We tell you how to show off your soft skills in a non bragging way.
I’m quite sure that you might have described yourself on your resume or in your cover letter as a hard worker with a positive attitude. And yet you did not get the job you’d so much wanted to. Humans don’t connect with a series of keywords. They just connect with good stories. However, throwing yourself in flatly to describe the soft skills, could be considered more like a show off rather than a genuine mentioning. We tell you how to show off your soft skills in a non bragging way. Read on!
In Your Cover Letter
Think of your cover letter as the conversation you would like to have with your manager, but in writing. It is your best chance before the interview, to bring to life what you can really do. Say, when you write choose two or three of your skills in the job description as technical prowess or a knack for taking initiatives etc, and then think of a situation where you could highlight them.
In your resume
I am sure that you’re aware of the fact that not all companies read cover letters. In that case the only place you can make up is by mentioning those skills in your resume. Use bullet points to mark your skills and use facts and figures to show and not just tell then that what an effective person you are.
In the interview
This might come as a shock or a surprise to you but many interviewers are not very good at interviewing. That definitely means that you can expect a few close ended or vague questions that don’t really let you show off your skills. However, no matter what you’re asked about, you must not fail to answer the question and launch your story regardless of an invite to tell it.
In your personality
Agreed that you’ve had years of experience and knowledge about the job you’ve applied to. But there is a thin line between bragging and being genuine when it comes to talking about yourself. Before you start talking about yourself (anywhere) be sure of not boasting about your achievements. After all what you did was a part of your job, but what you have now is from your experience.
So, the next time you see a job description that calls for a team player with strong work ethics who is qualified to multitask and work under pressure, know that they’re serious and you need to use your stories and experiences to leave a mark on them, rather than just a few keywords.
