What 5 Skills Do Recruiters Look for in a Resume?

When submitting a professional resume, the reality is that recruiters typically scan your document for a few short sections. Your application materials and cover letter must be in top form for hiring managers and recruiters to take notice. Learn how to capture attention and increase your opportunities by noting these five skills to highlight your qualifications.

Leadership Traits

Show you have experience managing teams and coordinating projects when compiling your professional resume. This is the ideal place to spotlight soft skills such as time management strategies, decision-making ability and self-motivation. Outline your accomplishments as a leader and provide specific numbers that detail large teams you've managed throughout your career.

Verbal and Written Communication

Communication skills are key when applying for a position in any type of industry. Provide space on your professional resume to showcase your approach to communicating with supervisors, colleagues and the people you've managed. In addition, make sure your application features clear and concise sentence structures that are free from grammar to highlight your ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Strategic Planning

Hiring managers seek out applicants who plan and look to the future. Offer specific examples of how you were involved in developing plans for products and services within previous positions. Outline the success of these campaigns. When writing your cover letter, showcase your professional goals for the future and expand upon the information in your application materials to further impress potential employers.

Analytical Thinking

A well-versed candidate who thinks critically is often appealing to potential employers. When writing your professional resume, provide examples of how you critically analyzed the project flow when working on advertising and sales campaigns. Explain your approach to leadership and give tangible results based on your efforts. Take your efforts one step further by revealing what you know about the company you hope to work for and offer specific examples of how your skills can impact its growth.

Collaborative Work

It's inevitable that candidates are expected to work with colleagues, clients and executives. Hiring managers and recruiters need to see that you have experience collaborating. When compiling your professional resume, make a list of projects you participated in and detail how your efforts impacted the team's results. For example, you can include information on how your contributions to a team resulted in better productivity, increased profits or a more cohesive company culture.

With limited time available to impress hiring managers and recruiters, it's crucial that your application materials are free from errors and formatted to enhance readability. Spend ample time perfecting your professional resume to showcase vital skills a company needs so there's no question you're the ideal candidate for the job. Provide specific examples to highlight how your experience makes you the obvious choice for employment.

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