Since we are dealing with a competitive job market nowadays, it’s important to make your resume stand out from the rest of the applicants, and that’s where leadership skills come into play.
Leadership skills can be team-oriented, soft, personal, and technical. It’s important to highlight all four types in your resume, as they are skills that many recruiters are looking for.
Keep on reading to find out how you can demonstrate all four sets of leadership skills in a way that will make your resume memorable to the recruiter.
Key Takeaways
- Leadership skills are highly valuable in today’s job market. Recruiters are always on the lookout for candidates who can lead and inspire a team to reach its goals.
- Adding leadership skills to your resume can show that you are a well-rounded candidate who possesses a diverse skill set.
- Your leadership skills can help set you apart from other candidates, since successful experience leading a team or managing projects is highly valuable.
What Are Leadership Skills?
Leadership skills are the abilities and traits that you can use to effectively lead, manage, and motivate others. These skills are essential for those who want to work in positions of authority or in team-based environments where collaboration and cooperation are critical for success.
It’s important to mention these skills in your resume, as they are highly valued by employers. They are especially necessary for people in certain roles and industries.
Here are some people who will likely benefit from developing leadership skills:
- Managers
- Supervisors
- Entrepreneurs
- Business owners
- Project managers
- Non-profit leaders
- Community leaders
- Positions that require team-work
Leadership skills are important in situations such as managerial or supervisory roles, when working on a team project, during times of change or uncertainty, when pursuing career advancement, and when starting a new business or organization.
Are Leadership Skills Important For Your Resume?
Yes, leadership skills are important for your resume, especially if you are applying for a job that requires leadership or management responsibilities. Employers expect to see them listed on your resume as they look for candidates who can manage teams, make important decisions, and achieve organizational goals.
By including leadership skills in your resume, you demonstrate to potential employers that you have the ability to lead, motivate, and inspire others on their way to success. This can then set you apart from other candidates and increase your chances of being considered for the job.
According to a recent LinkedIn report, more than 90% of people agree that leadership skills and similar soft skills are more important than technical skills.
Another survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers stated that leadership was the most sought-after trait among employers.
Moreover, a Harvard Business Review study has confirmed that companies with strong leadership have higher profits than companies without it.
12 Leadership Skills to Include in Your Resume
Here are some leadership skills examples that you can include in your resume:
#1. Strategic Thinking
Strategic thinking is a skill that enables you to make long-term plans for an organization. It allows leaders to see the big picture, which helps them create strategies to support their goals.
Leaders who have strategic thinking skills are good at analyzing data, identifying trends, and making decisions based on the data they find. The information collected can then help foreshadow potential risks and benefits for the company.
Let’s say you are a leader in a company that sells electronics. You’ve noticed that the sales of a product line have been declining, and you need to find a way to address the issue. To apply strategic thinking to this problem, you can analyze the data, identify the trends, evaluate some options, consider the impact, and develop a plan.
#2. People Management
People management is one of the most sought-after skills for a leader. That is because it can help leaders lead, motivate, and manage a team effectively. Leaders who have these skills can easily create a positive work environment that supports collaboration and teamwork.
To effectively utilize people management skills, a leader needs to build and manage high-performing teams that can easily reach a company’s goal. That’s why knowing a team’s dynamic is crucial.
People management also involves other skills such as communication, coaching, conflict resolution, and delegation.
An example of people management would be if one of your team members has been struggling with a project and you help them get back on track by giving feedback, helping them set manageable goals, providing support, and monitoring their progress.
#3. Problem-solving
Strong problem-solving skills are important for leaders, as they are often asked to identify and solve complex issues. This is an important skill to have, as leaders should be able to analyze a situation, identify the root of a problem, and find an effective solution for the issue.
Leaders who have great problem-solving skills are also able to think critically. That is because they have to consider different perspectives and listen to multiple ideas to reach the best conclusion.
Problem-solving skills can also be used to build trust within the team. Once the team members notice that their leader has no trouble handling challenges, they will feel more secure in their roles.
An example would be being able to gather information, analyze a problem, find options, and evaluate and implement the solutions.
#4. Communication
Effective communication is an essential leadership skill, as it enables leaders to convey their vision and expectations to a team. It’s important to work on your ability to communicate clearly with others, as it can help you reach a common goal much more quickly and effectively.
Communication does not only involve speaking in a clear and concise manner; it also deals with empathy and thoughtfulness. A great leader listens to their team members and takes their feedback into account.
Communication can also help leaders build and maintain stronger relationships with their teams. This provides a more supportive and comfortable work environment for everyone.
#5. Creativity
Creativity is an important leadership skill as it allows leaders to find new and innovative solutions to complex situations. A leader needs to be able to think creatively and inspire their team to come up with fresh ideas.
Creativity enables leaders to tackle a challenging situation with an open mind. This lets them see the issue from different perspectives and allows them to find new possible solutions.
Creative leaders are also adaptable and resilient. They can easily pinpoint and adjust their strategies based on circumstantial changes.
An example of how you can highlight your creative skills in your resume can look like this:
Experience:
Flowstat Co.
Social Media Manager
2017-2020
- Developed and implemented a creative social media strategy that increased engagement by 38% and led to an increase of 8% in profits.
#6. Adaptability
Leaders need to be able to adapt to quick changes and adjust all of their plans accordingly. It’s a skill that every leader should have, as it enables successful navigation through change and uncertainty.
As an adaptable leader, you’ll be required to remain calm and help lead the team through transitions and change.
Moreover, adaptability helps leaders demonstrate resilience. When the team members see that their leader is calm when change occurs, they will feel more comfortable in their ability to do the same.
Lastly, adaptability can greatly impact growth within an organization. It helps create opportunities for new ideas and approaches that can foster improvement.
#7. Decision-making
As a leader, you will often need to make important decisions that can have a significant impact on the team or company. Having decision-making skills is important because you might come across situations where you need to make a consequential decision on the spot.
When adding this leadership skill to your resume, try to include some examples of situations where you made difficult decisions that led to a successful result.
This can be elaborated on in your cover letter or added to your resume summary like this:
Helped Flowstar Inc. decide on which client to support with investments. That client is now a multinational company, and Flowstar Inc. holds the number one stakeholder spot.
#8. Teamwork
One of the most common skills that a leader must have is the ability to work as part of a team. As the saying goes, “teamwork makes the dream work!”. That’s why this skill is essential when it comes to achieving common goals and creating a healthy work culture.
A leader can use these teamwork skills to identify their team’s strengths and help them leverage these strengths. Teamwork includes open communication and collaboration, allowing space for feedback, and supporting one another.
This is how teamwork skills can look in the skill section of your resume:
Skills:
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to successfully achieve deliverables.
- Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability skills by taking extra workload to help my team members meet tight deadlines.
#9. Time Management
Time management refers to the process of planning, organizing, and prioritizing tasks. Through this, leaders can maximize productivity and efficiency.
Time management is a crucial leadership skill because it:
- Allows leaders to prioritize tasks and grant resources
- Can help team members follow in their leaders’ footsteps
- Can help leaders reduce stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance
Here’s an example of how you can highlight time management skills in a resume summary:
Highly organized and detail-oriented project manager with excellent time management skills. Demonstrated these abilities by prioritizing tasks effectively, which resulted in increased team productivity and timely project completion.
#10. Motivation
Motivational skills help leaders inspire team members to achieve goals. Leaders who utilize motivation create a sense of purpose and commitment.
Besides this, motivation is an important leadership skill because it:
- Boosts productivity
- Helps with job satisfaction
- Reduces turnover rates
- Improver job performance
Motivation and teamwork are two leadership skills that can go hand in hand. That is because they both enable leaders to deliver successful projects in a timely manner.
To add this skill to your resume, you could say:
Motivated and goal-driven professional with a track record of inspiring and leading teams to success. Highly skilled in creating a positive and comfortable working environment by creating a sense of purpose and commitment among team members.
#11. Delegation
Delegation is referred to as the process of assigning tasks and responsibilities to other team members. It involves identifying tasks, choosing the right members to finish the tasks, and providing them with resources and tools to successfully finish said tasks.
Delegation is an important leadership skill as it helps leaders focus on higher-level tasks while allowing others to take charge and develop their own leadership skills. It also helps improve productivity, efficiency, and teamwork.
To add delegation as a skill to your resume, try using any of these leadership skill phrases:
Experienced team manager with a strong sense of task delegation. Skilled in identifying tasks and selecting the right people to complete them.
Or:
Experienced in establishing accountability to ensure a successful outcome. Capable of delegating tasks to make room for higher-level tasks and projects.
#12. Humility
Humility is an essential skill that can help leaders fulfill their roles more effectively. Humility enables leaders to learn from and listen to others. This helps them be open to feedback and suggestions and, therefore, admit their mistakes.
Leaders who lack humility are likely to:
- Make decisions based on their own bias
- Not consider other alternatives or viewpoints
- Foster a lack of diversity in opinions
Arrogant leaders create a negative work environment, which can affect the company’s success in the long run. That’s why it’s a good idea to mention that you have this skill.
You could say:
I’ve had the chance to work as a team leader, and my main focus has always been prioritizing the opinions of my peers. I recognized that they brought some creative ideas to the table and agreed that we should opt for their ideas instead of mine.
#13. Cultural Competence
Cultural competence is the ability to understand individuals from different backgrounds. It usually involves general knowledge of different cultures, beliefs, and values.
In today’s increasingly diverse world, cultural competence is a skill that every leader should possess. A leader who has cultural competence can easily communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds while remaining respectful.
Not only that, but cultural competence also enables leaders to create relationships with clients from different cultures, which can further benefit the company.
To add this skill to your resume, you can say:
Skilled in working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Developed cultural competence through making a conscious effort to understand different cultural practices and beliefs.
#14. Conflict Management
Conflict management is a process through which a leader can identify and resolve difficult situations. This includes conflicts such as disagreements over task delegation, interpersonal conflicts, and conflicts related to different beliefs.
Conflict management combines communication, compromise, and mediation in order to create a space where the conflict can be resolved. Leaders need all of these skills in order to improve teamwork, promote diversity, and manage risks that may affect the company.
You can mention conflict management by saying:
I believe I possess empathy and communication skills, which allow me to understand each side of the conflict. I try to employ different problem-solving techniques to promote a positive work environment for every team member.
How to Develop Leadership Skills?
If you don’t possess any leadership skills, it’s definitely still possible to develop them. While some people have a natural talent for leadership, it is also possible to develop it through practice and experience.
Here’s how you can do that:
- Take some courses. There are many courses available online and offline that can help you develop your leadership skills. Some of them include the Leadership Development Program, Executive Leadership Program, Emotional Intelligence Course, and Project Management Course.
- Find a mentor. The best way to develop your skills is to learn from leaders. Seek out mentors who demonstrate strong leadership skills and observe how they approach leadership.
- Develop emotional intelligence. This is known as the ability to recognize and manage your emotions and those of others. It is one of the key aspects of effective leadership. You can develop your emotional intelligence through self-awareness and empathy for others.
- Focus on communication. Effective communication is an essential leadership skill. Try practicing active listening and become clear when conversing. You can also look for ways to tailor your communication style to different situations.
- Look for any leadership opportunities. Try to find volunteer opportunities that are looking for a leadership position in a club, non-profit or some other type of organization. You can also ask to take the lead on a team project at work.
Final Thoughts
Including leadership skills in your resume can be highly beneficial for showcasing your abilities and increasing your chances of landing a job. Employers value employees who possess leadership skills, as these can be instrumental in achieving company goals and reaching targets.
Although some people are blessed with natural leadership skills, you can also develop them from scratch by practicing and using opportunities to gain experience.
Evident leadership skills indicate that you are a candidate who can lead and motivate a team, which will go a long way towards helping you land a job. Good luck!
