Presenting your CV to a company or an organization is one of the fastest ways to get a job. More than ever, employers are more interested in specific modern skills possessed by potential employees rather than paperwork and certificates. This means that knowing what is relevant to the job when thinking of modern skills to add to your CV list is very important.
Writing an excellent resume can be a challenging task for many job seekers. Keeping your CV length short and exciting while also including enough quality information to make a lasting impression can sometimes be challenging. And although it goes without saying, just in case you don’t know: the abilities listed on your CV should be abilities that you possess.
So how do you know the modern skills to put on your resume? First of all, let’s highlight the skills one can possess to apply for any position. You can have countless abilities on any resume, and you need to determine which ones will be the most successful. However, these skills can be categorized into two types of skills, which are hard skills or soft skills. Hard skills are technical and specialized skills that are basic and mostly observable for a specific task. A typical hard skill for software developers would be unique programming languages.
On the other hand, soft skills are organizational or artistic qualities that can come spontaneously or be improved over time. Adaptability, self-motivation, and the capability to work under pressure are some examples of soft skills. Other soft skills include; Written and verbal correspondence, the capacity to work individually, time management skills, organization, and specific techniques and internet knowledge.
Now let’s look at some common modern skills to add to your CV, according to their category.
Hard skills
Hard skills are more technical, and usually, each industry or job type will have its own set of requirements. It may take some analysis to determine what stage of technical skills you are supposed to possess in your profession. Here are some hard skills that are common across many industries and tend to be in-demand. Make sure you analyze the job description carefully and determine the hard skills that are most applicable to the job you seek.
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1. Data analysis
Right now, understanding information is very much in vogue, and there are a lot of jobs out there where you will be asked to analyze data and extrapolate a practical use from it. This makes data analysis a valuable modern skill to add to your CV.
2. Knowledge of computer software and analysis
There is a concise list of occupations that do not require you to use computers and specific software types. “Computer skills” could very likely be split into two or three specific technical skills for your field. However, having the basic knowledge required to utilize a computer is essential, and it’s a crucial modern skill to add to your CV regardless of the area you specialize in.
Checkout: 15 best skills to learn in 2021
3. Negotiation strategies
Many jobs include selling a product or service, buying stock or merchandise, brokering production or transportation deals, setting up advertising or investment partnerships, and so on. Being able to negotiate with potential clients or customers would make a great modern skill to add to your CV, if you are capable and if it would be relevant in your field.
4. Design
There are several marketing, advertising, branding, engineering, and construction jobs that require some design skills. You should possess the skill to create a digital presentation if you must include this in your resume. Being skillful at designing is a much-needed skill to have in graphic or web design.
5. Project management
A lot of jobs will require skills in project management. Part of project management is the ability to handle your task flow and complete assignments on time. If you’ve ever used project management software in the past or finished a project early, you can add them to your resume as it demonstrates good project management. Project management would make an excellent modern skill to add to your CV.
6. Mathematics
You will need to be competent with math to an extent if you seek a job in sectors like finance, business, engineering, construction, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and operations. If you are in a more math-heavy profession, consider splitting it up into a few more specific areas of skills.
7. Marketing
Marketing involves selling products and services as well as promoting them. Even if you are not a marketer per se, this difficult skill may be desired by many businesses. Knowing the features and benefits of your company’s products and services and talking or writing about them can be valuable. If you have particular experience in marketing or social media, it will make an even better Modern skill to add to your CV.
8. Writing
Many jobs entail writing. It is essential to have a raw writing ability as It’s a modern skill to add to your CV. Be it for customers or coworkers, and you won’t be reflected well by creating an email filled with typos and grammatical errors or low tone. Not being able to write well can send the wrong message and make a false impression about you. Show this ability through your application letter and the recruiter’s emails, and list any particular writing-heavy projects you’ve completed on your resume.
9. Administrative skills
It’s probably a part of your role, even if your job is not administrative. The things you do to manage your position include managerial skills: organizing, planning, scheduling, writing emails, managing files, etc. Employers want to understand that you can take hold of the details; therefore, you should consider this a modern skill to add to your CV.
Read: How to be a social media manager with no experience
10. Ability to understand foreign languages
It can be a challenging skill to be bilingual or multilingual, but it’s a skill that sets you apart from your competition. Even if a position or business does not initially need a bilingual employee, they may favorably look at your ability. Someone proficient with fluency in another language would be an asset to most businesses, as a customer would feel more comfortable transacting with people they understand. If you have this ability, do not hesitate to add this to your resume.
Soft skills
You can include tons of soft skills in your resume, but how do you know which ones to have? Here is a list of modern skills to add to your CV, which would be crucial to securing any job offer. However, be sure to carefully look at the job description and determine which soft skills you have and are most appropriate for the job.
1. Communication skills
Whether it’s written or verbal, it is precious to communicate with your boss, coworkers, and customers in all situations. More than ever before, employers are concerned with your ability to speak, and it is a skill they put to the test during your interview. To include this as a modern skill on your CV, you can take an online course on communication and gain a certificate. You can also build a substantial online presence that portrays your explicit communication ability.
2. Ability to work with a team
In most cases, jobs will require you to work with others, and employers want to know that you can succeed in a team setting. Many jobs will reward this ability more than others, so consider it a modern skill to add to your CV. If you’ve been involved in any group project, you can attach evidence of participation on your resume.
3. Problem-solving skills
Eventually, something will go wrong no matter what the job is, and employers want to know that you can come up with a fast and effective solution. Some jobs are nothing but solving problems for the company, the customers, or both. Therefore, showcasing your problem-solving ability on your resume would be an excellent idea.
4. Flexibility
Employees who are adaptable to every situation or who have a natural ability to use various methods and approaches to get the best result are coveted by many organizations and industries. You should regard your flexibility as an asset and include it as a skill in your resume.
Read also: Time management skills for work
5. Critical thinking
The foundation of logical thinking is to be able to reason rationally and thoughtfully. Employers want people who can learn about a topic or a proposal and decide the right steps to be taken. Critical thinking brings about different and better work approaches and would make an excellent ability to add to your CV.
6. Creativity
In any role, thinking outside the box and coming up with new ideas can be a real advantage. Maybe you’re great at looking about something in a way you didn’t do before. In your resume, innovation can be demonstrated by a dilemma that you solved or by a technical talent such as writing or architecture. Your Creative abilities can land you the job, especially if the description is related to production or rebranding.
7. Organization
This is not only about making a tidy workspace but coordinating assignments and projects for your staff, administration, and yourself at the very least! Getting a tightly organized resume probably benefits if you want to show off your ability to organize things.
8. Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence refers to the capacity, as well as the feelings of others. It has to do with the ability to recognize and handle one’s own emotions. This ensures that you are logical and even-keeled in the office and can manage ups and downs without losing control. Although this is vital for everyone, it’s a must-have capability to include on a management resume. This is also another ability most employers out to the test during interviews.
9. Attentiveness to details
You need to make sure you obey all the directions on the job to finish the job. This creates an essential skill when it comes to interacting with others and when passing a message. In whatever position you have, paying attention to detail would be expected. It may come in handy, in particular where you need to catch or correct a possible flaw. One way to prove to your employers that you are attentive is by asking questions during your interview based on your discussion with them so far.
10. Responsibility
Taking responsibility for your actions and even facing up to faults is part of being a good employee. To ensure that any aspect of their work is completed, most administrators do not want to check in with their workers. Responsibility requires doing what you need to do to finish your assignments and ensuring the company’s smooth running.
Conclusion
If you’re still unsure if any of these skills are right for your situation, checking the job description is one quick way to check which skills the employer is looking for. Read it a few more times, and you’ll typically spot three or four primary skills you’ll need that are listed in this article. If this is the case, you should do your best to concentrate on those abilities you already have and work on ways to include them in your resume.
References
1. Flexjobs.com: Top 20 must-have skills to put on your resume
