Employers are looking for applicants with strong personal traits, a LiveCareer analysis of recent job postings found. Job seekers who can highlight professionalism, flexibility, responsibility and organization skills have the best shot at catching the hiring manager's attention and landing a new position in their field.
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In part because they're so hard to teach, personal traits are always in demand and transferable to other jobs and industries.
The list below covers the personal traits mentioned most frequently in the job ads analyzed by LiveCareer and explains how you can incorporate them into your resume and cover letter.
Key transferable personal traits to highlight on your resume
Job seekers who've been considering a career change have a better chance of making a seamless transition by highlighting personal traits on their resume.
Here are four skills that will help you make the jump.
Professionalism
When the world starts throwing curveballs, it's important for job seekers to maintain a high level of professionalism. Generally, employers like those who can keep a wall between the personal and professional. You can begin demonstrating your professionalism by submitting a high-quality resume and cover letter that make your qualifications clear.
Flexibility
If nothing else, 2020 was a great reminder that anything can happen. Job seekers who are flexible and adaptable will have an advantage over others during uncertain times. Being able to roll with the punches without sacrificing the quality of your work is important. Highlight stories in which you shifted gears on a project when unforeseen circumstances got in the way.
Responsibility
Employers want to know they can trust you. Showcase your responsibility by highlighting the scope and size of the projects you've spearheaded, as well as the size of the teams you've worked with. Always include quantifiable accomplishments whenever possible. Part of being responsible is delivering wins for your employer.
Well-organized
It's hard to be professional and responsible without being well-organized. From your resume and cover letter to the interview prep, you will be proving your organizational skills every step of the way. On your resume, provide examples of sizable, complex projects or tasks you delivered on deadline to the satisfaction of your coworkers.
3 tips for highlighting personal 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.
