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Soft Skills for a Resume: What Hiring Managers Actually Look For in 2026

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Soubhik Dawn

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Illustration of a professional watering a garden where soft skills grow as labeled plants, including communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, creativity, emotional intelligence, and leadership

TLDR:

  • Don’t list soft skills separately; instead, embed them within achievement bullet points using the CAR framework
  • Identify which soft skills to include by analyzing the job description for explicit mentions and implicit requirements, then use the exact keywords from the posting
  • Match soft skills to career level: entry-level emphasizes coachability and teamwork, mid-level shows initiative and mentorship, senior-level demonstrates strategic thinking and change management
  • Avoid generic buzzwords and skills lists without evidence; every soft skill claim needs concrete proof with metrics showing the impact of applying that skill in real scenarios

Soft skills have become the deciding factor between candidates with similar technical qualifications. While hard skills prove you can do the job, soft skills determine whether you’ll thrive in the role and fit the company culture. Yet most job seekers struggle to showcase these intangible qualities effectively on their resumes.

Why Soft Skills Matter on Your Resume

Hiring managers spend an average of 7 seconds scanning resumes. In that brief window, they’re not just looking for technical expertise, they’re evaluating whether you’ll collaborate effectively, adapt to challenges, and contribute to team dynamics.

Here’s the reality: 92% of talent professionals say soft skills matter as much as or more than hard skills, according to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report. Yet 89% report having difficulty finding candidates with the right soft skills.

This gap creates opportunity. When you effectively showcase relevant soft skills on your resume, you differentiate yourself from candidates who only list technical qualifications.

The ATS Factor

Applicant Tracking Systems scan for both hard and soft skills mentioned in job descriptions. If a posting emphasizes “cross-functional collaboration” or “stakeholder management,” those exact phrases need to appear in your resume, but not just as a list. ATS algorithms increasingly evaluate context, looking for evidence that you’ve applied these skills in real scenarios.

The Top Soft Skills Employers Want in 2026

Not all soft skills carry equal weight. Based on analysis of thousands of job postings across industries, these soft skills appear most frequently in hiring manager requirements:

Soft Skill Why It Matters Industries That Prioritize It
Communication Skills Translates complex ideas, writes clearly, presents effectively All industries, especially tech, healthcare, consulting
Problem-Solving Identifies issues, develops solutions, thinks critically Engineering, operations, product management
Adaptability Adjusts to change, learns quickly, handles ambiguity Startups, tech, fast-paced environments
Leadership Influences without authority, mentors others, drives initiatives Management, project-based roles, team leads
Teamwork Collaborates across functions, builds consensus, shares credit Cross-functional roles, agile environments
Time Management Prioritizes effectively, meets deadlines, manages multiple projects All industries, especially client-facing roles
Emotional Intelligence Reads situations, manages relationships, demonstrates empathy HR, customer success, healthcare, education
Critical Thinking Analyzes data, evaluates options, makes sound decisions Strategy, analytics, senior leadership

Industry-Specific Priorities

Different sectors emphasize different interpersonal skills:

  • Tech/Engineering: Problem-solving, adaptability, cross-functional collaboration
  • Healthcare: Empathy, communication skills, stress management
  • Sales/Business Development: Relationship building, persuasion, resilience
  • Education: Patience, communication, cultural awareness
  • Finance: Attention to detail, analytical thinking, integrity

How to Identify Which Soft Skills to Include on a Resume

A funnel-style infographic showing a three-step process for selecting and presenting soft skills on a resume. The steps narrow from top to bottom, indicating prioritization. The top step is labeled “Identify Required Skills” and focuses on listing necessary soft skills based on the role. The middle step is labeled “Rank by Importance” and highlights prioritizing skills based on relevance. The bottom step is labeled “Match with Evidence” and emphasizes providing examples that demonstrate skill application. Each step is paired with a simple icon on the left, reinforcing the idea of filtering and validating skills rather than listing them randomly.

The biggest mistake job seekers make? Listing generic soft skills that don’t align with the specific role. Here’s how to identify which soft skills to emphasize:

Step 1: Analyze the Job Description

Job postings reveal exactly what hiring managers value. Look for:

  • Explicit mentions: “Strong communication skills required” or “Must demonstrate leadership”
  • Implicit requirements: “Manage stakeholder relationships” signals relationship management and diplomacy
  • Team structure clues: “Cross-functional team” indicates collaboration and adaptability
  • Challenge descriptions: “Fast-paced environment” suggests time management and stress tolerance

Step 2: Rank by Importance

Not every soft skill mentioned deserves equal emphasis. Pay attention to:

  • Skills mentioned multiple times throughout the posting
  • Requirements listed in the first paragraph (highest priority)
  • Skills emphasized in the “must-have” vs. “nice-to-have” sections

Step 3: Match Your Evidence

For each priority soft skill, ask yourself:

  • Do I have concrete examples demonstrating this skill?
  • Can I quantify the impact of applying this skill?
  • Is this skill relevant to my target role level (entry vs. senior)?

If you can’t provide evidence, don’t include that skill. Hiring managers can spot empty claims instantly.

The AI Advantage

AI resume builders like Upplai analyze job descriptions to identify which soft skills matter most for specific roles, then scan your resume to highlight where you’ve demonstrated these skills, even if you didn’t explicitly label them. This helps surface relevant experience you might overlook.

Best Practices: How to Include Soft Skills on a Resume

A conceptual infographic illustrating how different resume elements combine to achieve effective soft skills integration. On the left side, four labeled components are shown with icons: “Achievement Bullet Points,” “CAR Framework,” “Strategic Placement,” and “Summary Demonstration.” Each component points inward toward a central vertical blue lens or oval shape, symbolizing synthesis or refinement. From this central shape, arrows extend to the right toward an icon of a person and a document labeled “Effective Soft Skills Integration,” representing a well-optimized resume. The visual emphasizes that multiple resume strategies work together to clearly demonstrate soft skills to recruiters and applicant tracking systems.

Listing “excellent communication skills” in the skills section accomplishes nothing. Hiring managers need proof. Here’s how to demonstrate soft skills effectively:

Method 1: Integrate Into Achievement Bullet Points

The most powerful approach embeds soft skills within quantified accomplishments:

❌ Weak: 


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"Good at problem-solving and teamwork"

✅ Strong:


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Led a cross-functional team of 8 to resolve a critical production issue, reducing system downtime by 40% through collaborative root-cause analysis and implementation of preventive protocols

This bullet demonstrates teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and analytical thinking without explicitly naming them.

Method 2: Use the CAR Framework

Context-Action-Result (CAR) bullet points naturally showcase soft skills:

  • Context: Describes the challenge (reveals problem-solving, adaptability)
  • Action: Explains what you did (demonstrates leadership, communication, collaboration)
  • Result: Quantifies impact (proves effectiveness)

Example:


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Context: Inherited an underperforming sales territory with 18% customer churn

Action: Rebuilt client relationships through weekly check-ins, implemented a feedback system, and trained junior team members on a consultative selling approach

Result: Reduced churn to 6% and increased territory revenue by $2.3M within 12 months

This demonstrates relationship management, communication skills, mentorship, and strategic thinking.

Method 3: Strategic Skills Section Placement

A dedicated soft skills section works when:

  • You’re changing careers and need to emphasize transferable skills
  • The job description explicitly requests specific soft skills
  • You’re a recent graduate with limited work experience

Format it properly:


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Core Competencies

• Stakeholder Management: Built consensus among C-suite executives across three business units for enterprise software implementation
• Change Management: Led an organizational transition affecting 200+ employees, achieving a 94% adoption rate within six months

Notice each skill includes brief evidence, not just the label.

Method 4: Demonstrate in Your Professional Summary

Your resume summary offers prime real estate to establish your soft skills profile:

❌ Generic: “Results-driven professional with strong communication and leadership skills”

✅ Specific:


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Operations leader who builds high-performing teams through transparent communication and collaborative problem-solving. Known for translating complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders and driving consensus across competing priorities.
48 lightbulb

Learn how to list your skills on a resume and balance technical and soft skills effectively.

Soft Skills By Career Level

The soft skills that matter most evolve as you advance in your professional career:

Entry-Level Positions

Hiring managers expect:

  • Coachability: Willingness to learn and accept feedback
  • Reliability: Meeting deadlines and following through
  • Teamwork: Contributing positively to group projects
  • Communication: Clear written and verbal expression

How to demonstrate: Focus on academic projects, internships, volunteer work, or part-time jobs where you collaborated, learned quickly, or solved problems.

Mid-Level Positions

Expectations shift to:

  • Initiative: Identifying and pursuing opportunities without direction
  • Mentorship: Guiding junior team members
  • Project Management: Coordinating multiple workstreams
  • Influence: Persuading others without formal authority

How to demonstrate: Highlight cross-functional projects, training initiatives, process improvements, and situations where you drove results through others.

Senior/Executive Positions

Leadership soft skills dominate:

  • Strategic Thinking: Seeing the big picture and long-term implications
  • Change Management: Leading organizational transformation
  • Executive Presence: Commanding credibility with senior stakeholders
  • Emotional Intelligence: Navigating complex interpersonal dynamics

How to demonstrate: Focus on organizational impact, culture change, board-level communication, and situations requiring political savvy.

Common Mistakes When Adding Soft Skills to Resumes

Mistake 1: Generic Skills Lists

Don’t do this:


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Skills: Communication, Leadership, Teamwork, Problem-solving, Time management

This tells hiring managers nothing. Everyone claims these skills. Without context or evidence, these words are meaningless filler.

Mistake 2: Mismatched Skills

Including “team collaboration” when the job description emphasizes “independent work” signals you didn’t read the posting carefully. Always align your soft skills with the role’s actual requirements.

Mistake 3: Overusing Buzzwords

“Synergistic team player with out-of-the-box thinking” sounds like corporate jargon bingo. Use plain language that describes actual behaviors and outcomes instead of buzzwords.

Mistake 4: Neglecting Keywords

If the job description says “stakeholder management,” don’t substitute “relationship building.” ATS systems look for exact or very close keyword matches. Use the employer’s language.

Mistake 5: Claiming Contradictory Skills

“Detail-oriented” and “big-picture thinker” in the same resume can seem contradictory unless you provide context showing when you apply each skill appropriately.

Resume Soft Skills Examples by Industry

Technology/Engineering


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• Mentored 5 junior engineers through code reviews and pair programming sessions, improving team code quality scores by 35%
• Translated technical architecture decisions into business impact presentations for non-technical executives, securing $500K infrastructure investment
• Adapted development approach mid-sprint when client requirements shifted, delivering modified solution 2 weeks ahead of revised deadline

Soft skills demonstrated: Mentorship, communication skills, adaptability, technical translation

Healthcare


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• Managed care for 6-8 patients simultaneously in high-acuity unit, prioritizing interventions based on clinical urgency while maintaining empathetic patient communication
• De-escalated 15+ emotionally charged family situations through active listening and clear explanation of treatment plans
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary team of physicians, therapists, and social workers to develop comprehensive discharge plans, reducing 30-day readmissions by 22%

Soft skills demonstrated: Time management, empathy, communication skills, teamwork, stress management

Sales/Business Development


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• Built trusted advisor relationships with C-suite executives at 12 enterprise accounts, resulting in 340% increase in average deal size
• Overcame 8-month procurement stall through persistent follow-up and creative problem-solving, ultimately closing $1.2M contract
• Adapted sales approach for technical vs. business stakeholders, tailoring presentations to each audience's priorities and concerns

Soft skills demonstrated: Relationship building, persistence, adaptability, communication skills

Time Saving Tip

Soft skills only make an impact when they’re relevant to the job and you provide the full context on how you demonstrated them through achievement focused language. However, tailoring your resume to highlight your soft skills for each job can take significant time. AI resume optimization platforms like Upplai can help you save time and highlight the job-specific soft skills to get you immediate recruiter attention.

Tailor Your Resume In Minutes

Quick Takeaways: Soft Skills Checklist

Use this checklist when optimizing your resume:

  • Analyzed job description to identify 3-5 priority soft skills for the role
  • Embedded soft skills within achievement bullet points rather than listing them separately
  • Quantified impact of applying soft skills whenever possible
  • Used exact keywords from the job posting (e.g., “stakeholder management” not “relationship building”)
  • Provided specific examples rather than generic claims
  • Matched career level expectations (leadership skills for senior roles, coachability for entry-level)
  • Avoided buzzwords and corporate jargon
  • Demonstrated skills in context using CAR (Context-Action-Result) framework
  • Reviewed for contradictions (conflicting skills without context)
  • Tested ATS compatibility to ensure soft skills keywords are being detected

Frequently Asked Questions

The best soft skills depend on your target role, but the most universally valued include communication skills, problem-solving, adaptability, teamwork, and time management. Analyze your specific job description to identify which soft skills appear most frequently and rank highest in importance. Prioritize demonstrating those skills with concrete examples rather than including a generic list.

Focus on 3-5 priority soft skills that directly align with the job requirements. Quality matters far more than quantity. It’s better to demonstrate three relevant soft skills with strong evidence than to list ten skills without context. Each soft skill you include should have at least one concrete example showing how you applied it.

Generally, no. Integrating soft skills within your achievement bullet points is more effective because it provides context and proof. A separate soft skills section works only when you’re changing careers and need to emphasize transferable skills, or when the job explicitly requests specific soft skills. Even then, include brief evidence rather than just labels.

Hard skills are technical, teachable abilities specific to a job (like Python programming, financial modeling, or graphic design). Soft skills are interpersonal qualities that determine how you work (like communication, leadership, or problem-solving). Hard skills prove you can do the job; soft skills prove you’ll do it well and fit the team culture.

Use academic projects, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, internships, or part-time jobs. For example: “Coordinated 12-person volunteer team for campus food drive, collecting 2,400 lbs of donations through strategic outreach and scheduling” demonstrates leadership, organization, and teamwork. Focus on situations where you collaborated, solved problems, or took initiative.

No. Each job description emphasizes different soft skills based on the role, company culture, and team structure. A startup might prioritize adaptability and initiative, while a corporate role might emphasize process adherence and stakeholder management. Tailor your resume for each application by highlighting the soft skills most relevant to that specific position.

ATS systems scan for soft skills keywords mentioned in the job description. However, modern ATS algorithms also evaluate context, looking for evidence that you’ve applied these skills rather than just listed them. Use the exact terminology from the job posting (if it says “cross-functional collaboration,” don’t substitute “teamwork”) and embed these keywords within achievement bullet points.

Neither is universally more important as both matter, but at different stages. Hard skills get you past initial screening (you need the technical qualifications to do the job). Soft skills determine whether you get the offer (you need to demonstrate you’ll thrive in the role and culture). At senior levels, soft skills like leadership and strategic thinking often become the primary differentiators.

Soubhik Dawn Soubhik Dawn is the founder of Upplai and a Stanford alumnus with nearly two decades of leadership experience in Silicon Valley tech companies, from startups to publicly traded firms. Having hired hundreds of candidates across product, engineering, design, and go-to-market roles, he’s seen the hiring process from both sides, and experienced its frustrations firsthand. Soubhik has worked extensively with multiple Applicant Tracking Systems as a hiring manager and collaborated with recruiters to understand what actually works in today’s job market.

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