Resume Skills

Reasons that applicants typically choose this route include:

☛ It is required/preferred by their industry

☛ They have insufficient work experience

☛ They have large or frequent employment changes/gaps

☛ They want to change careers

☛ Their educational/training background is atypical for this position

☛ They have been terminated from one or more positions

☛ Choose the most relevant skills & abilities from your list that match the ones required by your target job. If you do not have a perfect match, think about transferable skills that demonstrate similar skills, abilities and tools.

☛ List accomplishments, tasks & projects that demonstrate how you used these skills. Use short skill statements that begin with action verbs (tracked, organized, assembled, installed etc.)

☛ Group similar skills & accomplishments & give each group a skill heading title (payroll preparation and taxes, programming and development, staff supervision/training, project management).

A skills-based resume is a document that lists a person's job qualifications in skill categories, rather than the standard approach of using reverse chronological work experience categories. You should consider using a skills based resume if it would help you present yourself to potential employers in a more powerful way than a chronological resume would.

A resume is a short, concise document that states relevant information regarding your education, skills, experiences, accomplishments and job-related interests.

Define Your Skills/Abilities

1. Make a list of all your "work-like" experiences & activities related to your target job.

☛ Related employment, including part-time or summer

☛ Volunteer positions

☛ Internships (cooperative education)

☛ Relevant school activities (clubs, student government, special projects)

2. List all training - college courses, conferences & workshops, labs, projects.

3. List skills, tools, techniques you learned & used in each of the above.

☛ Examine the job posting of your targeted job & make a list of all required skills, abilities, & tools.

☛ Supplement scanty job postings by:

Contacting employer for more information and referring to other job descriptions, such as those in the dictionary of occupational titles.

These are critical skills that employers demand of job-seekers:

☛ Communication skills (listening, verbal, written)

☛ Analytical/research skills

☛ Planning/Organizing

☛ Problem-solving/Reasoning/Creativity

☛ Teamwork

☛ Computer/technical literacy

☛ Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing multiple priorities

☛ Interpersonal abilities

☛ Leadership/Management skills

☛ Multicultural sensitivity/awareness

This skill deals with your ability to assess a situation, seek multiple perspectives, gather more information if necessary and identify key issues that need to be addressed.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

☛ Highly analytical thinking with demonstrated talent for identifying, scrutinizing, improving, and streamlining complex work processes.

While there is some debate about whether leadership is something people are born with, these skills deal with your ability to take charge and manage your co-workers.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Goal-driven leader who maintains a productive climate and confidently motivates, mobilizes and coaches employees to meet high performance standards.

By far, the one skill mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write and speak effectively. Successful communication is critical in business.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Exceptional listener and communicator who effectively conveys information verbally and in writing.

It deals with your ability to manage multiple assignments and tasks, set priorities and adapt to changing conditions and work assignments.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Flexible team player who thrives in environments requiring ability to effectively prioritize and juggle multiple concurrent projects.

☛ Put Objective first - use specific job title of the position

☛ Follow with your skill statements & skill headings. This will be the main section of your resume.

☛ Then briefly list your Education & Work History. Put most relevant section first.

☛ Do not list your references. Use a separate sheet or write references on request.

A skills-based resume does just that:

☛ Self-assessment

☛ Research your target job to identify required skills

☛ Describe, group & title relevant skills

☛ Write your resume

Almost all jobs now require some basic understanding of computer hardware and software, especially word processing, spreadsheets and email.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Computer-literate performer with extensive software proficiency covering wide variety of applications.

☛ An experienced team leader with the ability to initiate/manage cross-functional teams and multi-disciplinary projects.

☛ Critical thinking, decision-making and problem solving skills.

☛ Planning and organizing.

☛ Excellence Personal Communication skills.

☛ Project management skills: Influencing, leading, negotiating and delegating abilities.

☛ Conflict resolution.

☛ Adaptability.

☛ Tolerant to stressed situations.

☛ Analytical thinking, planning.

☛ Accuracy and Attention to details.

☛ Organization and prioritization skills.

☛ Problem analysis, use of judgment and ability to solve problems efficiently.

Hard skills are the qualifications required to do the job. For example, computer skills, administrative skills or customer service skills.

Soft skills are the skills that apply to every job. They are your people skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills and other qualities that enable you to be successful in the workplace.

☛ Self motivated

☛ Initiative with a high level of energy

☛ Strong verbal and personal communication skills

☛ Decision making, critical thinking, organizing and planning

☛ Tolerant and flexible to different situations