Many people looking for work will focus on technical skills, experience and professional achievements. While all of those things are important, job seekers often overlook one massive differentiator: soft skills.

Soft skills are attributes that are crucial for a well-rounded worker, and it’s important to emphasize them early and often during the hiring process. When you communicate these skills in your resume and the interview, you show an employer that you’re capable of more than just doing the basics.

Soft skills include a wide range of things; and it’s helpful to spotlight the ones that are essential for job you’re seeking. Having and emphasizing the following soft skills can help you stand out from the pack and land that job you’ve been trying to get.

Work ethic

A good work ethic can take you a very long way, in both your career and any given hiring process. If you’re able to convey you have a strong work ethic that has led to substantial results for yourself and your employer at the time, any interviewer worth their salt will know you can handle the duties is listed in the job description.

A strong work ethic ought to be indicated in both your resume and any interview setting. When writing about past jobs or responding to interview questions, mention how hard you worked to achieve particular goals. Because work ethic is so valuable, spotlight yours whenever possible.

Passion

Employers love passion, particularly in the candidate selection process, as no business wants to hire someone who isn’t pumped up about the opportunity in front of them. This is easy to do during the interview and after the interview. Simply show passion for your line or work and the possibility of working for the company.

Passion shouldn’t feel like an act; it should come naturally. If you’re worried you may not be able to express enough passion and enthusiasm for a job opportunity, you need to find out why before deciding to move forward in the process.

Leadership

Leadership is a soft skill that every company is trying to find in its applicants. This quality isn’t just useful for supervising employees. It’s also a necessary skill for working in teams.

Strong leadership includes a strong sense of accountability. When trying to convey leadership ability, don’t be afraid to own a past mistake and talk about how you learned from it.

Self-confidence

When you show a potential employer you have self-confidence, you convey competency for the position you are seeking; because if you’re confident in yourself, that makes it easier for an interviewer to have confidence in you.

That being said, there’s a fine line between expressing confidence and being braggadocious. One effective approach is to ‘show’ confidence more through body language, and less through words. If you maintain good eye contact, sit up straight, smile and avoid fidgeting, you’ll come across a confident – even if you’re freaking out inside.

At Action Group Staffing, we connect job seekers to best-fit career opportunities. Please contact us today to find out how we can help your career.