A few weeks back we went over the difference between hard and soft skills. Hard skills are the type of things that you either can or cannot do (writing in C++, typing 75 words per minute, etc.), and soft skills are more flexible personality traits (communication skills, integrity, detail oriented, etc.).While hard skills will determine whether or not you are qualified for the job, your soft skills will get you the job offer. It is important to note, however, that not all soft skills are created equal, and today we are going to look at which soft skills you should be making note of on your resume, and how to show those skills to your potential employer.
Integrity- It is of the utmost importance that you do not lie on your resume, or at any other point during the interview process. Part of having integrity is not just not outright lying, but not accidentally lying through omission, or through oversight. Make sure that everything on your resume and cover letter is accurate. If there are inaccuracies and inconsistencies, even accidental ones, you will not look like the beacon of honesty that you want to be.
Communication skills- If you can show off that you are honest and you know how to communicate effectively you will be the ideal hire. Every company needs good writers, good listeners and excellent presenters. If you can bring communication skills to the table you will be a valuable asset to any team. This is a skill you can show off in the interview, re-read all of our interview tips and you will be able to show off your ability to communicate.
Work Ethic- Without a strong work ethic it does not matter how great all of your other qualities are, you will be next to useless. Being able to show that you can and will work hard for your employer is necessary if you want to get hired. You can show this off by treating the whole application process like your job, and working hard at it. Research the company before you go into the interview, have your story based questions prepared, have a completely typo-free and polished resume. These things seem small on their own, but if you are claiming a strong work ethic they are absolutely vital to your application process.
Positive Attitude/Emotional Intelligence- If you are the kind of person that can boost morale, you are the kind of person that every company wants to hire. Having emotional intelligence means that you are good at reading a room and having a decent sense of how everyone is doing. When coupled with a general positive attitude, you are the kind of person that can take a room full of salespeople who had a bad quarter and get them back on the phones and making sales. These are vital skills for managers, or anyone who wants to help a team excel.
Though you cannot land a job solely with soft skills, you also are not going to be able to land one without any! During your next application process try using these soft skills and see what happens!