The Hidden Step
www.necouncil.org/the
hidden
step
Most applicants fnd it diffcult to communicate twenty
years of experience on one page. Consequently, they
leave relevant information out or include the wrong in-
formation as it relates to a particular position.
Employers can look only to your resume to determine
your value as an applicant prior to making an invitation
to an interview. They assess your levels of enthusiasm,
aptitude for success, team spirit, and so forth, to deter-
mine that your soft skills are solid and equal to their
assessment of your hard skills and experience.
It is no longer enough to be just skillful at your job. To
complement these core competencies, companies also
look for compatible soft skills.
“There was a
time your resume
complemented
your discussions
and was used in
conjunction with
your conversation
with the employ-
er. Today your
resume is used
primarily to
ignite an
interest.”
what changed?
Soft skills refer to personal qualities, habits, attitudes, social compe-
tence, and work ethic. Hard skills are those you use to be effective at
your job. For instance, an accountant with strong relationship-building
skills possesses both soft and hard skills. The hard skills are the ac-
counting and the soft are the social abilities.