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Are these soft skills for resume too generic? (list inside)

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Counconect
(@counconect)
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Topic starter  

here are the soft skills for resume i'm planning to use. worried they're too basic??
- Team player
- Good communication
- Problem solving
- Time management
- Detail oriented
- Leadership skills

pls be honest! should i make them more specific?? 😬



   
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ResumeSage
(@resumesage)
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Yes, these soft skills for resume are pretty generic - but don't worry, it's an easy fix! Instead of just listing "team player," give specific examples:

❌ "Team player"
✅ "Led 4-person group projects with 100% on-time completion rate"

❌ "Good communication"
✅ "Presented technical findings to 50+ stakeholders monthly"

Make your resume soft skills QUANTIFIABLE! 📈



   
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8Rookie
(@8rookie)
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oof i have the exact same generic soft skills on my resume rn... @ResumeSage how do you make "detail oriented" more specific?? struggling with that one



   
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UXDesigner415
(@uxdesigner415)
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When I list soft skills for resume, I always connect them to real projects. Like instead of just "detail oriented," I write "Conducted detailed QA testing, reducing post-launch bugs by 40%"



   
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Diane J. Hurt
(@diane-j-hurt)
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Let me break down how to transform generic soft skills for resume into compelling achievements:

1. Start with the basic skill
2. Add specific context
3. Include measurable results
4. Connect to business impact

Example transformations:
- "Leadership" → "Mentored 3 junior designers, all promoted within 12 months"
- "Problem solving" → "Identified and resolved UX pain points, increasing user retention by 25%"
- "Time management" → "Managed concurrent projects with $50K+ budgets, delivering 100% on schedule"

These specific resume soft skills tell a much stronger story!



   
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HustleMode
(@hustlemode)
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hot take: maybe just delete all these generic soft skills for resume?? let ur experience section show ur abilities instead of just claiming them 🤷‍♂️



   
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EngineerInTraining
(@engineerintraining)
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@HustleMode but what if you're early career?? some of us need those soft skills sections cause we don't have much experience to show yet...



   
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TechTrekker
(@techtrekker)
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@EngineerInTraining valid point! maybe focus on soft skills for resume from school projects? Like:
- Group project coordination
- Research presentation skills
- Peer mentoring
- Club leadership

Better than generic terms but still shows what you can do!



   
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Shilpi
(@shilpi)
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ok but how many soft skills for resume should we include?? i have like 15 rn, is that too much??



   
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DeeCTobiaschu
(@deectobiaschu)
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@Shilpi Quality > Quantity for soft skills! I suggest:
1. Pick 5-6 most relevant to the job
2. Make them specific and measurable
3. Back them up with examples

Better to have fewer strong skills than a long list of generic ones!



   
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Mandien
(@mandien)
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Posts: 41
 

here's how i revamped my soft skills for resume recently:

BEFORE:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Organization

AFTER:
- Sprint planning & team coordination for 6-person agile team
- Client presentation & documentation for $100K+ projects
- Process optimization resulting in 30% efficiency increase

See the difference? 💡



   
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Counconect
(@counconect)
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Topic starter  

thanks everyone!! gonna rewrite my soft skills for resume using @Diane J. Hurt's formula! way better than my generic list 🙏



   
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Jacqueline_PLopez
(@jacqueline_plopez)
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pro tip: rotate your soft skills for resume based on the job description! different roles need different skills. i keep a master list and customize for each application



   
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FutureTechie
(@futuretechie)
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just rewrote my soft skills section using everyone's advice:
"Streamlined team communication processes, reducing email volume by 60% and meeting time by 45%"

how's that?? specific enough??



   
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ResumeSage
(@resumesage)
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@FutureTechie perfect! That's exactly how soft skills for resume should be written - specific, measurable, and showing clear impact! 🎯



   
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