The skills section on your resume should only be so long. Therefore, you need to think long and hard about which skills you want to include on your resume. If you don't include the right skills, you could miss out on an opportunity. And if you include too many skills, you face the same fate. Learn which six skills an employer hopes to see on your resume, and you could be one step closer to a job offer.
Critical Thinking
In the workplace, challenges pop up on a daily basis. You might have a set procedure to follow, but something could happen and require you to figure out a new way to handle your duties. Employers need problem-solvers to figure things out and keep their operations moving.
Solving problems comes down to having critical thinking skills. Can you use your existing knowledge to troubleshoot issues? If you're the type of person who can fix problems, make sure the hiring manager knows that. List "critical thinking" on your resume, and don't stop there.
In addition to including critical thinking as a skill, be descriptive. Describe a situation in which you encountered a challenge and came up with a method of overcoming it. If you can use specific numbers to document the results, you will be even more convincing. Go into an interview ready to talk about your problem-solving skills, and bring a cheat sheet of notes if it helps you.
Tech Skills
You live in a tech-fueled world, and no industry is free from technology's grasp. If you want to get anywhere in the workplace, you need some basic tech knowledge. Employers really value technological prowess and often look for resumes with tech skills. For a successful career, digital literacy is essential.
But you may be wondering which tech skills matter. After all, everyone knows how to use Microsoft Office. You shouldn't exclude a skill because you think everyone has it. Rather, include all of the following tech skills if you are proficient in them:
Social media
Coding
Microsoft Office
Google Documents
Graphic design
If you don't have many tech skills, you can easily obtain them with an online course. There are several platforms that offer free courses in technology. You can learn a new skill to add to your resume.
Remote Work Skills
If you're applying for a job that requires remote work, broadcast skills that enhance your ability to work from home. There are a few specific skills that help people succeed as they work from home, such as using communication tools. Zoom, Slack, and Google Drive are all tools you might need to work from home. If you're familiar with them, add those tools to your resume.
Another way to successfully work from home is to use project management software. If you have experience with Trello, Monday, or Asana, add them to your resume. An employer might have to spend hours training you on their remote work model, and your experience could decrease that training time.
Typically, time management is a struggle for people who work remotely. So, include time management on your resume. An employer won't worry about you finishing your work on time or struggling to stay motivated when you're working from home.
Adaptable
After the pandemic hit, employers realized just how important it was to have adaptable workers. Many employees struggled to handle the shift from office work to remote work, while others had problems with new limitations in the office. Now more than ever, companies want to hire workers who are ready for anything.
When workers are adaptable, they tend to be fast learners. They don't need as much training as someone else. Additionally, a person who can adapt to change is probably an excellent decision-maker. They also are more capable of being resourceful. If an employer gives an adaptable person the right tools, they can help the employee flourish.
Think about ways in which you have had to be adaptable in the past. Then, write down those circumstances and use them as a way to show your skills. Perhaps there was a time when a former employer asked you to take on a new job duty. Maybe you needed to switch from being in the office five days a week to being at home part-time. In any case, give details about the situation and talk about what you did to adjust and thrive.
Communication
Whether you work solitary or on a large team, you need to be able to communicate well with your employer or coworkers. If you lack communication skills, you will only cause problems for your team. This is true for individuals who work remotely or in an office.
Throughout the hiring process, a hiring manager or employer pays attention to your communication. They look at your emails and listen to your voicemail. Furthermore, they note how you receive communication. Do you actively listen, or do you ask them to repeat instructions?
It's not enough to put "communication" as one of your skills. If you want to make the right impression, show the employer that you excel at communication. Check every email you send and prepare yourself for phone conversations and interviews.
Specific Job Skills
Finally, there's the issue of skills specific to the job description. You shouldn't make the mistake of assuming everyone in your industry shares the same skills as you. Go through the job description and pick out a few words that correlate with your skills. If they mention any technology you're familiar with, add that to the skills section of the resume.
If your resume gets you an interview, you can use the opportunity to expand on your skills. You might not be much more qualified than another applicant, but your focus on skills can make all the difference. Think about what an employer is looking for, and you can rise to the top of the applicant pool.