The year 2024 had high quit rates, especially in 6 different states, which exceeded 3.0%. Nationally, in February 2024, there were nearly 3.5 million job quits. The U.S. quit rate at the time was 2.4%. Because of work culture, displeasure, personal matters, etc., employees left to hunt for better jobs. After the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the job industry, people are looking at jobs and work culture in a new light. They’re more interested in getting a job they love than just a paycheck. If you find a job you think you would love, you would benefit from dusting off that old resume and adding some new skills.
One facet of the process? Try adding some unique skills and strengths outside of listing your job experience.
12 Best Skills For Resumes
As with any resume skill, be sure to back up your claims with real-life examples. If you don’t have much professional experience, no sweat — you can always draw from examples from your personal life, like being the go-to problem-solver in your friend group or taking the lead on a class project.
Conflict Resolution
Even if your field isn’t specific to mediating conflicts, it’s an inevitable part of any job in any workplace. Conflict resolution skills are a job requirement for several different types of positions, such as customer service or management.
Conflict within organizations can reduce productivity and create a difficult or hostile environment. This leads to unwanted turnover in employees or dejected morale. If you can mediate and diffuse conflict, it encompasses a marketable skill to include on your resume.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking involves the original evaluation of data, facts, ideas, and creative proposals. The ability to think critically is one of the most sought-after qualities that employers look for in job candidates. For instance, employers list this skill as a job qualification in a broad range of job postings. Regardless of the position for which you are applying, critical thinking skills will be an in-demand asset.
Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills, more casually known as people skills, essentially describe how you communicate and interact with people. To recruiters, interpersonal skills prove to be one of the top criteria used to evaluate candidates. Regardless of your field, the majority of careers require consistent, usually constant, interaction with other people. While you may excel in the technical aspects of your job, you must display good people skills and communicate well. Emphasizing strong interpersonal strengths is a good way to include unique skills on your resume.
Teamwork
While it may seem obvious that being a team player is usually part of any position, demonstrating your ability to collaborate and participate in teamwork is important and will paint you as an attractive candidate.
This includes communicating your accomplishments to coworkers at the organization and working alongside them to produce the best results. Highlight teamwork as one of your resume skills to display a unique, coveted asset.
Organizational Proficiency
Organizational skills are some of the most significant and transferable capabilities an employee can acquire. They encompass a set of skills that help a worker plan, prioritize, and achieve his or her goals. The organizational skills you want to market go beyond basic filing and sorting paperwork; rather, how do you ensure your work is completed in a timely, adequate manner? The ability to keep work organized allows employees to focus on different projects without getting disoriented or overwhelmed, overall increasing productivity and efficiency in the workplace.
Written Communication
This unique skill for a resume is the number one desired attribute that employers are looking for in recently graduated students. No matter where you are in your career, written communication is becoming increasingly important as correspondence shifts from in-person meetings to online via messaging and emails. Written communication skills allow employees to work better in a remote environment and to correspond with customers and coworkers.
Bias for Action
Managers don’t want to have to micromanage their teams. Having a strong bias for action means you are confident to make the right decisions that align with your company and position without having to consult a higher-up every step of the way. You don’t have to be in a management position to take charge of your responsibilities and get work done.
Digital Technology Proficiency
With an increasingly digital workforce, technology skills are more important than ever. An employer would rather hire someone who knows how to efficiently navigate their emails, spreadsheets, AI, and internal software than someone who spends twice as long doing it. Unfortunately, this demand for tech-savvy workers may lead to age discrimination in the hiring process. However, having a proven track record of this in-demand, unique skill on a resume will give you a boost.
Honesty and Integrity
Those who own up to their mistakes and never lie about a sick day will get extra points for honesty. Dishonest employees will eventually lose their manager’s trust, meaning they will be overlooked for promotions and potentially land on the chopping block. This unique resume skill is also highly sought after everywhere.
Flexibility and Adaptability
In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing workplace, flexibility and adaptability skills are essential to being successful. Employers know your skills will be tested when they place you in a new role or expect you to master something unfamiliar. They need workers who can think on their feet and quickly change course if an unexpected situation arises. Consequently, these skills have become some of the most important skills for a resume in recent years.
Creativity
No matter what skills you list on your resume, having some creativity will stand out to recruiters and also show that you’re the type of employee who can think outside the box. Employers want employees with original ideas who aren’t afraid to try new things, especially in a new workplace. If you can show them that you’ve got some creative skills under your belt, they’ll be eager to hire you!
Project Management
Managing a project requires organizational skills, time management skills, and communication skills. If you can show that you’re able to effectively handle multiple responsibilities at once while keeping everyone on board with the project’s goals, employers will be clamoring to hire you.
These are just some of the unique skills for a resume that can help you stand out from the crowd. So, if you’re looking for a job, be sure to develop these skills and include them on your resume.
Looking for the next step in your career? Explore what positions Arizona’s top companies have available today.
BestCompaniesAZ features award-winning employers across the state who are constantly looking for local talent. These employers appreciate the uniqueness of each team member, meaning the unique skills on your resume won’t go unnoticed if you apply.
