Personal skills are just as important as qualifications
Qualifications, work experience and previous roles and projects where you’ve shown your potential to the full are the obvious things to focus on in your CV.
But what about the soft skills? Also known as personal skills, these are the personal attributes that tell future employers more about you as a person. When it comes to writing your CV, soft skills are less tangible than former job titles and degree certificates, but just as important when someone is looking for an all-round individual who can fit well into a team.
1. Teamwork – the recruitment process is all about you and what you have to offer, but an employer will also want to know how well you can work with other people. Mention group projects you’ve worked on, or where you’ve supported or advised colleagues to get the job done or resolve conflicts.
2. Adaptability and flexibility – examples of where you’ve been willing to adapt to changing circumstances, learn new skills or embrace new ways of working and technologies are great soft skills for your CV.
3. Communication – show examples of where you’ve communicated a new idea clearly and effectively, mention your presentation skills, how you can listen to your colleagues and take part in meetings and discussions.
4. Time management – this is a good personal skill to have, show how you’ve organised your tasks and learned to prioritise and meet deadlines.
5. Interpersonal skills – show examples of how you have built and maintained good relationships with colleagues and clients.
6. Creativity – give examples of times when you’ve come up with creative ideas or innovative solutions that have had an impact on the outcome of a project or client relationship.
7. Leadership – include any examples of leadership, whether in a formal role, or where you’ve led a team within a project. Anything outside of work, in a hobby or voluntary role for example, will show you have a good understanding of how to take a leading role.
8. Networking – if you have relevant examples, show how you’ve built relationships within your industry or field. That could be attending regular networking events, or being part of, or visiting, industry events or exhibitions where you’ve made an effort to meet and talk to others in the same sector.
9. Emotional intelligence – how we deal with an issue says a lot about our ability to control our emotions and understand a situation from someone else’s point of view. Any collaboration within the workplace is dependent upon good emotional intelligence.
10. Diversity awareness – if you have experience or working with people from different cultures, or with different needs and abilities, emphasise what you’ve learned and why you think your experience is important.
Soft skills are a valuable addition to a resume but try to back up any examples you give with specific examples. Think about what soft skills are relevant to the position you’re going for and tailor your CV to include the ones you think will most impress a potential employer.
ACS Staffing Solutions can offer help with CV writing and how to make sure you present yourself in the best light for your job application. Contact us online or give us a call on 01604 704058.
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