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I recently worked with a client who was dead-set against having a skills section in their resume. They felt that it didn’t bring much to their materials. While a Skills/Expertise section isn’t needed for everyone, it can be useful if you’re transitioning to a new field. It’s also great to add if you’re applying online, since you’ll likely encounter Applicant Tracking Systems.

You can easily infuse keywords into your resume to bypass those screening tools.

  • First, steer clear of subjective, soft skills.

Language like ‘team player’, ‘well-organized’, ‘effective leader’, are subjective. Everyone has their own idea of what constitutes good leadership and creativity.

  • Instead, bring in keywords that touch on hard skills and accomplishments. Turn the subjective trait into a knowledge category.

Effective Leader => Forward-Thinking Leadership

Team Player => Strategic Partnership Cultivator

Creative Problem-Solver => Dynamic Product Management

Want more ideas? Check out some examples on our Before & After page!

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Resume
Andrea Gerson
Post by Andrea Gerson
November 9, 2021
Andrea Gerson is a social worker, career coach and workforce technology founder. Over the past 15 years, she's crafted impactful resumes for over 7,500 clients – many of who have gotten hired at organizations like Google, Apple, and the U.N. She's partnered with dozens of non-profit workforce agencies to lead staff trainings on topics like job search strategies, interview preparation and navigating workplace conflict. Andrea brings a strengths-based, client-centered perspective, and her work is an extension of her commitment to addressing the opportunity gap.

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