All the Best Soft Skills on a Resume and How to Prove Them

The top soft skills to include in a resume are those explicitly mentioned in the job description. If the job ad doesn’t mention soft skills, the best ones to put on a resume are those that help you carry out the main job requirements. Soft skills help you excel in any role, but for some positions (like managerial or customer-facing roles), they are crucial. You can list your soft skills in the skills section of a resume, but a more effective way is to prove how you applied these abilities to make a direct impact on a company’s success. Use a clear action verb with metrics to describe the results, then detail your contributions.

We can all brag about being good communicators and solid team players. But how do we prove that beyond laying on the charm during interviews? Recruiters don’t just want to know if you can hold a conversation. They’re more interested in how you used these soft skills to propel a business towards its goals. 

The best way to do this? Including specific examples, measurable results, and unique testimonials in your resume to demonstrate your impact. 

This guide will show:

• Our selection of the most in-demand soft skills for your resume
• How to include the top soft skills on your job application.
• The best ways to highlight your abilities to show you’re the ideal candidate. 

Complete your resume immediately with Rezi AI Resume Builder. Let your resume automatically showcase skills that are tailored to the job description. And the design and layout? It will always stay perfect. Just pick one of the 15+ resume templates and build your resume in minutes.

What Are Soft Skills for a Resume?

Soft skills are the traits and attributes that determine how you interact with others and perform in a professional setting. They’re about how we carry ourselves and work with a team. 

Examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, and adaptability — the kinds of competencies we can’t develop through formal training programs, courses, or education, but through experiences and personal reflection.

Unlike “hard” or “technical” skills, soft skills aren’t about specific knowledge (like software or framework proficiency). They’re about personal and interpersonal abilities that influence an employee’s performance. 

Soft skills are hard to measure and quantify, but are key for success in any workplace because they affect how well we can perform in our roles. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the most popular resume soft skills: 

Why are soft skills important for almost every job?

Strong soft skills are the main driver for a thriving work environment and long-term success. They push employees to take initiative, lead projects, and navigate tough challenges with a positive attitude.

Hiring managers love candidates with good soft skills because: 

• They greatly affect the overall success of an organization, especially in client-facing roles and environments. 
• Soft skills indicate a potential for professional growth. 
• AI is continuing to disrupt industries, so the ability to spark genuine human connections is becoming more essential.

Even in roles where technical skills are the primary requirement, soft skills distinguish a good employee from a great one. 

Below is a Reddit thread discussing high-income skills. One user shares how their communication skills accelerated their career progression in cybersecurity despite not being as confident in their technical skills:

A hiring manager in the cybersecurity space also chimed in the discussion: 

My advice: don’t underestimate the impact of soft skills, especially when applying for technical fields. 

The Best Soft Skills to Put on a Resume 

These are the best soft skills to put on almost any resume: 

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Problem-solving
• Empathy
• Adaptability
• Critical thinking
• Time management

And don’t just take my word for it — our Rezi users are proof that these skills matter. The soft skills showing up most often on their resumes? Communication, customer service, collaboration, leadership, problem-solving, time management, attention to detail, and negotiation.

Anything related to people skills is worth adding to your resume, especially when highly relevant to the role and proven by tangible results. Otherwise, listing soft skills on your resume might do more harm than good (more on that later). 

1. Communication

Communication refers to your ability to share and receive information. This can be through speaking, writing, or non-verbal cues. But I’m not just talking about the Monday catch-up chats by the coffee machine. 

Strong communication skills mean you can interact with colleagues, clients, and management, ensuring information is passed along without any misunderstandings. Communication is important for all roles and functions, especially managerial positions. 

Other abilities under the communication skills umbrella include: 

• Active listening
• Public speaking
• Verbal communication
• Written communication

2. Teamwork

Teamwork is about how well you collaborate with peers and colleagues. And no, you don’t need to be the most extroverted person (trust me) to show your teamwork skills. It comes down to encouraging each other's strengths to achieve success. 

Employers value workers who can cooperate with colleagues and contribute to group efforts. It’s great for reinforcing overall team performance and nurturing a collaborative work environment.

3. Leadership

Leadership skills focus on how you guide, motivate, and inspire others. Most of us have dealt with micromanaging managers or bosses who force us to the office while they travel the world. Your job is to prove you can be a proper leader by influencing and transforming the way your team operates. 

And this isn’t just for positions where you’re expected to lead a team. It’s also important for juniors and mid-level candidates because it shows you can take initiative, collaborate well with others, and navigate projects. These can lead to better outcomes and career advancement (which is why they’re so desirable).

If you’d like to be specific about particular leadership skills you excel in, you can mention one of the following:

• Coaching
• Conflict resolution
• Decision-making
• Delegation
• Mentoring
• Strategic planning

Curious about your leadership style? Take a look: Leadership Styles and How to Choose One for You

4. Problem-solving

Problem-solving requires more than just common sense and being a master at escape rooms. It’s about pinpointing issues, coming up with solutions, and then implementing the best course of action to resolve the problem. 

Companies all have goals to reach and problems to solve; that’s essentially why they’re paying us. So it makes sense that hiring managers across all industries value candidates with strong problem-solving skills because it means you can find those all-important solutions. 

5. Empathy

Empathy refers to how well you can relate to another person. It involves recognizing and appreciating the emotions or perspectives of others. Now, most of us can see when a friend is upset or when to stay away from our angry cat. But using it in the workplace is a different story. 

Having empathy allows you to build strong relationships with stakeholders and manage conflicts. Connecting with colleagues and clients alike is a type of skill that will always be valuable.

6. Adaptability

Adaptability (or flexibility) is about adjusting to new situations or conditions. One day, you’re going about your usual sales routine, and the next, you’re letting twenty annoyed customers know that the viral Labubu is sold out (and not coming back anytime soon).

An adaptable candidate will embrace change and remain flexible in various circumstances. Companies value adaptable employees as they can navigate through changes in priorities, technologies, and work processes. 

7. Critical thinking

Critical thinking revolves around making reasoned judgments. It means showing your future boss that you can think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between themes, concepts, or ideas. 

No matter what role you’re in, you’ll need to make sense of complex information. Critical thinking helps you look at different perspectives, break things down, and see the bigger picture. It enables you to make smart decisions, bring fresh ideas to your team, and help your organization grow.

8. Time Management

Time management focuses on planning, prioritizing, and executing tasks. Even if you’re the late one of the friendship group (I can relate), you can still show strong time management skills in the workplace with consistent productivity and meeting deadlines.

Demonstrating strong time management skills on a resume shows employers you can handle multiple tasks, stay on top of your work, and reach goals. These are all essential components for success in any role.

Top Resume Soft Skills Based on Job Levels

When I was applying for my first job, I had zero leadership experience, and I wasn’t about to fake it on my resume and end up in an awkward situation later. Including soft skills that truly match your experience helps recruiters see what you can genuinely offer, making it easier for you to find a job that’s the right fit.

Check out these different soft skills based on your job level. 

• Entry-level: Focus on foundational soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and adaptability. Make it clear that you can collaborate effectively, learn quickly, and fit smoothly into a new work environment.
• Mid-level: Emphasize skills related to problem-solving, time management, and leadership potential. Show that you can handle increased responsibilities, manage projects, and contribute to the strategic goals of the organization.
• Seniors: Showcase leadership, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. Prove your ability to lead organizations, develop long-term strategies, and maintain strong interpersonal relationships.

Here are more examples of soft skills for each experience level. 

Entry-level resume soft skills

• Adaptability
• Communication
• Creativity
• Interpersonal abilities
• Learning agility
• Problem-solving
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Work ethic

Mid-level resume soft skills

• Communication
• Conflict resolution
• Critical thinking
• Leadership 
• Mentoring
• Organization
• Problem-solving
• Project management
• Time Management

Senior resume soft skills

• Change management
• Decision-making
• Delegation
• Emotional intelligence
• Leadership
• Mentoring
• Negotiation
• Problem-solving
• Strategic Planning
• Strategic Thinking
• Team Management
• Visionary Thinking

Don’t waste space on your resume by repeating skills. Here are some synonyms to mix it up: 

• Resume Synonyms for Lead
• Resume Synonyms for “Collaborate”
• Synonyms to Replace “Created” on Your Resume
• Synonyms for “Managed” to Use on Your Resume
• Resume Synonyms for “Assisted” to Improve Your Resume

How to Find the Best Soft Skills to Put on a Resume

Here’s how to find the best resume soft skills relevant to the job you’re applying for: 

• Check the job description, noting key responsibilities and how they expect you to use these skills. 
• Review job ads, industry forums, and talk to peers to find out which soft skills are must-haves versus nice-to-haves for your field. 
• Check resources like LinkedIn Learning and Gartner to see which soft skills are trending, ensuring your resume reflects what’s currently valued in the job market.

Want an easier way to find relevant soft skills? 

Use Rezi AI Skills Explorer to automatically get a list of soft skills that you could include on your resume. Here’s how it works:

• Select the category of skills you’re after—in this instance, soft skills. 
• Enter the type of soft skills you’re interested in, e.g., interpersonal, teamwork, and so forth (list as many as you like). 
• Hit the “Enter” key on your keyboard. 

Now, let’s dig deeper into finding the best soft skills to include in your resume. 

Check the job description

I’d much rather get a birthday card with a thoughtful, personal message than one that just says “Happy Birthday.” The same goes for hiring managers reading your resume. It’s always smart to see what type of qualities the company is looking for so you can tailor your application.

What you can do:

• Take note of key responsibilities and must-have skills mentioned for the position. 
• See what soft skills the job ad frequently mentions or implies, like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. 
• Identify these essential soft skills and those that will help you stand out in your role. 
• Understand how employers expect you to use and apply certain soft skills. 

Or you can use our AI Keyword Targeting feature to instantly get a list of the top keywords from a company’s description. Simply enter the job title you’re applying for and copy and paste the company’s job ad. 

Research industry standards

While I always recommend tailoring your applications, it’s also handy to include some in-demand skills across all your resumes that are must-haves in your industry. Trust me, hiring managers will be impressed if you take the time to understand the common expectations for soft skills in your field. 

What you can do:

• Go through the job ads for your position from the biggest companies in your industry. See if you can spot patterns with soft skills mentioned multiple times.
• Look at what certifications, achievements, and experiences companies hold in high regard. 

• Get active in industry-specific forums and social media groups to learn what soft skills are the priority for other professionals.
• Talk to mentors, peers, and colleagues to get their insights on essential soft skills in your industry.

Refer to credible online reports

With everything available online, we have no excuse not to do our research. I suggest checking online reports, articles, and guides to see what soft skills are currently in high demand. A few good places to start include LinkedIn Learning and Gartner.

When checking out these resources, I could easily see what’s trending and being talked about the most. Just make sure you focus on the soft skills that complement the core strengths required for your profession.

What Soft Skills Are High Priorities?

Any resume skill you can prove you excel in that’s also mentioned in the job requirements is a priority.

But don’t just go for any old skill because it sounds impressive. I wouldn’t put public speaking at the top of the list for a job that’s all independent work. Mention soft skills that make you a more competent candidate for the company’s specific job posting. 

Here’s how to tell what soft skills are the most important to mention:

• Reflect on the soft skills you’re most comfortable with and can demonstrate real-world success in. 
• Look at what’s been explicitly mentioned in the company’s job description. 
• Select skills that meet both criteria: you have proven success applying the skill, and it’s a required or desirable competency in candidates. 

When to Include and Avoid Soft Skills

Below are the signs that you’re ready to mention a particular soft skill on your resume: 

• You have genuine experience using the skill. This could come from past work experiences, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, or academic projects.
• You can quantify the results of applying the soft skills you have in mind.
• You’re prepared to provide specific examples of how you used the skill and can elaborate on your experiences. 

On the flip side, these are the signs that you should avoid listing a certain soft skill on your resume:

• You lack experience using the skill. If you haven't had a chance to develop the skill, it's best to focus on other abilities you can offer.
• You can't provide concrete examples of how you used the skill to achieve a positive outcome. Being able to back up your claims with specifics is key.

How to Write About Soft Skills on a Resume

The best way to write about soft skills is to provide evidence of how you successfully applied them. Here’s how this might look in different resume sections: 

• Summary section: Weave your soft skills into your career highlights or achievements to give proof of your abilities. ‍
• Objective section: Outline your career goals alongside the company’s objectives to show how your soft skills will contribute to their success.‍
• Work experience section: Describe a responsibility you carried out, the skills you used, and the positive results achieved. ‍
• Education section: List any courses or experiences that helped you develop core soft skills (especially for entry-level roles). ‍
• Projects, volunteering, and extracurricular activities: Describe how you applied relevant soft skills in these contexts and any successful outcomes.‍
• Certifications section: Include any certificates that reinforce your proficiency in soft skills. ‍
• Skills section: Make a concise list of soft skills that employers value based on their expectations.

Remember: writing about soft skills isn’t always necessary. Sometimes, it might even hurt your chances. 

If you can’t connect your soft skills to positive outcomes or key responsibilities, and the job listing doesn’t even ask for them, focus more on other things employers want to see. Save talking about your soft skills for the interview, especially when you don't have much experience to back them up, and when they’re not labeled as mandatory or desirable for the job. 

Let’s go through some examples of how to present your soft skills in each resume section.

Summary section

Your resume summary lets you immediately highlight your most impressive accomplishments and competencies, including soft skills. List your top areas of expertise, a particular task you excel in, or mention a specific example that screams you’re an expert at a particular ability. 

Example:

Experienced project manager with excellent leadership and communication skills. Proven track record in leading cross-departmental teams to successfully complete projects on time and within budget. Successfully managed a remote team of 12 to deliver a high-profile project, improving client satisfaction by 25%.

Not feeling inspired? Check out our AI Summary Generator to get a personalized summary in seconds based on your desired job and industry. 

Objective section

The resume objective section focuses more on your professional goals and how you’ll help the company reach certain targets. You can use this space to write about how you’ll use or develop soft skills for the company’s benefit. 

Example:

Motivated to build a long-term career in retail by providing excellent customer service, supporting team goals, and learning effective sales strategies. Eager to develop my communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills to contribute to a positive shopping experience and help the company achieve its sales targets.

Work experience section

You can describe your proficiency in soft skills using the work experience section. Start with clear action verbs to depict a task or responsibility, then emphasize the abilities you applied to reach a favorable outcome. This is one of the best places to show your soft skills in action, proving you’re not just all talk. 

Examples:

• Led a team of 10 in conducting market research and competitive analysis, demonstrating collaboration skills that contributed to a 20% market share growth.
• Organized inventory processes with strong attention to detail, reducing stock discrepancies by 30%.
• Negotiated with suppliers to secure better pricing while cutting costs by 10%.
• Collaborated across departments to coordinate a successful store event, increasing foot traffic and building community relationships.
• Managed time effectively to handle peak periods, maintaining service quality while assisting up to 50 customers per shift.

Here’s some useful advice from Reddit:

Education section

Don’t have a lot of work experience yet? No worries, you can still highlight the soft skills you’ve developed through your education. Your education section and qualifications can say a lot about your abilities, especially if you add details like relevant coursework or projects that connect to the role you want. 

Example:

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration | University of Technology | May 2024

• Completed coursework in organizational behavior and team dynamics.
• Graduated with a GPA of 4.0.

Projects, volunteering, and extracurricular activities section

Use these additional sections to show relevant achievements and experience that reinforce your credentials. Similar to the work experience section, start by outlining the task, followed by the results using numbers or positive outcomes. 

Examples:

• Led a volunteer team to organize a community fundraising event, resulting in a 30% increase in donations compared to the previous year.
• Managed a team project for a business course, using collaboration and time management skills to deliver a market analysis presentation that received top marks.
• Tutored high school students in math, building communication and patience while helping them to improve their grades. 
• Volunteered at a community center, assisting with customer service tasks and demonstrating adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
• Organized a charity sports event while raising $2,000 for local initiatives.

Tip: As you get more experience in the workplace, you can cut this section to make room for more formal work experience, which employers tend to focus on. 

Certifications section

You can list industry-specific certificates using a certifications section to further boost your application. These are signs of recognition for your knowledge and abilities. Just don’t go adding random certificates for real estate when you're pivoting to a career in IT. Always keep it relevant. 

Example:

Certified Team Leader (CTL) | Leadership Institute | April 2025

• Comprehensive certification covering team dynamics, conflict resolution, and leadership strategies.

Skills section

Your skills section can be tricky. While it’s important to have the right soft skills, this area is best for highlighting your technical and hard skills, so recruiters can quickly scan to see if you meet their requirements.

I’d only recommend adding soft skills here if you’re just starting out in your career, or if the company specifically lists certain soft skills in the job description. Otherwise, let your soft skills speak through your work experience and other sections where you can show them in action.

Example:

• Leadership: Team Management, Strategic Planning, Conflict Resolution
• Communication: Public speaking, Active Listening, Negotiation
• Problem-Solving: Analytical Thinking, Creativity, Adaptability
• Teamwork: Collaboration, Empathy, Relationship Building

Effective Ways to Learn and Develop Soft Skills

We all build soft skills through a little thing called life — no qualifications necessary. But not all of us are natural-born leaders or problem solvers. That said, there are ways to work on these skills. And it’s worth it; the ability to improve team performance, collaborate with others, and solve problems effectively will always be valuable. 

Here are some of the best ways to develop your soft skills: 

• Get constructive feedback from peers, managers, and mentors.
• Put more effort into getting to know your colleagues. 
• Join workshops and seminars focused on communication, leadership, conflict resolution, and public speaking.
• Take on more leadership roles, starting with one-off projects and developing into more formal leadership responsibilities. 
• Participate more in group-related activities and projects.
• Grow your network by connecting with people in your industry who you can learn from.
• Practice self-awareness by acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses. 

Summary

Let’s recap on how to describe soft skills on a resume: 

• Immediately mention your best soft skills in the summary section. Include a career achievement with quantitative data to back up your claims. 
• If you’re using a resume objective, clarify how your goals align with the company’s vision. You can mention soft skills you intend to use or develop. 
• In the work experience section, start your bullet point with a task, then emphasize the soft skills you applied, followed by any positive outcomes achieved using metrics. 
• List formal qualifications in the education section. Add bullet points when you want to specify any interpersonal skills or qualities you developed from completing a relevant course or minor. 
• Discuss soft skills further in an additional section, such as projects, volunteering, and extracurricular activities. 
• Mention certificates that show acknowledgement of your soft skills using a “Certifications” section. 
• Make an organized list of soft skills in the skills section, but don’t neglect hard or technical skills. 

Honestly, I think soft skills are one of the most underrated parts of a resume. They matter in almost every role and can even be the reason you move up to a manager position one day.

Whenever I’m unsure, I always go back to the job description. At the end of the day, hiring managers want a resume that feels like it’s written for their company, not just any company.

And if the job ad doesn’t mention soft skills, you can still weave them in, especially when they support the technical skills needed for the role. It’s one more way to show you’re ready to grow in the role and bring value to their team.

FAQ

What are some overused soft skills that shouldn't be included on a resume?

The most overused soft skills are usually communication and teamwork. Then again, there’s nothing wrong with including these when you can provide tangible examples of how you applied them to achieve success. What you should avoid is using buzzwords on a resume like “hard worker” and “team player” because they’re a given. 

How many soft skills should I list?

Aim for at least three soft skills and no more than six or seven. Prioritize relevant soft skills that you’re most proficient in. 

What are the best examples of soft skills for a resume?

Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, empathy, and leadership are among the most in-demand soft skills. 

Good communication lets you convey ideas clearly and actively listen. Strong teamwork improves overall performance and productivity. Problem-solving shows your capacity to identify issues and develop solutions. Adaptability highlights your ability to adjust to changing circumstances and new challenges. Empathy means being able to read people’s feelings. Leadership indicates your capability to motivate and guide others towards achieving goals. 

Should I use separate sections for my soft skills and hard skills?

It’s optional. If you have space on your resume, you could create a category for soft skills and hard skills in the skills section. This makes it clearer and easier to scan. 

That said, your skills section should mostly focus on hard and technical skills, since your soft skills should be more apparent throughout your work experience with concrete examples.

Could you mention the same soft skills for any job? 

Technically speaking, you could put them on any resume, but that doesn’t mean you should. Employers in all fields keep an eye out for soft skills because they positively impact the organization’s workplace and make you a more well-rounded worker. 

What are the most impressive soft skills to employers?

Communication and interpersonal skills. In general, it’s impressive when you can prove that you can strengthen workplace productivity and company performance. Hiring managers can take more of an interest in a candidate not just because of their skills, but because of their qualities. It tends to be harder to find candidates with a particular character that aligns with the company’s values than it is to find someone with the skills required for the role.