Resume Writing Tips: How to Highlight Soft Skills Effectively

Quantifying soft skills makes them concrete and ATS-friendly.

• Use metrics, e.g., “Improved team collaboration, reducing project delays by 20%.”
• Focus on outcomes, e.g., “Resolved conflicts, boosting team morale by 15%.”
• Place key achievements on page one for visibility.
• For non-quantifiable skills, describe impact, e.g., “Streamlined communication processes.”

Example: “Enhanced team communication by facilitating 10+ cross-functional meetings, improving project delivery by 25%.”

Soft skill keywords ensure your resume passes ATS filters.

• Extract keywords from job postings, e.g., “teamwork,” “problem-solving,” or “adaptability.”
• Incorporate keywords naturally into Summary, Skills, and Experience.
• Use synonyms, e.g., “collaboration” for “teamwork,” to broaden appeal.
• Aim for a 70%+ ATS match score without keyword stuffing.

Example: For a marketing role: “Leveraged adaptability to pivot campaign strategies, increasing engagement by 30%.”

Integrating soft skills into your work experience shows their practical application.

• Describe soft skills in action, e.g., “Led team collaboration to meet deadlines.”
• Use action verbs like “facilitated,” “coordinated,” or “resolved.”
• Quantify where possible, e.g., “Resolved 50+ customer issues with empathy.”
• Prioritize recent roles for maximum impact.

Example: “Coordinated cross-functional teams, improving project efficiency by 15% through effective communication.”

A summary with soft skills grabs attention and boosts ATS compatibility.

• Include the job title, e.g., “Customer Service Representative with strong communication.”
• Highlight key soft skills, e.g., “teamwork” or “adaptability.”
• Mention a quantifiable result, e.g., “improved client satisfaction by 20%.”
• Keep it concise (3-4 sentences) for readability.

Example: “Marketing Coordinator with strong collaboration skills, driving 15% higher campaign engagement through teamwork.”

Projects highlight soft skills in action, even for entry-level candidates.

• Include a Projects section for academic or volunteer work, e.g., “Led team project.”
• Describe soft skills used, e.g., “Coordinated team tasks, improving efficiency by 10%.”
• Link to projects on LinkedIn or GitHub, if applicable.
• Focus on role-relevant projects, e.g., leadership for management roles.

Example: Projects: “Led volunteer campaign, using teamwork to increase event attendance by 20%.”

Training or certifications in soft skills add credibility to your resume.

• List courses from Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or Udemy, e.g., “Leadership Essentials.”
• Include workshops or seminars, e.g., “Team Communication Workshop, 2025.”
• Mention in-progress training, e.g., “Studying Emotional Intelligence.”
• Integrate in Summary or Skills, e.g., “Certified in Conflict Resolution.”

Example: Certifications: “LinkedIn Learning: Effective Communication, 2025.”

Tools streamline soft skills integration and ensure ATS compatibility.

• Use Hireflow’s free ATS Resume Checker to score your resume.
• Extract soft skill keywords with Jobalytics Chrome Extension.
• Choose Hireflow’s $2.99 templates for ATS-friendly layouts.
• Proofread with Grammarly to eliminate errors.

Example: Jobalytics suggested adding “collaboration” for a team role, boosting ATS score to 75%.