A well-written resume is the key to landing your dream job. Although it is important to highlight your professional experience and training, another key factor is hard skills. These skills are specific and measurable, and are usually acquired through work experience and training, and demonstrating them effectively will help you stand out in a sea of candidates. In this context, Forbes explains what these elements are and how to use them in your CV.
Also referred to as technical skills, hard skills are quantifiable and relevant to a particular sector or job. It is generally taught and can be verified through demonstration or evaluation. They are important because they determine whether you will be able to perform tasks effectively, complete projects, and excel in your role.
They are classified into different groups, here are some examples:
Analytical skills: It involves the ability to solve complex problems, analyze data, and make quick decisions. Financial analysis, statistical models, and data analysis are examples of these skills.
Technical skills: Specific to specific technologies, programs or tools. For example, proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Excel, or programming languages such as Python.
Project management skills: How to plan, manage budget and time demonstrates your ability to effectively lead teams and handle complex tasks.
How do you use hard skills on your CV?
To attract the attention of hiring professionals, including hard skills on your resume is essential. Here are some tips:
Add a skills section: While you can incorporate basic skills into your resume, adding a specific section makes it easier for employers to focus on them. You can sort them by headings like “Certifications,” “Language Skills,” or “Technical Skills.”
Use of verbs: They get straight to the heart of the matter and tell recruiters what you’re capable of. Strong action verbs demonstrate your expertise in specific skills.
Measure your achievements: It gives recruiters insight into the success of the project you were responsible for. For example, “Increase organic views by 40% through SEO.”
Include certificates: Although they need to be verified by a potential employer, they are worth mentioning. Certifications related to hard skills provide proof of your competence in the field.
Related skills: Although all hard skills are important, it doesn’t make sense to highlight those that are not relevant to the role. Read the job description to find out what skills are required and adapt them to the job.
Don’t be afraid to highlight hard skills on your resume, as they are a valuable tool to help you gain a competitive advantage over other candidates for a particular position.
