Hard and soft skills illustrate to hiring managers the difference between prospective employees. Both types are important when looking for a well-rounded candidate for a job. The skills you list on your resume may determine if you get an interview for the position.
Choosing hard skills for resume builders are easier to identify when you know what to look for. Recognizing your resume soft skills, on the other hand, can take introspection and feedback. If you need help labeling your professional skills, check out these tips for writing your resume.
Education, training, and other teachable knowledge form your measurable abilities. Your hard skills are the technical aptitude you have for specific information.
For instance, tech industries need professionals experience and comprehension of specific programming languages, tools, and software. Hard skills for a computer programmer could include understanding JAVA, Oracle, and user interface design.
Specific hard skills for resume writers will vary by industry. What is needed in restaurants may not prove handy in hospitals and other healthcare faculties.
When you are looking for hard skills to put on a resume, look for examples based on your professional industry. Look for the top 20 hard skills for the position you seek to see if any pertain to you.
Some general examples of hard skills for resume despite the field include the following:
- Multilingual
- Management; hiring, planning, and operations
- Marketing, like correspondence and social media
- Analysis, such as research, reporting, and data interpreting
- Financial skills, like budgeting
- Writing techniques, such as journalism, creative, and copy
- Computer skills and software
- Design, like graphic, sketching, and user experience visualization
Certificates can be a great way to present your hard skills. Certifications prove to hiring managers that you have technical knowledge that is relevant to the position, making you a valuable hire.
Your credentials on your resume will depend on your field, such as A+ Certification for the tech industry and ISSA for personal trainers. Some types of certifications companies look for include the following:
- Public Notary
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- FEMA Certification
Soft skills can fill in the blanks if you do not have significant hard skills. You may have developed soft skills while working or training. Or, your personality could consist of several soft skills sought in a professional environment.
