Techniques for achieving a balance between soft and hard skills in a CV

Historically, resumes have focused on highlighting a candidate's technical skills and educational accomplishments. Yet, in today's job market, employers and recruiters are increasingly valuing soft skills in addition to industry-specific expertise.

Striking the right balance between these skill sets in a CV is essential for candidates aiming to distinguish themselves in the competitive job landscape. How can this balance be achieved in a resume? We encourage our readers to delve into this topic in today's article, which provides some effective strategies to reach this objective.

Understanding the difference: Soft skills vs. Technical skills

Before exploring strategies, it's crucial to understand the difference between soft and technical skills. Technical skills, also known as "hard skills," encompass specific abilities and knowledge pertinent to a certain field or industry. These can include anything from mastery of programming languages to expertise in financial analysis. Typically, these skills are demonstrated through degrees, diplomas, certifications, and other academic and technical credentials.

Conversely, soft skills, often referred to as "interpersonal" or "people" skills, are intangible social attributes that influence how individuals engage with others and manage different professional scenarios. Examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving. Unlike hard skills, soft skills are more challenging to demonstrate, as they don’t typically come with certification. However, discussing specific situations, highlighting achieved results, and providing references can help candidates address this challenge.

Difference between soft and hard skills explained

Source: LinkedIn

Strategies for achieving a balance between hard and soft skills in a CV

Tailor your CV to the job description

A highly effective strategy is to tailor your CV to match the job requirements you are applying for. Carefully examine the job description to pinpoint the technical and soft skills the employer is looking for, and then adjust your CV to emphasize the experiences and accomplishments that showcase your expertise in these areas.

Practical application: When a job description emphasizes the importance of strong communication skills alongside technical expertise, make sure your CV highlights experiences where you successfully explained complex technical ideas to non-technical stakeholders. It's wise to customize your CV by incorporating keywords from the job description.

Use the STAR method

When outlining your experiences on your CV, use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. This approach enables you to highlight both your technical skills and your soft skills.

Practical application: When discussing a project you managed, detail the challenges encountered (Situation), your duties (Task), the steps you implemented (Action), and the results obtained (Result). This approach highlights both your technical skills and leadership capabilities.

Highlight Cross-Functional projects

Highlight experiences where you worked alongside colleagues from various backgrounds or departments. These examples demonstrate your effective communication, collaboration, and adaptability in a multidisciplinary setting, showcasing your expertise in both soft and technical skills.

Practical application: If you were part of a cross-functional team that implemented a new water filtration system, emphasize your capability to work collaboratively with team members from various departments. Highlight both your technical contributions as well as your communication and teamwork skills.

Quantify achievements

Whenever you can, measure your achievements to offer concrete proof of your abilities. Whether you’ve boosted team productivity by a specific percentage or shortened project completion time, quantifiable outcomes add credibility to your assertions of having both technical and interpersonal skills.

Practical application: When updating your CV, quantify the percentage increase in efficiency achieved by optimizing a process to showcase your technical skills and ability to deliver results.

What does a CV with a balanced skill ratio look like?

Here is an example of what “balance” could look like in a Project Manager’s resume.

Work Experience: International Project Manager, [Organization Name], [Dates]

Technical Contribution

• Managed a cross-functional team to implement a solar-powered water pumping system in rural communities in [Country Name], decreasing dependence on manual water collection methods.

  
  

• Designed and implemented solar panels and water pumps, enhancing water accessibility by 40% and supplying clean water to more than 2,000 households.

  
  

• Introduced cutting-edge irrigation methods, leading to a 50% boost in crop yields and enhancing food security for local communities.

Quantifiable Achievements

• Led a hygiene and sanitation awareness campaign, achieving a 30% reduction in waterborne illnesses and enhancing overall public health outcomes in the targeted communities.

  
  

• Established a monitoring and evaluation system to oversee project progress and impact, reaching a 90% compliance rate with project milestones and consistently delivering reports to stakeholders on time.

  
  

• Obtained $200,000 in extra funding through successful grant proposals, enhancing project reach and sustainability efforts.

Continuous Learning and Development

Showcase your dedication to both personal and professional development by listing pertinent training programs, qualifications, or workshops on your CV. This highlights not only your technical expertise but also your proactive attitude towards improving your skill set, including soft skills like adaptability and resilience. However, avoid listing every accomplishment. Many candidates possess numerous certifications that may not be relevant, so one approach is to simply mention the total number of certifications attained.

Practical application: If you have finished a well-known leadership development course or participated in a workshop on effective communication, be sure to include these experiences to highlight your commitment to enhancing both your technical and interpersonal skills.

Conclusion

By applying the techniques mentioned earlier, you can create a CV that highlights your expertise in both areas. Keep in mind that achieving the right balance involves more than just listing skills; it's about narrating a convincing story of your abilities and potential contributions to future employers. Achieving this balance might demand effort and adjustments, but the rewards in career growth and professional satisfaction are worthwhile!