What Are Good Skills for Work - Skills Employers Look For On Your Resume

With the rise of new technologies, it's no surprise that employers are looking for workers with the skills to match.

But which skills are in highest demand? How can you develop them? And which skills to include in your resume? Keep reading to find out.

In this article, we will cover why it's more important than ever to have a mix of hard and soft skills that future-proof your career or to get a job.

To help you with your next job application, here are the 10 key skills employers are looking for, along with tips on how you can develop them for every job.

What are examples of soft skills to put on a resume?

The job market is always changing; what was in demand ten years ago may not be now. But, one thing for sure is that soft skills will always be valued by employers. Soft skills are common skills that can be applied across many different professions.

For example, communication skills, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork skills, adaptability, emotional intelligence, leadership skills and so much more.

Fortunately, these aren't skills that you're born with but rather ones that can be developed over time through practice and deliberate effort.

So if you want to stay ahead of the curve and give yourself a leg up in the job market, start honing these important soft skills today!

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills for the future. As the world becomes more complex, employers are looking for job candidates who can analyze problems and make sound decisions. To develop critical thinking skills, try taking on more challenging projects at work and solving current problems you are facing.

You can expand your problem-solving toolkit by reading books, and case studies articles on the subject. You can learn by researching what others are doing about similar problems. With the help of the internet, you would be surprised at how many people have the same or similar problems as you.

Creativity

Creativity is another top skill to put on your resume. With so much information available at our fingertips, it's more important than ever to be able to think outside the box and come up with new ideas.

If you're not sure how to showcase your creativity, think about ways you've come up with solutions to problems in the past or brainstorm ways to improve a current project you're working on. Chances are, you have more creative ideas than you realize.

As the workplace becomes more advanced, employers value creativity and innovation. If you want to stand out from the crowd, find new ways to solve the problems your company is facing.

When it comes to your career, don't be afraid to take risks and try new things —the payoff could be big.

To develop your creativity muscle, try brainstorming with friends or colleagues, identifying pain points and possible solutions, and researching new ideas or ways to work around current problems.

Collaboration (Teamwork Skills)

As technology makes it easier than ever to work remotely, employers are increasingly valuing employees who are team players.

If you want to develop your collaboration skills, start by finding ways to be more communicative with your teammates.

When working on a project, make an effort to keep everyone in the loop and solicit feedback regularly.

You should also practice active listening, which means paying attention not only to the words someone is saying but also to their body language and tone of voice.

In addition to this, you can get involved in more group projects at work or volunteer for communities outside of work.

You can join an online community or professional association related to your industry. Collaborating with people who share your interests will make it more enjoyable and informative.

You can also build strong relationships with your teammates by getting to know them on a personal level. Hang out with them and go beyond the small talk!

You'll be surprised at how much easier it is to work together when you have a foundation of trust and respect. It's also more fun!

Flexibility and Adaptability

Employers are looking for candidates who are adaptable to new situations. If you're not sure how flexible you are, ask yourself how well you handle change—both at work and in your personal life.

Do you tend to resist new technologies or processes? Or do you embrace them?

If you find that you're resistant to change, try making a conscious effort to be more open-minded when it comes.

For example, if your company introduces a new software program, take some time to learn about it before rejecting it.

Accepting it graciously will go a long way toward making it easier for you (and those around you) to adjust.

Whether it is a new challenge, policy, application, process or system being implemented, embrace changes that come your way.

Emotional Intelligence

Last but not least, emotional intelligence (EI) is a top skill for work. EI refers to the ability to be aware of and understand your own emotions and the emotions of others. It's an important skill in both personal and professional settings—after all, no one wants to work with someone who's constantly losing their temper!

In today's workplace, being able to understand and manage emotions is just as important as IQ. With so many different personalities in one place, there's bound to be conflict from time to time. If you can learn to manage your emotions and those of others, you'll be invaluable to any organization.

To develop your EI skills, pay attention to your emotions and those of the people around you. When you're feeling stressed, what tends to trigger it?

Once you've identified your triggers, find healthy coping mechanisms that work for you (e.g., going for a run or spending time outside).

Also, make an effort to see things from other people's perspectives—even if you disagree with them, understanding where they're coming from will help defuse tense situations.

What are examples of hard skills for a resume?

We've covered 5 essential soft skills, but there is also another type of skill that you must highlight on your resume and cover. Those are hard skills.

But what exactly are hard skills? Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that can be quantified and measured.

They are often technical skills that you learn in school or on the job.

Examples of hard skills include writing, video editing, accounting, copywriting, math, data analysis, and programming and much more.

If you're on the hunt for a new job, possessing hard skills is a great way to make your resume stand out from the crowd.

Writing Skills 

With the rise of digital communication, the ability to write clearly, concisely, and correctly has become more important than ever before. Whether you're drafting an email to your boss or writing a report for a client, being able to communicate effectively in writing is essential in the modern workplace.

Math Skills 

Despite the widespread belief that we live in a world where math isn't used very often, the truth is that math skills are becoming increasingly important in a wide range of industries. From analyzing data to managing finances, being able to do basic math is essential in today's job market.

Data Analysis Skills 

Data analysis skills are on the rise for good reason. They're essential for making informed decisions in every industry. If you're looking to make a data-driven impact in your next role, highlight your data analysis skills on your resume.

With data, you can identify business trends, predict future business outcomes, and improve productivity. As businesses increasingly rely on data to make decisions, the demand for data analysis will continue to grow.

Data analysis is more than just working with numbers. It also requires strong communication and problem-solving skills. To be successful, you need to be able to take complex data sets and turn them into actionable insights.

If you're interested in learning about data analysis, there are plenty of resources available online, including free courses and tutorials.

Programming or Data-Related Skills 

With the rise of automation and artificial intelligence, employers are increasingly looking for candidates with solid programming skills. If you're applying for a job in tech or anything else where you'll be working with computers, having coding and computer skills is a major plus.  

There is no doubt that programmers and software engineers are in high demand these days. Even if you are not working in tech, learning basic programming skills can make your life easier by improving your productivity.

You can learn Excel, VBA, and nowadays, there are plenty of low or no-code tools that will make you more efficient and impress your employer.

Some examples of these tools include Power Query, PowerBI, Power Automate. These have personally opened doors to many opportunities for me and it did not take very long to learn the basics. These basics; however, went a long way.

If there is one single you should learn, it's Excel. It is a versatile tool that can be used in almost every job and will be the gateway to tons of opportunities for you. Everyone should learn Excel.

You can develop these skills by first researching them and choosing one that will improve your day-to-day work. Excel is usually the first one because it is easier to learn and has so many use cases.

Then, do a deep dive by looking at Youtube guides and blog posts. The internet is will be your best friend!

You'll be an Excel guru in no time and then you will progressively add additional tools to your data skills kit!

Research Skills 

Since the internet has made information accessible to anyone, it has never been more important to perform effective research.

Whether you're looking for information on a potential client, trying to find data to support a new marketing campaign, or looking for a solution to a problem, being able to find what you need quickly and efficiently will make you a valuable asset in any workplace. 

But, not everyone knows how to fully leverage the power of the internet for research.

Google, blog posts, youtube videos, courses, scientific articles - what you can find is truly limitless on the internet. It is also right at your fingertips (literally). Within a few seconds, you can find a resource that could potentially change your life.

The ability to find relevant and reliable information is a skill that takes time and practice to develop. However, it is a valuable skill that will make you an asset in any workplace.

Here are a few tips to help you develop your research skills:

• Start with a specific goal in mind. What are you trying to find out?
• Use multiple sources. Don't just rely on one website or one person's opinion.
• Be critical of the information you find. Just because something is on the internet doesn't make it true. There is a lot of misinformation online. Always question what you see!
• Keep track of your sources. When you're sharing information with others, it's important to be able to cite your sources correctly.
• Watch videos too! Much of today's content is in video format which can make it much easier to learn.
  

This also applies to learning new skills. When you want to learn something new, research is key. You can find plenty of information and resources online to help you learn almost anything you want.

For example, you could learn about a new programming language, how to do data analysis, and understand cryptocurrency, or personal finance. The internet provides a wealth of information that can help you learn new things and improve your skills.

Research skills are therefore essential in the workplace. With the right research, you can learn anything you need to know to do your job well.

Whether you're looking to improve your existing skills or learn new ones, research is the key to success.

Don't limit yourself to only researching things related to your current job. Keeping up with developments in other areas can also be beneficial.

For example, if you work in customer service, try researching other industry standards that you can implement in your workplace. This will not only improve your skills but also make you more valuable to your employer.

So next time you're looking to learn something new, don't forget to do your research. With the right resources and effort, you can accomplish anything.

These are just a few examples of hard skills that can help you get ahead in today's job market. If you're on the hunt for a new job, take some time to assess your skill set and see which of these hard skills you already possess—and which ones you might need to work on!

Conclusion

The workplace is constantly changing and becoming more competitive. To stay ahead of the curve, it’s important that you continuously improve your skillset. Both soft and technical skills are crucial for any employer looking to fill a position. If you want to make sure your resume stands out from the rest, make sure you focus on developing these specific skills.

With that in mind, make sure you're investing time in developing each of the 10 skills outlined above—they'll pay off both now and in the years to come!

What key job skills are you learning next? I hope this article has given you some ideas and motivated you to keep improving so you can reach your career goals.