Measuring Soft Skills Impact: Demonstrating Soft Skills Relevance in a Forward‐Thinking CV
In today's competitive job market, it's not just about having the right technical skills - soft skills are increasingly becoming the backbone of modern teams. According to Dave Fano, Founder of Teal, soft skills are essential for building a clearer picture of professional value [1].
List Key Soft Skills Explicitly
Start by listing your key soft skills explicitly in your skills section. Some of the most sought-after soft skills in 2025 include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, empathy, adaptability, and leadership [1][2][3][5].
Demonstrate Soft Skills Through Concrete Achievements
Instead of making generic statements about your soft skills, demonstrate them through concrete achievements and examples. Use specific accomplishments in your work history that show how you applied soft skills with measurable impact or results [2].
For example, you could describe how you improved team collaboration that led to a project success, or how your communication skills helped resolve a critical issue.
Quantify Results Where Possible
Using numbers, timeframes, percentages, or descriptive outcomes strengthens the proof of your soft skills in action. For instance, you could say, "Led a team of 5 to streamline workflow, reducing project delivery time by 20%." [2]
Use Strong Action Verbs
Instead of passive phrasing, use strong action verbs like "led," "increased," "resolved," or "facilitated" to show your active involvement [2].
Tailor Soft Skill Examples to the Job and Industry
Pick those soft skills most relevant to the role and incorporate keywords from the job description naturally throughout your resume [2].
Incorporate Storytelling Elements
Briefly in bullet points, show how you adapted your style or problem-solved in challenging situations. For example, how you adjusted communication for a technical vs. non-technical audience [4].
Include a Variety of Soft Skills
Depending on your profession, incorporate a variety of soft skills. Recruiters might highlight empathy and active listening with examples of handling diverse personalities, while marketers might stress creativity and collaboration [3][4].
Avoid Simply Listing Soft Skills Without Backing Them Up
Credibility comes from demonstrating your soft skills in context with real-life applications [2].
Use a Resume Builder to Capture and Organize Your Accomplishments
Use a resume builder to capture and organize your accomplishments, so your soft skills aren't just remembered; they're ready to reuse. This will help you to effectively illustrate and prove your soft skills on a resume according to modern hiring expectations [1].
Case Study: Redesigning an Intake Process
A practical example of turning a soft skill into a bullet point can be seen in the redesign of an intake process. By using Zapier and JIRA, one individual reduced cross-functional submission errors by 70% in Q1 [1]. This not only demonstrates their problem-solving skills but also their adaptability and teamwork.
In conclusion, the modern expectation is that resumes balance the naming of soft skills with actionable evidence and measurable accomplishments. By following these guidelines, you can effectively demonstrate that you do more than claim to have soft skills - you actively use them to deliver value and fit company culture [2][4][5].
[1] Fano, D. (2022). The Future of Work: Soft Skills and the Rise of the Human-Centric Workforce. Retrieved from https://www.teal.co/blog/the-future-of-work-soft-skills-and-the-rise-of-the-human-centric-workforce/
[2] Glassdoor. (2022). How to Showcase Soft Skills on Your Resume. Retrieved from https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/blog/how-to-showcase-soft-skills-on-your-resume-hr-tips-from-the-experts-1806372/
[3] Hiring Lab. (2022). The Top Soft Skills Employers Are Looking for in 2022. Retrieved from https://www.hiringlab.com/blog/top-soft-skills-employers-are-looking-for-in-2022/
[4] Jobscan. (2022). How to Write a Resume that Stands Out: Tips for Showcasing Soft Skills. Retrieved from https://www.jobscan.co/blog/how-to-write-a-resume-that-stands-out-tips-for-showcasing-soft-skills/
[5] LinkedIn. (2022). The 10 Most In-Demand Soft Skills for the Workforce in 2022. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/learning/talent-solutions/the-10-most-in-demand-soft-skills-for-the-workforce-in-2022
- Incorporate a variety of soft skills in your skills section, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, empathy, adaptability, and leadership, to demonstrate your ability to work effectively in a modern team.
- Instead of merely stating soft skills, demonstrate them through specific examples of how you've applied these skills in your work, like improving team collaboration, managing difficult conversations, or adapting communication for diverse audiences.
- To strengthen the proof of your soft skills, quantify your accomplishments by including numbers, timeframes, percentages, or descriptive outcomes, like "led a project team, reducing project delivery time by 20%."
