Are you trying to figure out the best ways to talk about soft skills on your resume?
Perhaps you’re concerned that “soft skills” is a bit generic or unnecessary.
Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn more.
This article will teach you how to say “soft skills” on a resume to suit your tone.
Soft Skills Synonyms
- Adaptability
- People skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication abilities
- Personal effectiveness
- Emotional intelligence
- Essential traits
- Adaptive skills
- Social Competence
- Problem-solving
- Leadership qualities
- Flexibility
- Time management
- Conflict resolution
- Creativity
- Critical thinking
- Decision making
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “Soft skills” is correct, but it’s often better to use a more familiar term in a resume.
- “Adaptability” is an excellent one-word synonym if you’re trying to spice things up.
- Use “people skills” to be clearer about what you’re trying to describe in your CVs.
So, keep reading to learn what to call soft skills on a resume. We’ve explained more regarding the best two synonyms from the list above to help you understand them.
Also, the final section will explain whether “soft skills” is a good word to include in a resume. So, you might want to skip ahead if this is more relevant to your search.
Adaptability
Another word for “soft skills” is “adaptability.”
Generally, you can use this to suggest that you adapt easily to new challenges. The more adaptable you are, the better you will be when it comes to picking up soft skills.
Since soft skills often relate to things you learn through experience, you can use “adaptability” to discuss what you’ve learned in the workplace.
It’s clear and direct. Therefore, it leaves nothing up to the imagination and shows a recruiter exactly what you’re bringing to the table.
It’ll help you to spice up your cover letter and impress an employer.
The more adaptable you are, the less you’ll need to be trained as well. So, of course, employers will look for people who already have the experience they’re looking for.
You can also review the following CV samples to learn a bit more about it:
I have a lot of adaptability that allows me to pick up on new trends and social cues. I’m always trying to learn new ways to interact with others.
My adaptability allows me to keep on top of group situations. I’m often put in a leadership role to account for my skills.
People Skills
Another way to say “soft skills” is “people skills.”
In fact, “soft skills” is quite outdated and irrelevant these days. So, you’ll often find people more likely to use “people skills” to talk about experiences they’ve gained in the workplace.
After all, most “people skills” are soft skills that people have picked up during their careers.
People skills don’t need to be taught to employees. Instead, they’re developed slowly over time (or good employees will already have them before joining a workforce).
Therefore, including a phrase like this in a resume is endearing and sincere. It’s an excellent chance to prove how good you are when it comes to working with others.
Of course, this will be most effective when applying to a customer service role. Then, you can prove how suitable your skills are by dealing with people on a daily basis.
You can also review the following resume examples to learn a bit more:
I have fantastic people skills that allow me to understand people’s predicaments quickly. I’m so proud of the work I’ve done here.
My people skills help me to stand out in most team environments. It’s why I know I’m a great fit for this part.
Is “Soft Skills” a Good Resume Phrase?
“Soft skills” is not a good resume phrase. Unfortunately, it’s not the best way to talk about things you’ve earned through experience.
Don’t get us wrong; it’s still correct. It’s also formal.
However, it’s not important to mention soft skills in this way. Instead, you should highlight more specific soft skills (like “people skills” or “emotional intelligence”).
Still, you may want to review these CV samples to see how it might work:
My soft skills help me to understand a lot about the people I work with. That’s why I always keep them sharp.
It’s important to understand your soft skills when joining new workplaces. You never know when they might come in handy.
The term itself is quite outdated.
Therefore, you won’t get much use out of it in most situations.
Also, you should avoid hyphenating the phrase. It’s only ever correct to use it as two words.
For instance:
- Correct: Soft skills
- Incorrect: Soft-skills
Finally, bookmark this page to remind yourself of the best synonyms for “soft skills.” Then, you can always return here when you need more ideas to help spice up your job application.