Balancing Soft Skills and Hard Skills: Striking the Right Tone in Your Resume
According to the statistics, 87% of employers struggle to find suitable employees as they don’t have the right skills. Thus, showing off a well-rounded skill set is essential to secure your target position. In today’s article, we will show you how to list hard and soft skills on a resume effectively and explain which skills are valued most by employers.
Have no time to rewrite a resume on your own? Today, many professionals turn to “do my CV” agencies and ask to write my resume for me. An experienced resume writer can create a document that highlights the most important skills for your target position and help you land more interviews. Plus, the company at the link offers resumes with 24-hour delivery and a full satisfaction guarantee.
Chapters
Hard and soft skills: What’s the difference?
Hard skills mean practical and technical abilities that can be learned through formal training. They are the must-haves for doing your job – for example, if you do not know Python programming language, you won’t be able to code. Hard skills are easy to measure and evaluate through tests.
On the flip side, soft skills refer to qualities and behavioral characteristics that you have as a person. The most common soft skills are teamwork, leadership and communication skills. A person with such abilities thrives in the workplace, creates a positive working environment, and others find them comfortable to work with.
Soft skills cannot be acquired through learning. One develops them while navigating challenging situations, gaining new experiences, interacting with people of diverse backgrounds, and seeking feedback from supervisors.
Interestingly, some employers will prefer hiring someone with well-developed soft skills and then teaching them the hard skills they are lacking. Such employers believe that practical skills can be learned quickly, whereas having a pleasant personality is more important for a healthy work climate and great performance.
Writing Resume Skills section: How to list your skills effectively?
Highlight skills required for your target position
A specific set of skills you’ll need to include will vary greatly from one role to another. For an accountant or a web designer, good communication and conflict resolution are good to have, but not essential. On the flip side, a customer support rep who doesn’t have such skills will struggle in the workplace.
Start by opening a job posting and highlighting the skills required by an employer so you could know what to focus on. Pay special attention to competencies mentioned more than once in the text. Be sure to adapt your resume based on what you’ve found to make it tailored and speak to the employer’s needs (little job-seekers do it, so you are likely to stand out).
Find the balance between the hard and soft skills
There’s a debate about whether hard skills are more important than soft skills, and vice versa. In fact, you need to mention both kinds to increase your chances for an interview. Firstly, make sure that your hard skills meet the qualifications minimum. For example, if an employer requests you to know several CRM systems and you know none, your resume is likely to get tossed no matter how many great skills you list.
How many soft skills to include? It depends on a specific position. If your job is skill-based (i.e. software developer, data scientist, financial analyst), listing relevant hard skills is more important. Yet, if you heavily interact with other people (a project manager, customer support rep, or HR manager), including plenty of soft skills and competencies is a must. When in doubt about what to include, rely on the job posting and the job description to figure out what matters most to an employer.
Add a dedicated Skills section
A survey shows that including a Key Skills section with 15-20 skills in it can increase your chances of getting an interview. Place this section right after your career summary so that your skills are instantly visible.
Here are the two ways to list your skills:
· Include your skills as a bulleted list. In this case, you name all skills you have, hard and soft ones, and organize them as a list. Put the most important skills at the top. Such formatting is best for entry-level professionals or for positions that do not require an extensive skillset.
· Group skills by categories. For example, technical skills, computer skills, languages, management skills, etc. Thus, you’ll make it easier for the reader to navigate the right skills.
Sometimes employers will ask you to indicate your level of proficiency with a certain skill. You can do it by including a certification or mentioning training (more on that below). Or, you can mention your level of proficiency as a beginner, advanced, or else.
List specific training and certifications
For hard skills, it is good to include your proof of mastering the skill on a certain level. You can back up your skills by adding relevant certifications, online courses, or workshops attended. Adding them will make your resume look more credible. For some employers, a certification is essential for considering you for a position.
If you don’t have certifications, show off your skills through examples – more on that below.
Showcase your skills through examples
Simply presenting your skills in a list is not enough to impress the employer. Prove your skills by giving examples from real situations at work where you used these skills. This is especially important for soft skills. Everyone can mention that they are hard-working and customer-oriented, so if you include an example, the hiring manager will appreciate it.
For example, in addition to listing problem-solving as a skill, you can write “Handled customer requests on the chat and phone with a 95% resolution rate”. A specific workplace situation backed by figures sounds more convincing, doesn’t it?
Soft skills to add to your resume
A strong resume should have a balanced combination of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are industry-specific, whereas soft ones can be applied to any industry. Here are some examples of soft skills to enhance your resume:
- Verbal and written communication
- Customer service
- Leadership
- Adaptability
- Time management
- Active listening
- Conflict resolution
- Problem solving
- Organizational skills
- Creative thinking.
Top hard skills to include
The hard skills you need to include will depend on the role. These skills should be optimized for your target role. Here are examples of listing your competencies in different categories:
Programming languages: Python, C#, Java, Ruby
Marketing skills: social media marketing, web design, SEO, copywriting
Languages: German (beginner), Arabic (fluent).
By listing a balanced combination of hard and soft skills, you will position yourself as a well-rounded employee and stand out to hiring managers.
5 extra tips to strengthen your application
Skills is one of the most important sections of your resume. Yet, you should also critically evaluate other sections and polish them before sending your application. Here are some quick tips to give your resume a quality update:
· Keep it to 1-2 pages. One page is best for entry-level professionals, and those with 5+ years of experience can use a two-page document. If your resume takes more than two pages, remove irrelevant information – outdated jobs, projects, or any other details.
· Optimize it with keywords. Incorporate keywords from the job posting throughout your resume. Many companies use ATS systems that look for keywords in resumes. By adding these keywords, you’ll get your resume seen by a human hiring manager.
· Cut off the irrelevant skills. As you acquire more skills throughout your career, some skills become obsolete or redundant. Be sure not only to add new skills to your resume, but also to remove the old ones that do not match your target job.
· Use achievements and metrics. Instead of simply listing your skills and duties, give specific achievements that show your contribution as a professional. Share specific figures and percentages (trained 7 sales associates, cut expenses by 15% quarterly). Thus, the employer will see you as a result-oriented individual.
· Proofread before sending. Most hiring managers are turned off by typos, poor grammar, and inconsistent punctuation. Check your resume a few times before applying to make sure it is free from any mistakes and makes a strong professional impression.
With this short guide, you will find it easier to add important skills and make the right impression on the employer. If you are not sure about what skills to add precisely, or hesitate about what to include on your resume in general, be sure to seek help from a resume expert. An experienced resume writer can improve every section of your resume and fine-tune the document for a specific position. Good luck with your job search!
FAQ
What are soft skills, and why are they important on a resume?
Soft skills are personal attributes and interpersonal skills that determine your ability to work and interact effectively with others. They are crucial on a resume as they demonstrate your work ethic, attitude, and other non-technical abilities.
What are hard skills, and how do they differ from soft skills?
Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities or skill sets that are easily quantifiable, like proficiency in a foreign language or computer programming skills. They differ from soft skills, which are more related to one’s personal traits and interpersonal abilities.
How should you list soft skills on a resume?
Incorporate soft skills into your resume by weaving them into your professional experience descriptions and summary statement, rather than just listing them.
Can you give examples of soft skills to include on a resume?
Examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, adaptability, creativity, and emotional intelligence.
How can you demonstrate soft skills on a resume?
Demonstrate soft skills by providing specific examples or achievements in your work experience that highlight these abilities, such as leading a team project or resolving customer issues.
Why are hard skills important on a resume?
Hard skills are important as they demonstrate your technical ability to perform specific job tasks and show that you have the necessary training or experience for the position.
How can you effectively showcase hard skills on your resume?
List hard skills in a separate skills section and include specific proficiencies relevant to the job, such as software knowledge, language fluency, or certifications.
Should you prioritize soft or hard skills on your resume?
The prioritization depends on the job and industry. For technical positions, hard skills may take precedence, while for customer-facing roles, soft skills might be more important.
How can you balance soft and hard skills on your resume?
Provide a mix of both, highlighting hard skills in a dedicated skills section and incorporating soft skills within your work history and summary.
Can soft skills make up for a lack of hard skills in a resume?
While soft skills are valuable, they typically cannot completely compensate for a lack of necessary hard skills for a technical or specialized job. However, they can be a decisive factor in roles where interpersonal skills are paramount.
Improve your Marketing with the Power of AI
See how you can start with AI Marketing and reach your goals faster than ever before. Check out the Tips, Strategies, AI Tools, Masterclass, Courses, and Community. Unleash the true potential of your brand with the help of AI.