With hundreds of people applying for coveted positions, standing out in a competitive job market can feel impossible. So, how can you ensure your resume doesn’t get lost in the shuffle?
The answer lies in one word: skills.
Your resume must showcase the right set of skills that will impress employers and make them take notice. But what are those skills? What exactly are employers desperately seeking in their ideal candidates?
From in-demand technical proficiencies to sought-after soft skills, we’ve curated the definitive list of the top 25 skills that employers simply can’t resist.
Not only will you gain valuable insights into which of these in-demand skills you already have, but we will also help you pinpoint the specific skills required for your target job. These tips are your ticket to showcasing your expertise and securing job interviews.
1. Active Listening Skills
Active listening involves paying attention so that you understand what others are saying. It requires focusing on the speaker, keeping an open mind, not interrupting, and asking thoughtful questions to ensure clarity.
2. Administrative Experience
Administrative skills and experience are highly valuable in a wide range of positions beyond the traditional “administrator” role. These skills encompass soft skills that show your attention to detail, such as organizing, planning, time management, and managing personnel or projects.
3. Analytical Skills
Employers want workers who can investigate a problem and find solutions. The level of analytical skills needed can vary widely depending on the sector and position. For example, analyzing computer data requires a somewhat different skill set than figuring out why employee productivity has fallen.
4. Attention to Detail
Like being organized, attention to detail shows employers you are thorough and meticulous in your work. The easiest way to demonstrate being detail-oriented when job searching is to follow the directions in the job posting carefully.
Make sure your cover letter and resume are error-free and formatted correctly. Mistakes on your application show that you don’t pay attention, causing employers to question what else on your resume is false.
5. Communication Skills
Every job demands communicating with others, so employers see candidates with strong written and verbal communication skills as valuable additions to their teams. This is because people who can communicate well tend to get along with others. It also helps to prevent issues like miscommunication or arguments from happening.
Public speaking is another related skill that employers often look for. These skills are useful for roles involving presentations, such as teaching, sales, broadcasting, and legal positions.
6. Computer Skills
There are far more positions that require using a computer than do not. This can be anything from word processing and spreadsheets to being an expert with specific software, like an architectural program or scheduling system.
Along the same lines, web development and information technology skills are also in high demand across most industries. If you have these job skills or experience in this area, include them on your resume, even if you aren’t applying for a technology-specific role.
7. Creativity and Innovation Skills
Employers love creative candidates. The ability to think outside the box, develop new and innovative ideas, and approach challenges with a fresh perspective is a valuable asset in today’s dynamic work environment.
Demonstrate your creative skills on your resume by highlighting an innovative solution you came up with to an unusual problem.
8. Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Skills
Every employer wants to hire someone who can think clearly and rationally. They see critical thinking as an indispensable skill that allows employees to figure out the best steps to take when working on projects or assisting customers and confidently move forward in their decision-making.
9. Customer Service Skills
Many jobs involve working with customers, clients, or patients, making good customer service one of the most common top skills employers seek. Whether you communicate with clients in person or online, you need to understand what they want, acknowledge their feelings, and assist them by providing a service or finding a solution.
10. Data Analysis
The business world is becoming more digital every day, making data analysis an extremely valuable skill to have on your resume. Many organizations are looking for people who can analyze and extrapolate information from raw data, such as website visitor traffic and sales conversion rates.
11. Design
Because people are highly visual creatures, having good design skills makes you a valuable commodity. Good design attracts customers, encourages engagement and sales, and effectively communicates complex ideas and brand messages.
Design skills range from graphic and web design to advertising to creating presentations for internal and external stakeholders.
12. Emotional Intelligence and Maturity
Maturity demonstrates your emotional intelligence and ability to handle emotions with composure and professionalism, particularly during difficult situations. It also involves helping others deal with their emotions constructively, creating a supportive environment.
13. Foreign Languages
Speaking multiple languages is a sought-after skill in many industries. Since most people in North America are monolingual, bilingual and multilingual candidates have a real advantage. They play a crucial role in various areas, from translating languages to negotiating international business contracts and government treaties.
14. Interpersonal Skills
Every job involves working with others in some capacity. Interpersonal skills involve how you communicate and build these relationships. For a business to succeed, there needs to be open communication and collaboration between staff and management to exchange ideas and information. It ensures productivity, promotes innovation, and leads to a happier workplace.
15. Leadership and Management Skills
You don’t need to be a manager to be a leader. Between team projects, training new staff, facilitating discussions, and stepping up when a problem needs to be solved, employees at every level can benefit from strong leadership skills.
16. Marketing
Knowing how to promote products and services effectively is not easy to master. As such, marketing is one of those hard skills many employers always seek to recruit. Thankfully, it’s also a transferable skill.
Even if you have never explicitly worked in marketing, extensive sales or social media management can make you a strong candidate. It shows your ability to effectively promote products and engage with audiences.
17. Mathematics
Various industries, such as finance, engineering, construction, and healthcare, require people who possess strong math skills.
If you have multiple skills, such as algebra, calculus, or geometry, mention each one separately or group similar skills together on your resume. Remember to provide examples of how you have used these skills on the job, showcasing the positive impact and results.
18. Negotiation and Persuasion Skills
Negotiation and persuasion skills are useful for conflict resolution, making deals, settling contracts, and even advancing your career. These skills involve flexibility to find mutually beneficial solutions and persuasive communication of your perspective to gain support for your ideas or suggestions.
19. Problem Solving
Every employer wants their employees to be able to deal with problems when they come up. Some positions are specifically designed to solve problems, such as tech support and customer service roles.
Problem-solving and analytical skills are closely related but not exactly the same. While some people may be very good at analyzing data and spotting problems, not everyone can develop a creative solution.
20. Project Management
Project management skills show a prospective employer that you can oversee projects, efficiently allocate resources, and successfully complete assignments on time. They are highly valued skills because they contribute to increased productivity, streamlined workflows, and successful project outcomes.
Knowing how to use project management software is a bonus you should also include in your resume. It shows you know how to use technology to organize and coordinate tasks and teams.
21. Organization
Employers see organized prospects as productive employees. This skill is easy to show off your resume by ensuring it is neat, well-structured, and properly formatted. You can also demonstrate your organizational skills at a job interview by being on time, bringing extra copies of your resume, and having a list of references ready.
22. Responsibility
Employers don’t want to hire someone who will need constant monitoring to ensure they are doing their job. They want someone responsible who is also willing to own up to their mistakes.
23. Teamwork
Effective teamwork is essential in today’s workplace. As such, most employers consider working well and effectively communicating with team members a must-have skill. They need to know that their staff can work together to achieve the company’s goals and objectives.
24. Time Management Skills
Time management skills are critical in a busy work environment. However, good time management skills involve more than just being on time. Employers want their staff to know how to prioritize tasks, plan ahead, delegate or ask for help when needed, and use their time wisely to ensure the work gets done and that deadlines are met.
25. Writing Skills
As most people read and write at the 8th-grade level, having solid writing skills will make you a strong candidate for many positions. Even if the position does not call for writing skills specifically, this is a hard skill you should always include on your resume.
Employers often tire of reading reports and emails (not to mention resumes) filled with typos and simple grammatical errors. If your communication is polished and error-free, it reflects your professionalism and attention to detail, making a positive impression on potential employers.
Bonus: Unique Skills for Your Resume
Adding your unique skills to a resume is a surefire way to stand out from the rest. So, what do you bring to the table that no one else (or very few others) will have?
We’re not talking about being an expert at historical trivia or your abilities to hit those TikTok dance moves, though. Although these are unique talents, they don’t belong on your resume.
Think more in terms of your unique certifications, specialized training, or licenses. Are there specific technical skills, software, or programming languages that are not commonly known that can give you a competitive edge?
Are you self-motivated, clean, and eager to learn more? Employers love this!
If you have ever started your own business or have experience in entrepreneurship, highlight your ability to take risks, innovate, and drive results independently. Or maybe you are excellent at networking and have some impressive relationships and connections that could be leveraged.
How to Identify Your Best Skills
You have a lot of remarkable talents. Leaning into whatever your strengths are can make life easier and more enjoyable. By identifying your skills, you can make better choices about what career path to take and what sort of life you want to live — be it raising a family on a quiet farm or pursuing a modeling career in New York City.
It’s not always easy to recognize what you are good at, though. Especially when the skill comes naturally to you. But when it comes to things like writing a resume or successfully organizing your life, you need to know! Learn how to identify your skills with these ten expert tips.
Learn New Skills
Upgrading your job skills and learning something new is always a great idea. The ability to learn online has made education so much more accessible and affordable. Geography is no longer a barrier; in many cases, neither is cost.
Whatever the reason, there are plenty of ways to learn new job skills or refresh the ones you already have. And the best news is that it can be for free!
