Top 5 Skills For Your Resume

Today's blog post is offered by a graduate intern for the Office of Career Services.

           

Top 5 Skills For Your Resume 

1. Ability to work in a team
2. Leadership
3. Written communication
4. Problem-solving
5. Strong work ethic  

Although being qualified for the job or internship you are applying for is important (if you haven’t taken a math class since your freshmen year of high school, that accounting internship at Chase Bank probably isn’t for you) it isn’t the only thing that employers are looking for. A recent study shows that 80% of employers want to hire someone who has demonstrated an ability to work in a team. This is an increasingly important skill, as businesses across the spectrum are coming to realize the value of collaboration. Gone are the days of the lone-wolf businessman. If that person ever existed, they certainly are not hirable anymore. Employers want people who can engage with others, who know how to compromise in a group setting, and are willing to share responsibility and blame on projects. 

Coming up in a close second and third are leadership skills and written communication skills. These skills are important for employers because they want to know that they can give you tasks and you won’t fall apart. Part of being a successful team player is knowing when and how to take orders, but also when and how to give orders. Leadership skills don’t necessarily mean that you were the owner or president of some company. It just means that you have taken charge of a project, an initiative, or a group on campus. The best way to demonstrate leadership is to take on extra responsibilities at whatever task or project you are given. And in terms of writing skills, employers want to know that you are capable of expressing yourself beyond a 160 character limit. 

Rounding out those Top 5 skills are problem-solving skills and a strong work ethic. Problem-solving is pretty straightforward – can you handle an issue successfully, and how is this demonstrated? Showing an employer that you have taken on projects/responsibilities and been successful in the past will logically lead them to conclude that you can do that again, maybe even for their company. And a strong work ethic is beyond obvious. No employer wants to pay someone who is clearly going to slack off and cycle through their favorite websites all day. They want workers! Be able to show your potential bosses that you work hard and care about the work that you do. If you don’t want to work hard or care about your work, find a job that caters to your needs. Then tell me about this job. I love the internet. 

Information for this article was taken from NACE: What Matters in a Resume.

Do you find these topics interesting? Have you ever thought about writing a blog? If so, join our team! Please send any interests, inquiries, or articles to Cassie Sklarz at sklarz@fordham.edu. We'd love to hear from you!