You know you have the skills for this entry-level position… but how do you get them down on paper? Check out our guide for 5 essential entry level resume skills to get you started.
Here at Let’s Eat, Grandma, we’ve written over a thousand professional resumes – our business writing experts know a thing or two about resume skills, and we’re happy to share our knowledge with you.
By: Daniel Lorenzo | Content Marketing Manager at Let’s Eat, Grandma
Congratulations! You’re ready for the workforce.
Whether you just graduated from college, moved out of your parents’ house, or just did a major career shift, you’re ready to apply for an entry level position. You’ve studied hard and gained some valuable experience building up professional skills.
Now, how do you explain all of that in as few words as possible on your resume?
Experts agree that every resume needs a skills section. However, it can be tough to tell what skills deserve to be listed on your resume. This is especially true for entry-level candidates who don’t have many hard skills yet.
To get you started thinking of skills to list, we’ve rounded up a list of 5 great entry level resume skills from among the hundreds of resumes we’ve worked on that you should definitely consider including.
(Note: for each skill, we’ve included not only explanations, but alsokey synonyms that you can naturally integrate throughout your resume. Just be sure not to use multiple synonyms in your Skills section!)
5 Great Entry Level Resume Skills to Start With
#1: Leadership
Key Synonyms to Integrate: “Spearheaded,” “Pioneered,” “Managed,” “Improved” or “Optimized”
Who doesn’t want to hire a leader?
Leadership is a great entry-level skill to list, as it shows that you will take ownership of your position and that you can be trusted with managing others, even if you don’t have years of experience yet. Applying leadership skills will help in nearly any entry-level position, as taking charge is an attractive quality in every industry
Not sure how you’d mention this an interview? Think about any positions you held in student organizations, or even group projects you spearheaded. You’re more of a leader than you think, even if you haven’t directly supervised anyone in a job.
#2: Initiative
Key Synonyms to Integrate: “Self-Motivated,” “Ambitious,” “Resourceful”
You know how the song goes, right? “Started from the bottom now we’re… in the same position?”
NO!
That would make for a mediocre rap song and a mediocre resume. Just like Drake, you need to demonstrate that you’re ready to rise to the top from this entry-level position. Hiring Managers love to see entry-level candidates who don’t need anyone to hold their hands, and are concerned with developing themselves for the future.
Listing “Initiative” or “Self-Motivated” as a skill shows that you’re comfortable going above-and-beyond your expected duties, you won’t need to be micromanaged, and that you’re going to take opportunities to shine in this position.
#3: Communication
Key Synonyms: “Interpersonal Communication,” “Written and Verbal Communication,” “Team Dynamics”
In an entry-level position, you’ll be working with others quite a bit. You need to demonstrate that you can communicate with team members, clients, and your managers/supervisors.
A lot of questions will be asked, a lot of ideas shared, and a lot of feedback given. Listing Communication shows that you can handle all of these effectively to ensure that things get done.
#4: Adaptability
Key Synonyms: “Flexiblity,” “Versatile,” “A wide variety of ____,” “Efficiently”
Similarly, you need to be flexible in an entry-level position. In many places (especially non-profits and smaller companies), you won’t have enough experience to perform a highly specialized job yet, so you need to be ready to learn new things and adjust to different expectations.
Things will be changed from above you, you’ll be given feedback that you need to act upon quickly, and a lot may be expected of you without a lot of training. Listing a soft skill that shows you can handle all of this is a good idea.
#5: Analytical Skills/Attention to Detail
Key Synonyms: “Critical Thinking,” “Systematic,” “Organized,” “Strategic”
Analytical skills are attractive and easy to provide examples for, especially for college graduates.
(You might not think you learned anything applicable to your job while studying for that Calc final or writing that Honors Seminar essay, but you sure as heck learned how to research and dissect complex information!)
Listing a skill like this shows that you won’t let small details trip you up or slip through the cracks, which ultimately means you’ll turn in better work.
You’re ready to get out there and take your first job by storm. Now get out there and make sure your resume is ready too!
For even more resume help, visit our homepage and upload your resume for a FREE Career Score. See how our business writing experts can get your materials in shape and land you your dream job!
(And, be sure to check out our Career Warrior Podcast wherever you get your podcasts!)
