Hard Skills vs Soft Skills (Examples for Your Resume)

By Reid - October 26, 2021

difference between hard skills and soft skills

During the hiring and interview process, employers look for applicants with a solid mix of soft and hard skills. These were the two main features I would try to align with an open job while hiring for several Fortune 500 organizations.

Any applicant who knows the difference and can successfully apply them to a resume will increase their chances of getting hired (or at least getting an interview). Here’s our short guide on these two crucial aspects of landing any job.

Questions Answered:

The difference between hard skills and soft skills
Soft skills definition
Soft skill examples
Hard skills definition
Hard skill examples
How to balance these skills

What Are hard skills and soft skills?

What Are Soft Skills? (Definition)

Soft skills are all those universal and non-technical skills that help define someone's work personality. They include all the interpersonal abilities that help people thrive in their jobs by getting along with their workmates, clients, and superiors.

People who constantly work on themselves and look to improve can learn and develop new soft skills to grow personally and professionally.

We believe soft skills are the most important part of a job because most jobs require employees to engage with their coworkers and customers. When someone has the right skill set, it's easier for them to adapt to different situations and maximize the positive results that a company needs.

Teamwork Skills

We've all heard the phrase: "Two heads are better than one." Any brand or business needs team players that support and complement each other to grow and become the best in their field.

Having teamwork skills allows you to work better and in an organized way with your coworkers. People with teamwork skills help create a comfortable and more productive working environment.

Examples of teamwork-related soft skills include:

Respectfulness
Listening skills
Communication
Reliability
Mediation
Negotiating
Open-mindedness
Patience
Giving and receiving feedback
Dependability
Positive attitude

“On a resume, 61% of employers believe soft skills are just as important as hard skills.”

— CareerBuilder

Communication Skills

No matter what job you are applying for, communication skills are vital. They're even considered some of the most important life skills because they pass, receive, and decode information.

Communication goes beyond the use of a voice; it can be written, visual, or non-verbal. Employers look for people who know how to balance and combine these abilities.

Regardless of where you want to work or the position you're applying for, you'll need to be in constant communication with your superiors, coworkers, staff, clients, etc.

Nowadays, with all the remote working trends, people need to communicate efficiently through different channels, whether in person, by phone, by email, by social media, or by videoconference.

Examples of soft communication skills include:

Confidence
Body language
Presentation skills
Public speaking
Friendliness
Empathy
Listening skills
Creative forms of expression

Self-Management Skills

You can be the best at any software, but if you don't manage your time and organize your tasks, you can’t deliver the same superior results that you otherwise could.

Having self-management skills means that you can maximize your productivity. Not just because you’ve planned your day and organized your responsibilities but because you can control your thoughts and emotions and, by extension, the way you act and the decisions you make in a work scenario.

Examples of self-management soft skills include:

Organization
Planning
Goal setting
Time management
Scheduling
Multitasking
Meeting deadlines
Ability to work under pressure
Prioritizing
Work-life balance
Managing emotions

Problem-Solving Skills

Employers want to know that you'll be able to act quickly in times of crisis. They're looking for people that can provide creative and efficient solutions rapidly.

These skills include using logic, common sense, and imagination to develop smart solutions for existing problems and to prevent them from happening again.

Examples of problem-solving soft skills include:

Analytical skills
Brainstorming
Adaptability
Flexibility
Insight
Identifying problems
Leadership
Level-headedness
Creative-thinking skills

What Are Hard Skills? (Definition)

In a nutshell, they're the measurable and specific skills you need to fulfill your job's tasks successfully. They could include knowing how to use different software, tools, or equipment and applying them to deliver better results. Unlike soft skills, you can prove these skills through certifications, exams, diplomas, degrees, etc.

You get trained for hard skills in a school, college, certification courses, etc. They're the reason people enter a specific major because you can acquire them throughout the study.

Computer Skills

In the digital era that we live in, pretty much all office jobs require general computer skills.

Some jobs require more advanced skills for specific purposes, while others require only the basics. Make sure you prioritize the ones you excel at but don't leave out the basic skills. Sometimes these are the ones that make the difference.

Examples of computer-related hard skills include:

Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
Google Suite (Docs, Slides, Sheets, Drive)
Web (web development, WordPress, Javascript, HTML)
Graphics (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
Programming skills (C++, C#, Phyton, Java)
Email
Database management
Hardware skills
Software skills

Technical Skills

Unlike computer skills, technical skills are the specific knowledge and expertise you have within your field. They include using particular tools and a deeper understanding of the equipment you manage.

Examples of hard technical skills include:

CAD
Machine handling
STEM skills
Prototype development
Result analysis
Workflow development

Writing and Language Skills

These skills are commonly confused with communication skills. Writing and language skills comprise the technical part of communication. They're essential for jobs in content writing, research, conceptualization, translation, etc.

Moreover, employers look for people with abilities that make them stand out from others. So, even if the job doesn't require knowledge of a foreign language, you'll be much more valuable to the company if you add these skills to your resume.

Examples of hard writing skills include:

Grammar, punctuation, spelling
Vocabulary
Letter writing
Copywriting
Storytelling
Editing
Journalism
Managing press releases
Linguistic skills

Administrative and Financial Skills

For many jobs, administrative and financial skills are a must. These are the skills that keep a business running and an office well-organized. They go hand in hand with certain computer skills, including specific software and strategies.

Examples of admin-related hard skills include:

Logistics
Budgeting
Project management
Hiring

Marketing Skills

Social media, advertisement, and publicity are vital for any business in this digital era. With all companies advertising their products and services, employers search for people with unique and creative marketing skills to make their businesses stand out.

Examples of hard marketing skills include:

Facebook, Instagram, and Google ads
SEO / SEM
Email marketing and automation
Data visualization and analysis
Funnel management
Project and campaign management
Content development and creation
Inbound and outbound marketing
User experience
Data-driven marketing

Design Skills

Contrary to what many people think, not just anyone can design.

Design is a form of expression and communication that goes beyond making something aesthetic and appealing to the eye. Therefore, these skills comprise a deep knowledge of current trends, ergonomics, functionality, color, materials, etc., to deliver unique results that communicate with the right audiences.

Examples of design-related hard skills include:

Trend analysis
Photography
Editing
Drawing and sketching skills
Adobe programs
Layout design
Rendering
3D modeling
Product design
Cut and confection
Print design
Typography
Editorial design

Related:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Difference Between Hard Skills and Soft Skills?

Soft skills refer to personal qualities that define a candidate from a non-technical skills aspect. Hard skills refer to more measurable and specific job-related skills needed to perform a task successfully. You need both skills in the working world, and a good blend of the two will create more opportunities for you.

How do You Balance Hard Skills and Soft Skills in Your Resume?

A handful of years ago, having the hard skills required for a position was more than enough to get you the job. Nowadays, we live in a wildly competitive world where human relationships, networking, and communication are more critical than ever.

Customers seek brands, businesses, and companies to deliver results and experiences beyond a product.

For this reason, employers are looking to add people to their teams that possess as many soft skills as they do hard skills. You need to portray yourself as a candidate with hybrid skills. Emphasize how you can maximize your hard skills by using your soft skills.

If you lack a hard skill or aren't as good as you could be at a particular software, demonstrate how you can quickly learn it thanks to your soft skills.

soft and hard skills on resume meme

How Do You Highlight These Skills?

Look to highlight these skills on your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter, and even during an interview to make sure you catch the eye of any potential employer.

Incorporate these skills into the “Relevant Skills” section of your resume
The “Experience” section of your LinkedIn profile is also an excellent location to include relevant hard skills
While cover letters aren’t as significant as they once were, this could be a spot to incorporate your skills
The job interview itself is the best place to show off any soft skills you have been referencing in the past

Wrapping Up | Difference between hard skills and soft skills

There you have it - the difference between hard and soft skills and what you should focus on during the job search (especially within your resume).

Remember, highlight the skills that define you as a person and show that you're the best candidate for the job. Make them known, but don’t sound arrogant and oversell yourself.

List your skills in a way that shows why you're valuable from both short-term and long-term perspectives. The employer will see your strengths which will help during the candidate selection process.

We hope this helps, and feel free to reach out with any questions you have. We would be happy to answer. Good luck with your job search!

Title: Hard Skills vs Soft Skills in a Resume

Category: Resume Resources

Tags: hard skills vs soft skills, soft skills list, hard skills for resume, what are hard skills and soft skills examples, soft skills definition, soft skill examples, hard skills definition, hard skill examples

Author: Reid is a contributor to theJub. He's an employment and marketing enthusiast who studied business before taking on various recruiting, management, and marketing roles. More from the author. | Author Profile