You may possess several unique skills and innate talents, but picking the right ones for your resume can be a real challenge!
Where you need to keep your work experience and achievement sections up-to-date, it is equally important to regularly update your Skills section to create a lasting impression on potential employers. It is because your unique skills give your resume a cohesive look, allowing you to shine brightly among other candidates.
From highlighting technical skills to mentioning your bilingual talents and creative problem-thinking, there are hundreds of distinctive skills that can increase your value in the eyes of the recruiter. And so here we will demonstrate (with examples) which unique skills for resume can help you achieve success during the job recruitment process.
Hard Skills Vs. Soft Skills: Which One to Highlight?
Unique skills for resume reflect your strengths and build your image as a potential employee. Resumes usually include hard skills and soft skills.
Hard skills refer to technical and creative abilities directly related to a specific role or industry. Individuals acquire these skills through formal education or training, such as programming, marketing, proficiency in a certain language, data analysis, search engine optimization, and accounting. Having these skills on your resume is crucial to be considered a valid candidate for the position.
For instance, if you are applying for the data analyst position, mentioning data analysis in your “Skills” section is indispensable, or you won’t be deemed fit for the job.
Soft skills, on the other hand, are intangible and difficult to measure. They focus on personal traits and how you engage with others. Employers look for candidates who possess attributes like teamwork, strong communication, socialization, and adaptability.
Although both hard and soft skills are essential for a strong resume, employers prioritize candidates with strong, solid skills. It is because soft skills enable employers to hire valuable employees who can adapt to change, collaborate well, and thrive in a dynamic work environment.
So, what unique soft skills for resume are best for your career path? We have listed some soft skills that will help you stand out in the competitive market.
Read More :- Hard Skills For Resume [With Examples]
Best Soft Skills for Resume
You are a multi-talented individual. But is it wise to list all your excellent traits and qualities on the resume?
No, we don’t think so!
Including all your skills without consideration will create an overcrowded resume lacking a professional touch and aura. So, instead of just scrambling every skill on your resume, it is best to choose ones that can truly capture the employer’s attention with their high suitability for the position.
Examples :-
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a skill that helps employees evaluate facts, data, and ideas and allows them to offer creative solutions. It is highly valued in the working world because it enables teams to make the best decisions on time an d find the right solutions for projects.
Employers look for candidates who can think critically in a given situation. Companies want employees who can tackle challenges and bring positive outcomes. So, if you are looking for unique skills for resume, this one could really set you apart from others.
For example,
Identified and solved a reoccurring issue in the supply chain. Evaluated vendor performance and optimized inventory management. The solution reduced delays by 30% and improved on-time deliveries.
Problem-Solving
Problem-solving skills are tied to critical thinking. You can find practical solutions for any given problem using your ability to think logically. If you are applying for a managerial role or a position like a customer support service, mentioning problem-solving under the skills section will surely attract recruiters.
For example,
Solved a communication gap between departments by setting up regular cross-team meetings. This led to smoother project execution and fewer misunderstandings.
Product Management
Project management showcases your ability to oversee projects, delegate tasks, and ensure timely project completion. This soft skill is highly valued because it enhances productivity, simplifies workflows, and drives successful project outcomes.
For Example:
Led the development and launch of a new software product by coordinating with a team of 10. Managed timelines, prioritized feature development, and facilitated communication between engineering, design, and marketing teams. The product launched on time and generated $500K in revenue within the first quarter.
Effective Time Management
While finalizing unique skills for resume, you cannot overlook effective time management skills. Recruiters look for employees who value time. They prefer candidates who can effectively manage team projects, prioritize tasks, and efficiently meet deadlines to keep the company on track.
For Example:
Managed multiple projects simultaneously by creating a prioritized task list and setting clear deadlines. This allowed the team to complete all projects on time while improving overall productivity by 20%.
Cultural Awareness
Cultural awareness involves understanding different cultures and respecting and appreciating their importance within the company environment. This skill is especially valuable in organizations that prioritize diversity and collaboration.
Moreover, individuals can effectively communicate with colleagues and business partners when they are culturally sensitive. Multinational companies often seek this unique soft skill. They seek culturally competent candidates, as these employees can engage with coworkers and thrive in multicultural environments.
Team Management Skills
Employers value candidates with collaborative skills. Individuals who can collaborate effectively with others offer enhanced productivity while also motivating fellow coworkers, producing desired outcomes at the end of the day.
For Example:
While managing a hybrid team for a marketing campaign, I coordinated efforts across both remote and in-office team members. By utilizing project management tools, I ensured everyone stayed on the same page. This approach allowed the team to meet all milestones and complete the campaign two weeks before schedule.
Adaptability
Work environments are constantly evolving, and everyone must adjust to new circumstances. Being adaptable is key to responding to new challenges and avoiding setbacks. Employers value recruits with strong adaptability skills, as they will allow them to adjust to new priorities or technologies without wasting time or resources.
Rather than simply stating that you are adaptable, demonstrate it by showcasing specific examples of diverse tasks and projects that you handled during your career. Tailor these examples to the role you are applying for. Highlighting adaptability as one of your unique skills for resume can make a strong impact on potential employers.
For example,
Was transferred to a new department with unfamiliar tasks and through proactive learning and collaboration with my new team, I quickly learned the new processes and became a key contributor to the team’s success within the first month.
Leadership qualities
Leadership skills are often associated with managerial roles. However, they are valuable for any position, making them highly sought-out unique skills for resumes. Employers seek candidates who can motivate their team, lead discussions, solve problems, and offer guidance to new team members.
Regardless of the role you are applying for, showcasing strong leadership abilities can give you a competitive edge over other candidates. Highlight your capacity to take initiative and lead others, demonstrating your value as a team player and potential leader.
For instance: “Led a cross-functional team of 8 members on a high-priority project. Helped improve communication and productivity, which resulted in delivering the project 10% under budget and two weeks ahead of schedule.”
Self Motivation
Demonstrating self-motivation skills on your resume shows the hiring manager that you can proactively take charge of your own growth and development. Highlight your unique skills for resume by mentioning specific situations where you independently learned a new skill or created a more efficient process at work. Employers highly value individuals who can stay driven without constant supervision and actively seek ways to improve themselves and their work environment.
For Example:
Taught myself advanced Excel functions through online courses, which enabled me to streamline the data analysis process. It also helped me reduce report preparation time by 30% and get a promotion to a senior analyst role within six months.
Creativity
Creativity should be one of your top unique soft skills for resume. Showcasing creativity can make you stand out to recruiters, especially in fields like website design, photography, textile design, and interior decoration. It demonstrates that you are the kind of employee who takes initiative and thinks outside the box. Employers are always looking for individuals with fresh ideas and are willing to explore new approaches.
By emphasizing your creative skills, you can show potential employers that you are not afraid to innovate, making you an attractive candidate for the role.
Customer Service Skills:
Connecting with clients is a rare communication skill. If you have the ability to handle customers well, make sure to showcase it on your resume. Every company needs individuals who can effectively handle client interactions. If you are great at explaining concepts and selling products or services, be sure to highlight these strengths in your resume.
For example,
Consistently provided excellent customer service by listening to the clients’ needs, explaining product features in simple terms, and resolving issues quickly. This approach helped increase customer satisfaction by 20% and led to a 15% increase in repeat business over six months.
Presentation and Public Speaking
Presentation and public speaking skills are considered unique skills for a resume because they demonstrate your ability to deliver information in a way that is not only clear but also engaging and persuasive. These skills highlight your capacity to communicate effectively, captivate an audience, and influence decision-making.
Employers value candidates who can confidently speak in front of others, whether in meetings, client presentations, or team discussions. Strong presentation abilities also showcase your capacity to handle challenges and respond to the needs of the audience in real time, making you fit for a leadership role in the company.
Read More :- Soft Skills For Resume [With Examples]
Unique Skills for Resume Examples
To give you a clear understanding of how to write unique skills for resume and increase your value as an employee, we have some unique skills for resume examples that will help you create a standout resume.
Example 1
What makes this template special:
- The candidate has demonstrated proficiency in traditional and modern photography techniques, making her versatile for different types of shoots.
- She has also emphasized her ability to be creative and create visually appealing work, which is an essential trait for a photographer aiming to stand out in a competitive industry.
Example 2:
What makes this template special:
In this resume’s skills and experience sections, several abilities relevant to the sales executive position are highlighted. Here is how these unique skills can increase her worth as a candidate:
- The resume shows her ability to manage client relationships and adaptability to using specialized tools. Streamlining sales processes is also her unique skill, which helped improve client retention and growth.
- The resume also effectively demonstrates her ability to craft compelling sales strategies by using social platforms.
- Fluency in English, Spanish, and French emphasizes her versatility in dealing with international clients, making her a vital asset in a globalized business environment.
Example 3:
What makes this template special:
In the Skills section of this resume, several unique skills for resume for freshers are highlighted, making it stand out for entry-level roles:
- The candidate has balanced hard and soft skills to give the resume a professional touch. By mentioning proficiency in programming languages like Java, Python, and JavaScript, the candidate is showcasing her solid technical foundation.
- The problem-solving skill showcases the candidate’s ability to think critically and tackle challenges, which is highly valued by employers across industries.
- By highlighting adaptability, the candidate indicates that she can thrive in dynamic work environments. This crucial soft skill helps freshers effectively adjust to new roles and responsibilities.
Example 4:
What makes this template special:
In the Skills section of Richard Sanchez’s resume, several important soft skills are highlighted:
- This section shows Richard’s ability to oversee projects from start to finish, a skill recruiters seek in their employees.
- The resume also highlights his capability to collaborate with colleagues, which is crucial in managing teams and working with different departments.
- It indicates his strength in conveying ideas clearly, both internally with teams and externally with clients or partners, which is critical in marketing.
- The resume demonstrates his ability to analyze situations and make informed decisions, making him a valuable candidate.
- All his skills are backed by his work experience, where he has highlighted how his skills helped his former companies in the best possible way.