As more companies are sprouting up, so is the hunt for jobs and so is the competition between skilled and talented job applicants. Although having the right job skills makes you more qualified and gives you an edge over others, if you do not have a top-notch resume, one that stands out, you still might not land that dream job.
The skills and job experience section of your resume form part of the most important sections of your resume. The skills section, of course, shows the recruiters if you have the ability to function efficiently and effectively in that position or not. For this reason, hiring managers pay close attention to this section.
Which skills are relevant to your resume? Which one will get you hired? Here we will talk about the skills you should add to your resume and differentiate between soft skills and hard skills. Also, read about the most frequently asked job interview questions and how to answer them in order to prepare as well as possible.
What are hard and soft skills?
These are the two main types of job skills that can be included in the resume. Both are relevant when you are reviewing the job skills required for your target job.
- Soft skills- also known as interpersonal skills are skills that are not specific to a particular job. That is to say, they apply for every job. These include your communication skills, emotional skills, and other qualities that enable you to maintain a positive attitude towards achieving your goal and success in your workplace.
- Hard skills- they are skills required to do a particular job. They are usually acquired via education, practice, or training. Examples of such skills include; computer skills, managerial skills, customer care skills, and administrative skills.
Almost every job requires a combination of these two types of skills.
Skills listed by job types
If you consider getting a job in a particular area, you might be faced with the challenge of the skills you should add to your resume. Whichever skill you are to include should, of course, be relevant to that particular job specialty. Here are some skills that are peculiar to some industries.
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Education sector / public sector
This sector includes teachers, social service workers, law enforcement agents, non-governmental workers, etc. the skills required here are analytical thinking, organizational skills, communication skills, patience, skills, technical skills, team player, time planning, record keeping, computer skills, networking, creativity, coaching, active listening, criminal study, observant, attentiveness, internet researches, legal knowledge, investigation, multitasking, presentations, sorting, reporting, writing, flexibility, etc.
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Finance sector
The job skills and qualifications needed by finance personnel vary. Jobs in the finance industry include banking, accounting, insurance, investment banking, bookkeeping, etc.
These jobs require skills such as knowledge of Financial Software Apps, basic accounting, written and oral communication skills, working with accuracy, ICT skills, customer relations, and customer service skills, excel, maintenance of petty cash, mathematics or calculations, maintenance, money handling, account reconciliations, record keeping, transaction inquiries, and verifications skills.
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Creative / media sector
Numerous jobs can be categorized under this sector. Examples of jobs in this industry are fashion designing, film production, music production, news broadcasting and advertising, interior decoration.
They require job skills such as ad-libbing, multi-tasking, writing proficiency, creativity, communication skills, public speaking, storytelling, networking, negotiation skills, project planning and management skills, research and problem-solving skills, time management, teamwork.
Other job skills include; search engine optimization skills, social media marketing skills, content marketing, graphics and designing skills, web programming, promotion skills, media planning, sales inventory analysis, trend forecasting, merchandising, sketching, and styling skills, E-commerce, etc.
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The business/ administrative sector
There are the necessary business and administrative skills employees need to possess in order to excel in their jobs and careers. Some of those skills include; good communication skills, public speaking, writing, teamwork, editing, emailing, filing, business correspondence, customer care, and service.
They need computer and technology skills such as internet development, order processing, desktop publishing, research, record keeping Microsoft Office, transcription and translation, typing, web-conference preparation, word processing.
They should also have organization and problem-solving skills such as; issue resolution, making appointments, meeting planning, billing, bookkeeping, inventory-taking, office administration and management, time management, and travel arrangements.
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Healthcare sector
Healthcare is a critical sector in that it deals either directly or indirectly with human lives. Certain skills are necessary for productivity in this sector. Such skills include patient care skills like; empathy, patient assessment, kindness, patience, administration of medications, bed making, and bedside monitoring, use of hospital tools and equipment, wound dressing, geriatric care, emergency room care, family education, neonatal care, patient evaluation, and history taking.
It also includes other skills such as teamwork, communication skills, time management, adherence to ethical rules, assertiveness and attentiveness to details, analytical thinking, ability to work under pressure, fast decision-making skills, patient relations, ability to interpret medical tests, leadership skills, organizational skills, calculations, researching, problem-solving, persuasiveness, etc.
Other important skills to include on your resume
We could go on and on skills that you can include on your resume for specific job fields but they are quite numerous. Here are some of the important skills you just have to cover in your resume:
- Listening skills
- Communication skills
- Creative thinking skills
- Decision making
- Attention to detail
- Computer skills
- Customer service
- Leadership skills
- Time management
- Interpersonal skills
- Management skills
- Multitasking
- Positive attitude to work
- Problem-solving
- Analytic thinking
- Self-motivation
How do you identify your best skills?
To avoid filling up your resume with junks, you should identify the best skills you possess and include them first. Therefore, if you are not so sure of the skills to include, here are some ways you can identify them:
- Consider your previous achievements and awards
- Ask people you have worked with
- Consider which of the skills you have enjoyed using the most
- Ask professionals in the field
- You can get clues from discussions with family and friends
Do you know you have to match your skills to your job?
You don’t just list the series of skills you have without matching them to your target job. Be specific when you include your skills on your cover letter and resume.
Taking the time to match your skills with the job will show your interviewers that you are a better match for the job and this would increase your chances of being chosen for the job.
Decide on the format to use when listing your skills on your resume
There are various ways and formats you can use while listing your skills on your resume:
- Listing skills on a functional resume-this method is a good option for people changing careers or with limited professional experience. You can have your skills listed in a ‘skills section’ at the top off your resume. Add any experience you have below each listed skill.
- Have a separate skills section- you can create a separate section on your resume for your skills and highlight those keywords from your job description
- Combine and weave your skills into your professional experience section- if you don’t want to list your skills on a different section of your resume, you may weave them into your experience section. In addition, you can strengthen your skills section with additional and specific examples.
Job Interview Topics – Common Job Interview Questions & Answers
Below you can find a list of common job interview topics. Each link will direct you to an article regarding the specific topics that discuss commonly asked interview questions. Furthermore, each article discusses why the interviewer asks these questions and how you answer them!
- Accomplishments
- Adaptability
- Admission
- Behavioral
- Career Change
- Career Goals
- Communication
- Competency
- Conflict Resolution
- Creative Thinking
- Cultural Fit
- Customer Service
- Direct
- Experience
- Government
- Graduate
- Growth Potential
- Honesty & Integrity
- Illegal
- Inappropriate
- Job Satisfaction
- Leadership
- Management
- Entry-Level & No experience
- Performance-Based
- Personal
- Prioritization & Time Management
- Problem-solving
- Salary
- Situational & Scenario-based
- Stress Management
- Teamwork
- Telephone Interview
- Tough
- Uncomfortable
- Work Ethic
