Are soft skills important in your CV?

There is a new type of worker out there with that mix of technical know-how and business acumen. It seems that more positions these days require some type of technical background, with some completely business-related positions still asking to know a programming language.

With the real estate that is your CV, you want to make sure that you have an enjoyable read that is also impactful. So you prepare your CV to get past that initial screening to get yourself the interview and ultimately the job.

So, what about those soft skills?

We may think that since employers are looking for technical skills in many of their roles, whether it is program development or the ability to handle so many different software systems, such as CRMs or ERPs, there's no room left any longer on a CV for those softer skills.

That's not true at all. In fact, it's vital now more than ever to list those soft skills. This helps now to have your CV stand out a bit amongst the throngs of CVs that can end up in front of a recruiter's pile. Seeing the mindfulness to incorporate skills you have taken for granted can sometimes push you to the next stage of the interview process.

What type of soft skills should I list?

Everything in moderation is an everyday saying that relates to your CV as well. You don't want to simply go online and find the top ten best soft skills to place on your resume. This is the time for you to find that right balance of soft and hard skills and have a bit of both on your CV.

You may also consider giving yourself a ranking or a range of how much you have of that skill set. But also, make sure to take a moment, to be honest with yourself. For example, don't put leadership as a core, soft skill if you only have one to two years of total work experience. Unless it's plausible, it may raise a few eyebrows.

Focus on the skills relevant to the position you're applying for as well. If you're hoping to become a project manager select something related to being organized or having proper time management. Maybe you're used to being a developer, and you want to mention one of your skills is adaptability or teamwork. It's about making it relevant as well.

Make sure not to list your soft skills on every page of your CV. Although you may have those skills, or you're simply very confident, interviewers may notice that and direct questioning to challenge this and see if you were overexaggerating on your CV.

What else should I consider?

Putting your soft skills helps recruiters to get to know you a bit more in-depth when you provide that. In addition, it allows them to start building out an image of what the ideal candidate looks like. That's why it's important to approach this with quality over quantity in mind.

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