Soft skills recruiters are looking for on a candidate’s resume
Is your resume filled with phrases like “team player” and “good communicator”? You’re not alone. So is everyone else’s – which makes those skills nearly invisible to a hiring manager scanning dozens of applications.
Employers don’t want claims; they want evidence. The secret is to stop telling a recruiter you have valuable soft skills and start showing them in action. Here’s a guide demonstrating how to transform vague descriptions into powerful “before and after” examples that prove your abilities and help land your next interview.
What’s the difference between hard and soft skills?
The simplest way to think about the difference is that hard skills are the “what” you can do. These are specific, teachable activities such as:
- Operating a cash register
- Speaking French
- Coding in Python
Hard skills are often proven with a test or certificate.
While your hard skills might qualify you for the job, your soft skills show how you’ll perform in it. Personal attributes like communication, adaptability, and teamwork predict whether you’ll be a great colleague. An employer can teach you new software, but it’s much harder to teach someone how to be a creative problem-solver.
Your soft skills are powerful, transferrable, and prove you’re not just qualified – you’re the right person for the team.
The 5 most in-demand soft skills recruiters are searching for in 2026
- Communication (written & verbal): This is about getting your point across clearly and listening effectively, whether you’re writing an email or speaking in a team meeting.
- Problem-solving: Instead of waiting to be told what to do, you can identify issues and come up with practical solutions. There are many problem-solving skills examples you can use to prove this.
- Adaptability: This shows you can handle unexpected changes, learn new tasks quickly, and stay productive when the original plan goes out the window.
- Teamwork and collaboration: demonstrating strong teamwork on a resume proves you can actively contribute to a group and work with others to achieve a shared goal.
- Time management: you can prioritize tasks, manage your workload, and meet deadlines without needing constant supervision.
Why soft skills matter to employers – and recruiters
Soft skills can often determine whether a candidate is the right fit, not just a qualified one. Technical skills can be taught, but soft skills take time to develop and are harder to change.
Candidates with strong interpersonal skills:
- Integrate faster into teams
- Communicate more effectively
- Stay engaged and adaptable over time
That’s why resumes that balance technical expertise with the best soft skills tend to move further along in the hiring process.
Examples of soft skills demonstrated on a resume
- Communication
What it looks like: clear writing, presenting ideas, active listening
- “Presented weekly project updates to cross-functional teams”
- “Translated technical requirements into client-friendly documentation”
- Teamwork and Collaboration
This looks like: working well with others, supporting group goals
- Collaborated with a team of 8 to deliver a product launch ahead of schedule
- Partnered with sales and marketing teams to streamline lead handoff
- Adaptability
What it looks like: adjusting to change, learning quickly
- Quickly adapted to new software tools during a company-wide system migration
- Supported shifting project requirements without impact to delivery timelines
- Problem-solving
This looks like: analyzing issues and finding solutions
- Identified workflow bottlenecks and implemented process improvements that reduced turnaround time by 30%
- Resolved customer complaints by diagnosing root causes and proposing long-term fixes
- Time management
What it looks like: prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines
- Managed competing priorities across 10+ projects while meeting all deadlines
- Created scheduling systems that improved on-time task completion by 25%
The bottom line
Job seekers who clearly showcase their soft skills give recruiters and employers a better picture of how they’ll perform in the real world – not just on paper. Whether you’re actively searching or passively exploring opportunities, highlighting these skills can make your resume stand out in a competitive market.
At Addison Group, we encourage candidates to think beyond job duties and focus on how they work, collaborate, and grow. Those qualities often make all the difference.
Looking for your next career opportunity? Addison Group is here to help. For more than 20 years, our expert recruiters have been matching top talent with reputable companies. Let’s talk about how we can find you a role that fits, not just what’s available.
What is your job worth? Addison Group’s Workforce Planning Guide provides current salaries as well as emerging trends to keep you informed about the job market. Download your guide here.
