A good resume can land you that dream job interview. This essential document must highlight your skill set and sell your uniqueness, all in one document. It will be assessed by the employer or recruiting staff based on what is required for the job description. So, how do you know what skills to put on your resume? If you don’t want yours to end up in a paper shredder, your resume needs to put emphasis on the skills that you have to offer.
Table of contents
- Hard vs Soft Skills: What’s the Difference?
- 20 Best Skills to Put on Resume
- Importance of Knowing the Right Skills to Put on Resume
Hard vs Soft Skills: What’s the Difference?
A winning resume must showcase both hard and soft skills. It is important that you have a good mix of both in order to stand out from other job applicants.
Hard skills refer to acquired knowledge. It is a skill that you learn through education or training. This is often supported by a license or certification to provide proof of your skills and capacity. A few examples of hard skills are as follows:
- Marketing
- Web development
- Computer technology
- Writing
- Data analysis
- Software development
- Project management
- Cloud computing
- Accounting
Soft skills, on the other hand, are something that you possess innately. It is something that developed naturally or as you evolve based on the conditions you grew up in. It is important to include soft skills in your resume because it might prove critical in the job you are seeking, giving you an edge over other applicants. Below are some examples of soft skills:
- Interpersonal skills
- Good communication
- Leadership skills
- Work ethic
- Creativity
- Attention to detail
- Time management
- Problem solving
20 Best Skills to Put on Resume
Your skills are equally important as your work experience. In fact, some recruiters will put more weight on skills allowing fresh graduates to compete for their dream job position. The reason why recruiters put a lot of emphasis on skills is because it will save them the time and effort to train new employees. By possessing these skills, it makes it easier for you – the new hire – to get started on the job.
Identifying which skills to put on resume is critical to your success. To help you choose, here is a list of the top 20 key skills you need in your resume to get you noticed. This list is based on the latest LinkedIn research on the skills employees needed in 2020 that apply in 2021 and moving forward.
1. Blockchain – This is a new entry into the list of LinkedIn’s most in demand skills of 2020 (it wasn’t even in the top 10 the previous year). Your knowledge or skill with blockchain technology can prove valuable in the recruitment field.
2. Cloud Computing – This is another one of the most in-demand skills in 2021. It used to be the top skills employers sought after until it was overtaken by blockchain. Still, having skill in this field will make you highly competitive in the job market.
3. Analytical reasoning – In a data-driven world, the ability to analyze and make decisions based on data is proving to be critical in the hiring decision of employers and recruiters.
4. Artificial intelligence – The skills and ability to harness the power of artificial intelligence is a highly valued skill in this day and age. It allows companies to deliver innovative products and services.
5. UX Design – Your knowledge in developing human-centric and intuitive designs in mobile apps and websites can make you an asset to any company.
6. Business Analysis – This skill will make you a valuable addition to any company, regardless of your niche.
7. Affiliate Marketing – Traditional advertising is trumped by social media. This gives rise to affiliate marketing as one of the most sought-after skills in the job market.
8. Sales – This hard skill has remained consistent even as times have changed. Skills with sales are going to be more essential as competition is stiffer than ever.
9. Scientific computing – This is another skill linked with software infrastructure and engineering. Companies are seeking individuals with this skill to develop machine learning models and programs.
10. Video production – Video content reigns supreme in the web and especially in social media. Knowledge in video production will give you an edge in the job market.
Below are 10 more essential skills to put on resume if you want to land that dream job interview and edge out your competition:
11. Creativity (soft skill)
12. Persuasion (soft skill)
13. Collaboration (soft skill)
14. Adaptability (soft skill)
15. Emotional intelligence (soft skill)
16. Problem Solving
17 Critical Thinking
18. SEO
19. Social Media Marketing
20. Accounting and Finance
Importance of Knowing the Right Skills to Put on Resume
Even if you might have an impressive list of skills, you can’t list them all. You need to think about the relevance of certain skills to the job you are seeking. For example, if you are applying for an accounting position, your skills in cloud computing and attention to detail will be valuable to your pursuit of the job. On the other hand, your skills in marketing and creativity might not help you land the job.
There are two ways to look at this. First off, you need to assess your skills when looking for a job to apply to. Make sure it aligns with your skill set and interest in order to optimize your chances of being hired. On the other hand, you need to showcase your best skills that would be necessary for the job
Still not sure about what skills to put on your resume? Look at the job description carefully. The employer or recruiter will list out essential skills that they are looking for. Identify which of these skills you possess and make sure to include them in your resume. To succeed in your job application with the help of your resume is not necessarily about having the most skills to offer; it is knowing how to tailor your skills to the job description.
The most important tip to remember is this: do not lie about your skills. If you claim to possess certain skills, make sure you do have them. Otherwise, you could mislead the employer into believing that you are capable of doing the job when you’re not.
