Writing a Resume: What Skills Should You Include?
When you’re writing a resume, it’s important to include the skills that make you stand out from the competition. It’s not enough to list your job title and a few bullet points; employers are looking for unique skills that show you’ve got what it takes to excel in the position. Here are some tips on what skills to include on your resume.
Hard Skills
Hard skills refer to technical abilities like coding, software engineering, financial analysis, and so on. These are specific abilities that employers are looking for to fulfill a specific role. If your background fits the job description, it’s important to highlight the hard skills that you have, such as knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Soft Skills
Soft skills are important as well. These are the abilities that make it easier to collaborate with others and be successful in a company culture. Soft skills include things like communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. If you don’t have the hard skills for a particular role, you can emphasize your soft skills to make up for that.
Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are those you have acquired from one job that can be applied to another. This could be anything from customer service, to project management, to leadership. Whatever it is, it’s important to think about how these skills can be useful to the employer and make sure to emphasize them on your resume.
Include Relevant Volunteer Work or Student Projects
If you don’t have much paid experience, or you’re transitioning to a new industry, you can showcase your relevant volunteer work or student projects. Any time you’ve had to use a skill or learn something new is worth mentioning on your resume.
Tailor Your Resume for Different Positions
When writing your resume, it’s important to tailor it for each position you are applying for. Think about the job description and make sure your resume reflects the skills the employer is looking for. It’s also important to make sure you highlight your top skills that differentiate you from the competition.
Take the time to tailor each resume to the position you’re applying to, so the employer knows you’ve put in effort and have done your research on their company. It’s a great way to show that you’re a good fit for the job.
Include Keywords
When writing your resume, it’s important to use keywords that pertain to the job you’re applying for. Employers scan resumes for keywords related to the job posting, so including the right keywords can make sure your resume stands out.
In conclusion, when writing a resume, the most important thing is to showcase the skills and experience that will make you stand out from the competition. Make sure you highlight your hard and soft skills, transferable skills, volunteer work, student projects, and relevant keywords. With the right skills on your resume, it will be easier to land the job you want.