If you’re of working age nowadays, you might have applied for a job before. Because there’s a lot of competition, even small details in your job application are important.
Having a strong resume is now very crucial, even though it wasn’t given as much attention before. The tough competition means everyone is trying hard to get any advantage they can over others.
How to mention strengths in resumes?
One or two words placed in the right place could make or break a successful application. The first thing to do is list out what you consider to be your natural strengths. This list of strengths to write in your resume have to be realistic. Do not be vague, or worse, make overstatements. If you are a good team leader, mention it and also say how big your team was. The information gives the reader much-needed evidence that you are indeed what you say you are.
What to write under the strengths section in the Resume will also depend on your perception. And perceptions can differ. What you see as a strength in CV may be looked at differently by the reader. For example, analytical skills and problem-solving are almost the same. You cannot solve problems if your analytical skills are lacking. But mentioning both will make the skills redundant in the Resume.
List of strengths to write in your Resume
Whoever you may be, and at whatever level, there are specific common strengths that one will always look for in any employee, from the top-level manager to the fresher.
- Professionalism
- Dependability
- Honesty
- Excellent Communicator
- Clarity of Thought
The above strengths are looked for by all recruiters regardless of whom they are recruiting and for whichever post. For example, Honesty could very well be a strength in a resume for freshers or even a top manager. Honesty is a quality any applicant can mention as strength in CV.
When you start, make a list of strengths to write in your Resume. Review the list and ask yourself if it is realistic and reflects your core competencies.
Categories of Strengths
- Communications
- Dependability’
- Analysis or Problem-solving
- Leadership/Teamwork
- Technical skills
Communications
- Verbal Communications
- Business Storytelling
- Negotiations
- Persuasive Powers
- Good Presenter
- Designing engaging website
- Friendly Disposition
- Excellent Non-verbal communicator
- Good Speaker
- Excellent grasp of Technical Issues.
The grasp of any technical issue is a strength, the importance of which cannot be emphasized enough. Talking/communicating to clients, suppliers, labor, or even internally in the office is critical. If it is a manufacturing company, there is also daily communication between the plant and the various departments like Finance, HR, Marketing, etc. The recruiter would like to know if your strength in CV is adequate.
Dependability
- Dedication
- Flexible
- Responsible
- Accuracy
- Attention to Detail
- Focused
- Professional
- Can take setbacks in stride
- Excellent Time Management
- Strong Work Ethics
Every company /organization would look for this quality in a potential employee, be they fresher or experienced. Dependability is also a critical strength in Resume for fresher. If asked for an example of this quality, you could tell how you handled a production issue or handled a project that was predicted not to meet its deadline. You need not demonstrate Dependability only in your core areas. You might have been at the right place at the right time and showed the presence of mind to get things done.
Analysis or problem-solving.
- Innovation
- Logical Thinking
- Open-Minded
- Efficiency
- Judgment
- Solution
- Good analytical Skills
- Good Anticipation
- Action Consequences and anticipation
- Accessing Outcomes/Results
Any situation could test the Analytical ability of a person. What the recruiter is looking for in your Resume is the evidence that you have what it takes to solve daily or once in a blue moon problem that can rear its head at any time and place. The organization is hiring you for this strength in Resume to either resolve some problem, increase productivity or make a process more efficient.
Leadership / Teamwork
- Management
- Mentoring
- Constructive Criticism
- Motivating
- Conflict Resolution
- Consensus
- Taking and Giving Criticism
- Effective Planning
- Collaboration
- Team Oriented
In modern companies, the era of the single efficient worker or multi-tasker is over. For one thing, the tasks of any department have become more complex and interdependent. The ‘one size fits all’ concept is gone from management. Specialization is now a strength in Resume.
A team handles any task or project, and within that team, you can have individuals handling a small part of the project. The recruiter wants to know where the applicant fits into this structure and what quality they bring to the table.
Technical Skills
- Handling Social media
- Basic computer skills
- Managing Data
- Enterprise Systems knowledge
- Handling Mechanical Malfunctions
- Level of familiarity with data handling tools like spreadsheets
- Grasp of any proprietary software being used
- Understanding of Digital Marketing concepts
- For coders, it will be writing efficient, clean code
- Handling traffic on website/portal
To each of the above five strength lists, one must add the five common strengths which will be looked for by any recruiter regardless of the industry or position applied for. So in effect, each category of strength has fifteen strengths.
What to write under strengths section in Resume
Just listing a strength in CV will not be enough. The strength has to be qualified. A very succinct description of why you think you have the skill is in order here.
Suppose you mention pacifying an agitated client as a strength in Resume for fresher you should mention what happened to agitate the client in the first place and how you handled the situation.
Writing this description in the Resume might make it lengthy. However, you can mention this during the interview. If a story is told, it is better to say it to the face than write it in the Resume.
Appeasing a client can be a strength in Resume, but it gets qualified in the interview. It is better to leave lengthy descriptions for the interview. A candidate can do better justice to their narration in a face-to-face discussion.
A written description, however interesting, would not be given enough weightage by the recruiter.
The list of strengths to write in your resume may be kept short. Only write a strength in CV if you are confident of handling it. The keen recruiter may cross-question you to see if you were really up to the task when you handled the situation.
How to write Strength in CV for freshers
At the risk of repetition, it needs to be mentioned that the real pitfall is in the way you project yourself. Remember that when you go for an interview, you are not alone. The recruiter may have interviewed many candidates before you, and there may be much waiting after you are done.
The secret is to stand out. How to write strength in CV for freshers is a bit tricky as they cannot recount work experience. However, if writing an under-strength section in a Resume is a question, one could narrate real-life examples.
A person could become aware of their strength even before they start working. A particular situation in real life may bring out a strength hitherto unknown to the person.
This inadvertent realization can become a strength in Resume for fresher and can be mentioned. The candidate can easily defend such strength as he has experience.
Moreover, the recruiter will understand that a candidate’s strength can come in handy at any time in his life, not just in the job.
The Cover letter
The Cover Letter is the most underestimated document in the process of recruitment. Often, the candidates have no idea that they can make or mar their chances of getting selected just by presenting their cover letter.
A cover letter and a resume have different purposes. A resume mentions your education, qualifications, and strengths. The Resume can be a straightforward narration. But a cover letter will allow you to show the recruiter your keenness for the job. Your cover letter should focus on the job you are after.
Your cover letter should reflect your Professionalism. By all means, you can take the liberty of being a little creative, but do not overdo it.
A thin line separates a genuine creative cover letter from, say, a general cover letter. One may achieve creativity in a resume subtly; otherwise, it will be just praising oneself, quickly putting off a recruiter.
A recruiter may even appreciate your creative writing skills but would decide against hiring you. Your purpose is to get hired.
FAQ on Key Strengths for Resume
Q:1 What are key strengths for a resume?
A: Key strengths are your best skills and qualities that make you a strong candidate for the job.
Q:2 How do I choose the right strengths for my resume?
A: Pick strengths that match the job requirements and highlight your unique abilities.
Q:3 Can I include both soft and technical strengths?
A: Yes, a mix of communication skills, teamwork, and technical expertise can impress employers.
Q:4 Should I include examples with each strength?
A: Providing brief examples of how you’ve used each strength can add credibility to your resume.
Q:5 How many strengths should I include in my resume?
A: Aim for 3-5 key strengths to keep your resume focused and impactful.
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