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Whether you’re writing a college resume, have recently graduated or are well into your sophomore year, developing these
skills will be crucial to navigate college and being part of the workforce.
Assertiveness
Being assertive when communicating your opinions is a tremendous way to show maturity and confidence. As a college student and employee, being direct without sounding rude will be an asset you can keep throughout your life and career.
Responsibility
Developing a sense of responsibility is crucial to succeeding in college and your first job. Understanding the consequences of not meeting your commitments will help you avoid falling through on your duties and ensure your trustworthiness.
Time management
Now, you’ll balance many responsibilities and unsupervised free time. Set time to study, work and socialize. If you’re prone to get distracted, get an agenda or use tools like meditation apps to keep your focus without burnout.
Technological skills
Granted, as a college student, you were likely born into the digital age have natural social media skills. However, many computer skills in the workplace might be less familiar, i.e., POS systems, project management software, Blackboard, Excel.
Communication
Good communication skills are the foundation of success for almost every job and life challenge as a college student and beyond. You’ll communicate with professors and employers who view impeccable writing and speaking as the standard.
Critical thinking
In college and in work, you’ll realize how your decisions can affect your and other people’s future and livelihood. Use critical thinking skills to analyze your choices, their consequences, and always look for the ideal solution.
Collaboration
Whether it’s a school group project or working your shift at a restaurant, collaboration is an indispensable college skill. Being a great collaborator means knowing how to communicate, when to compromise and when to be assertive.
Adaptability
The transition from being a high schooler to an independent college student will come with changes you’ll need to adapt to quickly. Take these changes in stride, be prepared for hard times, and be proactive in finding solutions.
Leadership
If you want to stand out, professors and employers will always look for individuals who display leadership. If you show initiative and the ability to organize and lead peers, you’ll be considered for great advancement opportunities.
Professionalism
Exhibiting professionalism will set you apart from many people in college and the workforce. Always be polite, use appropriate language and honor your time commitments if you want to be everyone’s first choice when working with others.
Independent
You’ll have to learn to be independent as a college student without your mom and dad always being present. Consider details like commuting, being on time to work, doing your laundry, cooking your meals and making appointments.
Diversity awareness
In college and work, you’ll meet people of different races, ethnicities, religions and sexual orientations. You’ll have to respect these differences and be comfortable with diversity when communicating with students and colleagues.
Having a diverse set of skills is crucial when searching for a part-time job to get you through
school.You need the right balance between soft and hard college skills in your resume to
convince employers you’re a well-rounded candidate that can handle responsibilities, be
efficient and work well with others.
Want to find more soft and hard college skills for your resume? Our Resume Builder pulls from
an extensive database of skills and selects the ones that fit your desired job.
The way you include college student skills in your resume will differ depending on the type of format you choose when writing a resume.
If you didn’t already know, there are three established ways of writing a resume called resume formats.
These resume formats organize your resume’s sections in unique ways to showcase your best strengths and downplay your weaknesses.
Puts the focus on the skills section
Best for:
First-time job seekers or career changers lacking relevant experience
Skills and work history share the spotlight
Best for:
Job seekers aiming for a promotion or land a more senior position
Emphasizes your career history milestones
Best for:
Candidates with a steady career progression in their field
The functional resume allows college students and recent graduates with little to no work
experience to showcase the knowledge and skills they have to thrive in the workplace.
The skills section takes precedence over the work history in a functional resume.
You will pick three of your top college student skills that show you’re the best candidate for
the job. Alongside each skill, you will add a few bullet points where you share achievements
demonstrating your expertise.
Check out this example of how a recent high school graduate showcases his sales skills in
their functional resume.
Sales Skills:
Need more help writing your resume’s skills section? Use our Resume Builder to create a professional and personalized resume in record time.
What does our Resume Builder offer?
These resume examples show you what a professional resume looks like, what achievements you should highlight, the right skills for a student resume, and the appropriate language you should use.
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