Leadership skills are in high demand from employers hiring in a wide range of industries, according to LiveCareer analysis of recent job postings. In a high pressure job market, the ability to plot strategy, offer mentorship, make important decisions, and execute plans are critical in setting yourself apart in a very competitive job market.
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The list below highlights some of the leadership skills most frequently mentioned in the job ads analyzed by LiveCareer. Such skills are a highly-prized commodity and transferable to other industries and jobs. We suggest how you can use them to land a job or transfer between industries where your skills are most valued.
Key leadership skills to highlight on your resume
Job seekers have a better chance of making a seamless career transition by highlighting leadership skills on their resume.
Here are four skills that will help you make the jump.
Management
Not every manager is a good leader, but every good leader possesses management skills. If you want a promotion when you land your next job, your cover letter and resume must show you can manage a team and bring multifaceted projects to the finish line. Make sure to include the word "manage" even when your job title doesn't (e.g., scrum master).
Mentorship
As you get more experience, you will have opportunities to mentor others in your field. This type of leadership isn't always clear cut. Your mentees may be older than you, or working in another department. In your resume and cover letter, you should reference these mentorship relationships, and how you recommended others for promotion and took interest in their professional development.
Decision-making
The willingness and ability to make decisions is part of every leader's arsenal. Whether you're managing a store or an HR department, you have to be ready to sort through information and quickly determine a course of action. Telling stories in your resume, cover letter and job interview that demonstrate your decision-making process is key.
Strategic planning
Good leaders must do more than make decisions. Their decisions should fit into an overall strategy. List your accomplishments that required strategic thinking, planning and solid execution, and be sure to highlight any quantifiable outcomes.
3 tips for highlighting leadership skills on your resume
- Identify and list the soft and hard skills in which you excelled in your previous positions.
- Examine job descriptions for the position you're seeking to see where your skill set overlaps. In the process, you may notice skills you should add to your initial list.
- Highlight those skills on your resume and cover letter using the exact wording that appears in the job description.
