Skills development: Skills come in two categories: hard skills and soft skills. In writing you resume and interviewing, you will be more effective when you understand the different types of skills you are listing.
Hard Skills
You can learn hard skills, and you can learn soft skills.
Hard skills are your ability to perform tasks. These skills are measurable. For example, typing is a hard skill. The measure of typing skills is the speed and accuracy of a worker’s typing. Through practice, workers can improve typing skills.
Here are more examples of hard skills.
- Accounting
- Analysis
- Brand Development
- Computer Programming
- Internet Programming
- Data Management
- Financial Management
- Business Planning
- Research and Development
- Software applications knowledge (e.g., word processing, spreadsheet, image editing, etc.)
- Selling, and others
Soft Skills
Soft skills are personal characteristics that make you a more effective worker. For example, flexibility and adaptability make you more successful in a rapidly changing workplace. Some people are naturally more flexible than others. Additionally, other workers can develop skills to accept and adapt to a changing workplace.
As a recruiter, I view a simple list of soft skills of little value. Stated without substantiation, soft skills are just puffery. Here is sample list of soft skills that I have seen on resumes:
- Adaptable to change
- Results oriented
- Conscientious
- Loyal
- Versatile
Soft skills are important to a hiring manager. During the interview, the best hiring managers will ask you for examples that illustrate your use of soft skills. Here are two examples of how a candidate who has the soft skills of an effective communicator can illustrate those soft skills.
- Served as the company spokesperson to the press, radio, and television.
- Edited the company’s monthly newsletter.
- Wrote the copy for the company’s annual report.
Skills Development: Hard Skills and Soft Skills
Skills development: Skills come in two categories: hard skills and soft skills. In writing you resume and interviewing, you will be more effective when you understand the different types of skills you are listing.