List of top soft skills employers value (to use on your resume)

When candidates search for the ideal job, they must highlight relevant skills on their resume and during an interview. Soft skills are just as essential to a prospective employer as hard skills in many instances. However, some candidates neglect to emphasize their soft skills. By understanding what the top soft skills for resumes are, why they are important to employers, and how to sell yours, you could beat the competition and land the job you want.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills are the skills you use when interacting and collaborating with others. These interpersonal skills help you connect better with other people, communicate more effectively, and take on leadership roles with ease.

Soft skills are vital for a highly functional workplace because they enable people to get along better and efficiently complete their tasks. There will be more misunderstandings and clashes in the office, or via remote communications, between co-workers without soft skills.

While soft skills are something that people can strengthen and develop, most of them are “natural” — making them even more valuable to employers. This is one of the ways they differ from hard skills, which you can learn in school or from hands-on experience.

Should you include soft skills on your resume?

Some people underestimate the value of soft skills and don’t list them on their resume, or maybe they want to list them, but don’t know where to mention them. You can list your soft skills under the “Skills” section. List them right alongside the hard skills.

In addition, weave in soft skills in the “Work Experience” section of your resume. Since your work experience will have bullet-point statements highlighting your accomplishments, you can indicate any soft skills that made these possible.

Top soft skills to include on your resume

Communication

No matter what job you have, communication will be a key component of your success. Whether verbal or written communication, you need to have this soft skill polished to make things more seamless at the office.

Communication works both ways, meaning you need to have adept listening skills, too. Good listening skills help you pick up on important details from managers, customers, and co-workers. Employers will value those who communicate effectively and listen empathetically.

Terms or phrases you can use on your resume that reflect communication skills include:

• Active listening
• Verbal communication
• Non-verbal communication
• Presentation skills
• Written communication

Team player

Employers want an office filled with team players. Those are individuals who can work well with a diverse group of people. They are not too pushy but not too passive. When needed, a team player can step up to the plate and take charge, but they are willing to sit back if it’s not their role. These individuals are also ready to negotiate and compromise to get the job done. 

Employers know they can count on the team players to work well in a group without complaint. 

Terms or phrases you can use on your resume that reflect team player skills include:

• Collaboration
• Negotiation
• Compromise
• Cooperation
• Conflict management
• Delegation
• Coordination
• Mediation

Flexible/adaptable

Just like life can take a turn from time to time, work can too. Employers value employees who can adapt to the changing landscape. Flexibility is even more necessary for jobs driven in part by culture or current events, such as marketing, advertising, and public relations.

Terms or phrases you can use on your resume that reflect flexibility/adaptability skills include:

• Open-mindedness
• Easy-going
• Willing to change
• Compromise
• Versatile
• Creative
• Calm

Leadership

A strong leader is an asset to an employer because they are decisive and responsible. If needed, the employer can count on them in a crisis and know that they can manage themselves and others. Even if you aren’t put in a leadership position, having these qualities can help when problems come up.

Terms or phrases you can use on your resume that reflect leadership skills include:

• Empathy
• Selflessness
• Conflict resolution
• Management
• Decisive
• Listening
• Mentoring
• Humility

Work ethic

Employers appreciate people with a strong work ethic to be a part of the workplace. These are individuals who are responsible and dependable. They exercise good time-management skills, are prompt in completing their tasks, and can be counted on.

Terms or phrases you can use on your resume that reflect work ethic skills include:

• Disciplined
• Take initiative
• Dependable
• Integrity
• Responsible
• Honesty
• Respectability
• Committed
• Self-motivated
• Professional

Interpersonal skills

These are the “people skills” that you might think of when referring to soft skills. They involve the ability to interact easily with others and maintain relationships. They consist of getting along with all different types of personalities — even ones that may not be your preferred “type.” Interpersonal skills are critical for business dealings and interactions because you may leave a bad impression on people without them.

Interpersonal skills are useful in all types of professions because you’ll likely have co-workers, managers, and customers with whom you’ll interact. These skills are even more critical for people who work in industries where customer service is the main focus.

Terms or phrases you can use on your resume that reflect interpersonal skills include:

• Networking
• Tolerance
• Communication
• Sensitivity
• Empathy
• Mentoring
• Patience
• Diplomacy

Positivity

When someone has a positive attitude, it brings a great atmosphere to the whole office. Customers and other employees enjoy being around others who are cheerful and upbeat all the time. Employers especially appreciate someone who has a positive mindset in the workplace; it is inspirational to other employees and can make stressful days seem lighter.

When someone has a positive attitude, it can help solve problems that otherwise might not get resolved. People with positivity and optimism don’t see problems — only solutions.

Terms or phrases you can use on your resume that reflect positivity skills include:

• Confidence
• Solutions
• Cheerfulness
• Optimism
• Energy
• Enthusiasm
• Eagerness
• Friendliness
• Cooperation
• Patience

Other ways to highlight your soft skills with prospective employers

Your resume isn’t the only place you can bring out your soft skills to a potential employer. Highlight some of these skills in your cover letter. You can provide examples of how you used these skills to accomplish goals on the job. This allows the reader to see the skill in action.

If you secure an interview, be sure to weave some soft skills into the answers you provide. Of course, you don’t want to throw out just any soft skills — make them relevant to the job you’re applying for.