To select the leader for their next engagement, more and more clients are reviewing professional profiles online. They are not just looking for good technical people anymore, they want to know how you interact with others (are you a team player? a good communicator?). A recent LinkedIn article said that “degrees and credentials are important, but the development of soft skills—skills that are more social than technical—are in high demand.” Soft skills are the game changer when it comes to finding your next project. Being able to show you know how to use them makes a big difference between landing the role or not.

How does one even show soft skills online or on their resume? Let’s discuss the balance between the two types of skills (hard and soft) and then I will give you some tips on how to include them in your digital profiles.

 

Hard Skills Gets You In The Door

Hard skills are easy to define and measure. That’s why resumes are full of them. They are how you do something: a procedure, a best practice, a method. They are proven by the measurement of training and knowledge that you acquire in a specific skill set (PMP certification or Bachelor of Science degree, for example). You spend years learning hard skills in school or on the job (i.e.: machine operations, computer programming, data analysis, a foreign language).

Hard skills are controlled by the left side of your brain. This side controls logic and your ability to perform a task. Common left brain professions are Mathematicians, Statisticians, Computer Programs and, of course, Project Managers. PMs usually have a long list of hard skills that they are good at – strategic planning, requirements analysis, Waterfall development methodology, building work break down structures, and so on.  I am sure your resume is full of good details on your hard skills.

 Soft Skills Gets You The Position

Soft Skills are your personality qualities, habits, attitudes, and even social graces. Unlike hard skills, which can be evaluated by a logic intelligence test (IQ), soft skills tend to use your heart and are evaluated by an emotional intelligence test (EQ). This is right brain stuff – artistic, creative. This is where you solve problems. These skills are harder to measure and difficult to prove.

Some examples of soft skills are: anticipating risk, motivating others, teamwork, innovating, listening, communicating. They are things that you hone and improve with a lifetime of trial and error. They are subjective. These are the skills that make you unique in how you do what you do. You can take classes to develop these skills, but it is your innate personality and strengths that ultimately determine which soft skills you excel in.

Clients today are looking for project leaders that understand organizational values, excel in teamwork and communications, and know how to leverage their personal strengths to maximize project results. The challenge is to show not only that you have certain soft skills, but how they have and will bring value to your role.

Showing Your Value

Before you can show the value of your strengths, you need to identify what they are. There are many EQ tests and online tools that can assist you with evaluating your soft skills. Here’s a list of 28 soft skills to get you started. These life skills are the things that add value to how you work. This is what clients want to know about you – what makes you unique.

The way to show that you know your stuff is by using narrative (by storytelling) on your profile and resume. Take leadership, for example, someone won’t know how you applied leadership if it is just a bullet on your resume but show it in connection with a situation, and they will clearly see how you applied it.

According to Jessica Hernandez, CEO of Great Resumes Fast, the way to show your value is by incorporating the skill within the context of an accomplishment that demonstrates it.

Here’s an example:

•  “Increased productivity of a multi-year software development project by 10 percent by improving communications across geographically dispersed teams and the stakeholder groups.”

What client wouldn’t want a project manager who could increase the productivity of the team? This bullet is impressive because it shows that the PM used her communications and teamwork skills in the context of a real client situation.

You can incorporate soft skill evidence into almost any narrative in this way.

Tell Your Story

According to career expert, Alison Doyle, “Integrating storytelling elements into resumes … can help to paint a dynamic picture of achievement.” Using story rather than a bullet list of skills on your profile and resume shows the reader that your focus is on HOW you improved a business situation, not just WHAT you did.

Don’t be afraid to tell your story, incorporate your soft skills, and show them you are capable and ready for that next great project.

Feel free to comment below and I’ll do my best to answer your questions about leveraging hard and soft skills to enhance your digital reputation. Until next time, keep up the good attitude.