Resumes are getting shorter while at the same time trying to convey more. The skills section of a resume is a prime example of this. While there are some essential skills for resume builders to include, you don’t have the space to rattle off anything and everything. Make sure your skill set list isn’t duplicitous, disorganized, or irrelevant to the position. Focus on these three categories when determining what to list and in what order.
Managerial skills for resume rockstars
Any managerial skills you’ve learned are great skills to list on a resume. Although management may not seem like a skill that needs a specific call-out, many hiring managers view the ability to lead, maintain company protocols, and self-direct as significant. These skills show more intangible aspects of a candidate’s personality.
Accounting/Budget management/payroll
Being able to keep track of an annual budget as well as expense reports is a skill that many hiring managers value. Additionally, if you have experience managing finances, recording time cards, and ensuring on-time payment of salaries, include these on your resume. These types of skills also show more intangible attributes, such as integrity, trustworthiness, and being organized.
Leadership/Program coordinating
Although leadership may not seem like a skill, planning out a program for 20 people, or organizing day-to-day responsibilities for a team, are. Go over your previous careers and identify any managerial techniques you learned that could apply to other jobs. These transferrable methods are good skills to add to a resume.
Sales skills
Sales measures and systems are also integral skills to list. Emphasize your growth as a salesperson and the influence your sales position had on your previous company’s revenue. Boiling down your success statistics into dynamic percentages and actual dollar amounts can be very persuasive.
CRM/Salesforce
A working understanding of CRM systems can be extremely helpful if looking for sales and business development positions. Many CRM systems are similar, so any experience is better than none. Salesforce has birthed tons of helpful skills for resume-building for revenue-generating roles as more companies switch to the cloud.
Metrics
Highlight your ranking in your company, the percentage of times you meet quota, how often you exceed quota, and how many accounts you manage. Adding numbers into your skill set shows concrete examples of your success as a sales manager. Any additional numbers or percentages you can apply to represent your experience can benefit your resume immensely.
Don’t forget the basics
On your resume, don’t forget the basics. Leaving off common skills may indicate that you actually never learned them. Fully represent your professional experience. Make sure to check all your boxes when it comes to what you’ve achieved in your career.
Microsoft Office/Adobe
Knowing Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are integral to nearly every position. If you consider yourself proficient or skilled, tag Microsoft Office in your list. Although these platforms aren’t necessarily dynamic, when compared to other candidates who lack experience, the knowledge works in your favor.
Google Suite
Do you know how to tag and categorize your emails? Are you able to structure your docs and presentations into ready to use folders for sharing with colleagues or customers? Proficiencies in Google Suite can make your professional life easier. These tools also help show potential hiring managers that you know how to use collaboration tools if working remotely.
Customer Service
Although this may seem like a no-brainer, many candidates actually lack customer service experience. Emphasize if you’ve been in any client-facing roles. This shows you know how to represent a company’s message and can handle conflict resolution. Customer Service is a huge aspect of almost any consumer goods/services business, regardless of whether the individual position you are applying for is customer-facing.
Keep your list succinct. Bullet points, list forms, and the like are acceptable. There’s no need to explain the ramifications of each program you’ve learned on your resume. Save that for the interview. Focus on representing your value as an employee, your progression in your career, and your willingness to dive right into your next job.