It may be a job hunter’s market, but that doesn’t make it any easier for a specific candidate to stand out from the crowd. Your resume serves as your calling card—your first introduction to a potential new employer. While your education and experience are just as important as they ever were, today’s job hunters also need to highlight both their hard and soft skills.
Not only do employers want to see what you are capable of, but many companies now use automated software to screen resumes. To ensure that yours makes it through the initial screening, you’ll need to use keywords that match those in the job description. And many of these keywords are skills. But what skills should you list for 2023? Here are just a few.
Hard Skills
Hard skills are also known as technical skills. They vary by industry and role, but may include such things as database management or specific programming languages. You’ll want to carefully read the job description and include any of the mentioned skills that you have mastered.
Soft Skills
Soft skills are transferrable across all industries. These are the people skills that make a workplace run smoothly. In many cases, employers are looking even more closely at candidates’ soft skills than their hard skills, as soft skills are much more difficult to learn on the job. You’ll want to list them in the Skills section of your resume, and also show off how you have previously used them in the Experience section. Important soft skills for 2023 include, but are not limited to:
Creativity
Technology continues to evolve at lightning pace. And the recent pandemic upended everything we thought we knew about the world of work. Today’s companies are looking for employees who can develop innovative solutions to emerging challenges.
Collaboration
The days of siloed departments and strict hierarchies are gone at most organizations. Today, cross-departmental collaboration has become the norm. Collaboration skills are especially important if you’re going for a remote or hybrid position, since virtual collaboration brings its own set of challenges.
Digital Literacy
Even if your potential new role isn’t directly in a computer-related field, today’s employers will expect you to be comfortable in the online world. From social media to remote collaboration with coworkers, you’ll need to know how to navigate a variety of digital platforms.
Self-Motivation
Whether you will work remotely or on site, most companies are trending away from micromanagement. You’ll be expected to meet deadlines without hand holding, to reach out when you need assistance, and to juggle often conflicting priorities. If you have taken any extra classes or earned any certifications in your field, a Continuing Education section on your resume can help show off your determination and self-motivation.
Adaptability
The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us all that things can suddenly change on a dime. Today’s employers are looking for team members who are unafraid to roll with the punches. Adaptability means that you can not only survive, but thrive, through whatever comes your way. And the most adaptable employees are able to guide and motivate others through major changes.
Time Management
Most jobs today will require you to juggle multiple projects, all with their own due dates and other requirements. Companies want employees who know how to organize their time, stay on task, and deliver on or before the stated deadline. Time management skills are arguably even more important if the position is partially or fully remote, because there are simply so many distractions available to you.
Organization
Keeping your projects organized is also key to being successful in today’s workplace. If you have actual project management experience or skills, be sure to list them on your resume. But even without that specific background, you can use your resume to show off your organizational abilities. For example, you might mention that your last position required you to maintain updated files for X number of separate customers.
Problem Solving
Both foreseeable and unforeseeable challenges are inevitable in any business. Employees who are able to see these setbacks as opportunities and work through them are invaluable. It’s important to understand when something is above your pay grade and should be referred to management, but most supervisors prefer for team members to solve the day-to-day issues. And when you do refer something up the chain of command, offering suggested solutions will make you stand out as a leader and innovator.
While hard skills remain important, many employers today are heavily focusing on soft skills. These skills transfer well across industries, are hard to learn on the job, and can keep any workplace running more smoothly. Take the time to assess your soft skills, and then find ways to highlight them on your resume. This will help you stand out in a crowded field of job seekers.
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