4 Skills Hiring Managers Want In Job Hunters (But Can’t Often Find)

Video: Hard Skills and Soft Skills

Hiring managers looking for an accountant need accounting skills. Mangers looking for a child development expert need child development skills. Restaurant managers looking for a chef need culinary skills. But as it happens, there are a long list of skills that managers value in almost every professional field, and within this list, there are several vital skills that are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Top skills that will take your resume to the next level

Here are a few of the qualifications that can help you stand out in a crowded applicant pool no matter what discipline or industry you hope to step into, from marketing and sales to creative fields to manufacturing, and more..

1. HTML

Any degree of website development skill can push your candidacy into the spotlight. Even if your education, experience level, and core credentials aren’t much different from those of the candidates around you, a single HTML course can set you apart. HTML, XTML, and application development skills demonstrate a level of professional independence and tech savvy that can give your resume a boost.

2. Presentation Skill

Do you have what it takes to view a project, request, product, or opportunity through someone else’s eyes? Do you know what it means to put an extra polish on something—anything—before presenting it to a discriminating client or customer?

If you’re the kind of employee who can’t walk past a shop window display without rubbing off a spot on the glass, or if you can’t let a website typo go without reporting it to the IT department, then you’re someone who cares about impressions. And employers are looking for you. Substance comes first, but no business can compete without a little attention to style.

3. Written Communication

For some reason, it’s becoming difficult for employers to find a strong level of general writing skill among candidates for entry- and mid-level jobs. No matter where the blame may fall, command of the language appears to be slipping in the general population.

But every day the power of written language becomes more essential to business success. Which means those who can master a concise, relevant, memorable sentence are rapidly gaining the upper hand in the job marketplace.

4. Social Savvy

Years ago, the ability to boldly reach out and start a conversation with a stranger was considered a “soft” skill, which carried less impact in the professional world than a “hard” skill, which suggested focused, job-specific training. These days, the reverse is true. Entry-level employers recognize that most technical skills can be taught, but people skills usually can’t. So the ability to form a meaningful connection with other human beings is considered extremely marketable—and not easy to find in a fast-paced, digital, disconnected world.

A Strong Resume Highlights These Skills

A well written, beautifully laid out resume—with an online version posted to your website or blog—can help you showcase all of these hard-to-find skills at the same time. Don’t just tell your employers that you have what it takes—show them. Use the tools and templates on MyPerfectResume to strengthen your case.