So, you decided to start hunting for a new job? How exciting! You’re about to close one door and start an entirely new journey. You have the courage, and you definitely have the enthusiasm to approach the process. But do you have the skills?
First, let’s start with writing skills. Do you have them? You’ll have to write a resume, so a certain level of writing skills is absolutely necessary. Of course, you could rely on a resume writing service to get that part covered. But even then, you’re the one who provides instructions for the writers.
You are the person presented in that resume, so you have to step up with an impressive skill set.
Understand What Hiring Managers Are Looking For
Let’s try to get into the shoes of someone in the HR department. This is a person who is responsible for the company’s human resources. Their hiring decisions are directly connected with the growth of the organization. Needless to say, they want the best people on their team.
This is also a very busy person. A single job search attracts between 75 and 250 applications on average. Do you think the hiring manager is going to review all those application in detail? Nope. They will only give a few seconds of their time to most applications.
The Skills
We’re not talking about the specific type of experience that the job application calls for. If you’re applying to be a nurse, you clearly need all skills related to that profession.
But in addition to the job-related skills, employers want to see universal skills that apply to workers in all industries. Let’s see what those skills are:
- Resilience
Did you stay with a particular organization or team when times were rough? If you went through such an experience, you should mention it by all means.
Staying with an organization when everyone else is thinking about giving up–that’s commitment. It shows that you are not there just for the money. You accept that life gets hard at times, and you’re willing to go through those periods like a champ.
But, you’re not just going to write “I’m resilient” on your resume, or list “resilience” under the Skills section. That doesn’t tell the employer anything. You want to support this claim with an experience. Get into specifics!
2. Self-Confidence
Writing a resume means writing about yourself. In that aspect, you’re worried that too much “me, me, me” makes you look arrogant. So you’re thinking: “Maybe I should be humbler?”
Oh, no!
There’s no space for humility on your resume. This is about you. This is about showing how you’re better than all the other candidates. Of course, you won’t write “I’m the only one with this certificate, these skills, and this personality. If you don’t hire me, your company is doomed.”
You will, however, write about your best achievements. You’ll show you believe in yourself and you’re ready to work towards a bright professional future.
Here’s the thing: you don’t list self-confidence anywhere as a skill. The hiring manager should see your resume conveys it, without specifically mentioning it. Whatever you write on your resume, it must be supported with facts and examples.
3. Problem-Solving Skills
Did you have an essential role in problem-solving processes? Let’s say your previous team got stuck. Or, information leaked. Or, a competitive brand launched something really similar right before your product was scheduled to launch. But you came up with a really cool solution to upgrade the project and managed to solve an even bigger problem through adversity.
If you’re a great problem-solver, you will be able to recall of such situations. But be careful! If you list this skill in the resume, you should show how exactly you’ve implemented it. Here’s how that would look:
“Implemented new marketing procedures, reducing bounce rates by 40% and boosting sales by 15%.”
See? Specifics.
4. Commitment to Learning
When the hiring manager reviews the applications, they have an important question in mind: “What candidate is happy to learn more in order to be effective in this job?”
A great HR professional doesn’t solely care about filling the spot. They want to hire someone who will grow within the organization. That’s why your commitment to learning is crucially important.
Show you’re willing to learn! Start taking relevant online courses and list the certificates you get. That’s solid proof that you are a great learner.
5. Communication Skills
Are you a good culture fit? If you’re a communicative person, who can easily make connections with new people, employers will want to hire you. They will evaluate your oral communication skills during the interview, and your resume and cover letter will convey your written communication skills.
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