The more keywords you have throughout, the more qualified for the job you will appear. Do not leave room for assumption! If you have a specific skill that is needed to do the job, make sure to include it. You can determine which exact keywords to include by reading through several job descriptions for the type of position you are seeking, posted by the types of companies you would like to work for. For example, if you are looking for a new sales representative position and you see the words “lead generation” and “closer” frequently, it is best to use these keywords to describe your skills in seeking new customers (lead generation) and making a sale (a closer).
Skills listed in your resume: Add this list of skills and keywords towards the beginning of your resume, before your “experience” section. Skills listed should be one or two words in bullet format such as “Closer” and “Problem Solver”. Skills listed in your social media profile: Many profiles already have a section for you to list your skills. Some even have a drop down menu for you to utilize. As with listing these skills on your resume, use relevant keywords that you have determined from the job description.
Hard skills are the teachable skills you have to do the job successfully, such as cold calling or using the customer relationship management system. [3] X Expert Source Kent LeeCareer & Executive Coach Expert Interview. 2 April 2020. Soft skills are those that cannot necessarily be taught and are defined by a person’s natural abilities or personal traits, such as problem solving and communication skills.
In order to make the most relevant information stand out, you must trim the fat! As a general rule, if any information does not seem important enough to get the job or to do the job successfully, leave it out! For example, imagine you are applying to a job that requires you to analyze financial data. If you talk about your abilities to market products and gain new customers (which is irrelevant to the job) this information will be passed over. In skipping over this irrelevant information, your experience in financial analysis may be passed over too.
To do this, write in short concise sentences. This is the most effective way to convey important information and help keywords and accomplishments stand out. Lengthy paragraphs or wordy sentences will cause the reader to skin the information, potentially missing out on important details. For example, instead of writing, “made at least 50 cold call per day but aimed to make 60 cold calls per day“, write “initiated 50-60 cold calls per day”.
Being confident is not just about the ability to list off all of your skills, it’s about expressing them in a way that is believable. Be enthusiastic and use a positive tone of voice. Confidence can also be expressed by engaging in eye contact, wearing a smile and having good posture (standing or sitting up straight).
For example, you easily tell someone that you have good negotiation skills, but how does your interviewer know that you really have the level of negotiation skills they are looking for? Providing an example will help you to showcase your negotiation skills in a way they can remember. For example, try to recall one of your negotiations that created top results. Something like “I was able to successfully negotiate a $1. 2million deal with a new customer”.
Work samples (should be the largest section of your portfolio) Diplomas Certificates Press releases Reviews Letters of recommendation
For example, if you claim to have great communication skills, every interaction you have with people should illustrate this skill. Speaking clearly, holding engaging conversations and writing effective sentences leaves little room for interpretation, allowing you to effectively express your claim of having great communication skills. In doing this, you can ensure that you are putting your best foot forward and demonstrating your claims in a concrete manner.
