that the applicant has at least some knowledge about what it takes to be good with working through interactions with customers, whether they’re face-to-face or over the phone. Customer relations skills can be demonstrated by providing evidence of their work history and showing that they’ve gone above and beyond during customer service interactions.
Project Management
If you’re applying for a hiring process that would require you to manage projects, then it’s important to show that you’ve got the necessary skills. This includes great organizational and management skills, such as the ability to prioritize tasks, which will be especially important if you’re working with things like deadlines. It also includes good analytical and problem-solving skills, such as the ability to identify and solve problems. Finally, this includes excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills.
Volunteerism
Volunteering in various capacities can be beneficial in terms of future employment. It’s important to demonstrate the value of your time spent volunteering by demonstrating how you used certain skills when volunteering. If you’re writing a resume for an event coordinator position, for example, you could emphasize your organization and communication skills when organizing an event or building relationships with volunteers.
The transition from volunteer to an employee is fairly easy because many employers will credit volunteer work on resumes when considering candidates. Companies sometimes also use volunteers during emergencies because they know the volunteers are committed and motivated by values rather than monetary compensation. Volunteering can be made more productive if it’s done for a specific purpose related to the job hunt or planned in advance to maximize efficiency.
Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume
Employers want employees with the right skills, so they hire people who are trained and experienced in the specific field of work that needs to be done. This is why it’s important for job seekers to prepare their resumes by thoroughly researching the company they’re applying for, highlighting their relevant knowledge through certifications or licenses held by the candidate, and including everything on your resume that shows off your skills and experience.
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