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When it comes to creating a CV that truly stands out, it’s not just your technical knowledge or work experience that matters. Highlighting relevant soft skills for your CV can significantly improve your chances of landing a job interview. Soft skills on a CV showcase how you interact, adapt, and contribute to a workplace environment, which is just as critical to hiring managers as your hard skills.
Whether you're creating an ATS-friendly CV or tailoring it to specific roles, this article will guide you through the importance of soft skills, highlight the top 10 to include, and offer practical advice on showcasing them effectively.
In this step-by-step guide, we cover:
Top 10 in-demand soft skills to include on your CV.
How to strategically highlight soft skills in different CV sections.
Soft skills examples and how to showcase them in a CV.
Advice on integrating soft skills for various career stages.
If you want to update or create a new CV, explore our diverse collection of professional CV templates to help you streamline your application.
Boost your CV with soft skills
What are soft skills?
Soft skills are the interpersonal attributes and personal traits that determine how well you work with others and adapt to workplace challenges. Unlike hard skills, which are measurable and specific to a role (e.g., programming or financial analysis), soft skills for CVs reflect your broader abilities, such as communication, teamwork, and time management. These skills are vital across all industries, from healthcare and education to IT and creative sectors.
When applying for a job, your CV should highlight the perfect balance of soft, hard, and, where applicable, technical skills. This combination not only showcases your qualifications but also demonstrates how well-rounded and adaptable you are as a candidate. Employers value applicants who can combine these skills to deliver results effectively.
For example, consider a role in Hospitality, such as a waiting staff or front desk team member. Here’s how you can structure your CV with a balance of skills:
Soft Skills: Focus on customer service abilities like adaptability, teamwork, and problem-solving. For instance, share in the 'About me' section how you stay calm under pressure during busy dinner shifts, ensuring all guests were attended to promptly and with a smile.
Hard Skills: Include practical abilities like managing reservations, handling payments, or setting up dining areas. Demonstrate competence in essential tasks that show you’re dependable and detail-orientated, such as efficiently handling a variety of payment methods or quickly turning tables during peak hours. List these duties effectively in your work experience or separate skills section to demonstrate how your knowledge of these hard skills.
Technical Skills (if applicable): Highlight familiarity with systems like point-of-sale (POS) software, booking platforms, or other tools used in hospitality. These demonstrate your readiness to hit the ground running with minimal training. You can list these in your work experience entries or in a separate section with the heading 'Technical skills'.
An example entry for a Hospitality Assistant might look like this:
"Provided high-quality customer service in a busy café, managing up to 40 covers during peak hours. Used POS systems to process payments accurately and efficiently, reducing customer wait times by 15%. Collaborated with kitchen staff to manage special dietary requests, ensuring all guests had a positive dining experience."
By blending these skills into your CV, you create a compelling narrative about your abilities. This balance reassures employers that you can meet the challenges of the role with professionalism, technical know-how, and a customer-first attitude. It’s this combination that will make your CV stand out to potential employers.
For more information about different types of skills, refer to the blog on what key skills to put on a CV.
Why you should list soft skills on a CV
Employers look for candidates who bring more than just technical expertise to their roles. A CV that balances soft and hard skills can demonstrate your adaptability and suitability for diverse work environments. Instead of just listing obvious terms like “team player,” weave examples of soft skills into your personal profile, work experience, and achievements.
For more detailed advice on building an effective CV, refer to our guide on how to write a good CV.
Top 10 soft skills to include on a CV
Hiring managers appreciate well-rounded candidates who possess both technical abilities and workplace-ready behavioural traits. Here are the most common top soft skills for CVs in 2025:
1. Communication
Clear, concise communication is crucial in every job. Articulate instructions, share ideas effectively, and engage in open dialogue, whether face-to-face or online. This is particularly valuable in team settings and client relationships.
2. Teamwork
The ability to work collaboratively in diverse teams ensures projects run smoothly. Hiring managers look for evidence of cross-functional cooperation and group success, especially in industries like event management and customer service.
3. Adaptability
Navigating change effortlessly, showcasing resilience and a proactive approach to challenges. Employers seek candidates who can thrive in dynamic work environments.
4. Time Management
Deadlines are inevitable. Show how your ability to prioritise tasks, meet deadlines, and manage workloads effectively has benefited projects in past roles.
5. Problem Solving
Approaching challenges with a solution-orientated mindset, showcasing critical thinking abilities. Employers seek individuals who can tackle issues independently, contributing to a smoother workflow.
6. Leadership
Leadership is not limited to managerial roles but also involves inspiring and guiding others, taking initiative, and driving projects forward. Demonstrating leadership makes you a strong candidate for senior roles.
7. Creativity
Companies value innovative thinkers who find fresh solutions and bring unique perspectives to the table, especially in creative industries such as design, marketing, or tech start-ups.
8. Emotional Intelligence
The ability to manage and understand emotions in yourself and others improves interpersonal relationships and collaboration, key requirements in modern workplaces.
9. Conflict Resolution
Communicating and resolving conflicts diplomatically contributes to a harmonious work environment. Employers value jobseekers who can handle conflicts professionally, minimising disruptions.
10. Continuous Learning
The willingness to upskill, learn new tools, and adapt to changing job requirements shows a commitment to professional growth. Highlight moments where you embraced new training that led to measurable success.
For more tips, refer to our related blog article on the top skills employers look for in your CV.
How to list key soft skills on a CV
Rather than listing soft skills in a standalone section, incorporate them throughout different parts of your CV. This gives hiring managers context on how you’ve applied these skills in the past and allows you to distinguish these skills from your hard or technical skills.
Here are three effective ways to integrate soft skills throughout your CV:
1. Personal profile section
Your professional profile is the first thing employers see on your CV, making it the ideal spot to showcase your soft skills. Use descriptive adjectives to highlight your strengths and tie these directly to the role by complementing them with relevant hard skills. This creates a clear and tailored impression of your suitability for the job.
See the article on how to write a personal profile on a CV for more details.
Student CV personal profile example with soft skills
Ambitious and analytical Business Analyst student with a passion for solving business problems through efficient and data-driven solutions. Excelled communication and problem-solving skills. Adept at writing reports, performing research, and analysing data.
Explore the student CV example for a list of soft skills for students.
Project manager CV personal profile example with soft skills
Accomplished project manager with 5 years of experience working for financial corporations. Exceptional leadership and communication skills with a proven track record of motivating cross-functional teams to deliver successful projects on time and within budget. Adept at project scoping, scheduling, finance, risk mitigation, quality control, and resource management.
Refer to the project manager CV example with a guide to learn more.
Engineer CV personal profile example with soft skills
Detail-orientated Industrial Engineer with a background in process ooptimisationand efficiency improvement. Skilled in analysing and redesigning workflows to enhance productivity. Proficient in utilising tools such as Six Sigma and Lean methodologies. Excellent project management and communication skills, enabling effective coordination with cross-functional teams.
Refer to the engineer CV example for more examples of the best soft skills for engineers.
2. Work experience section
Use the work experience section to include examples of soft skills related to key achievements. This approach demonstrates your value in a professional context while keeping the content relatable and meaningful.
See how to write work experience on a CV for more information on how to successfully incorporate soft skills.
Soft skills in the work experience section example for a project manager:
Project Manager, Nexus Consultancy, London, UK | 2020 – Present
Developed detailed project plans, timelines, and budgets for six high-profile financial services clients. Managed a cross-functional team of 15 engineers, designers, and analysts, ensuring efficient task execution across departments. Built and maintained strong relationships with key stakeholders, providing fortnightly progress updates and aligning deliverables with client objectives.
Negotiated a 15% reduction in project costs by securing favourable terms with two key software vendors, saving £25K while maintaining project quality.
Successfully led a £100K digital transformation project for a major retail client, delivering the new e-commerce platform four weeks ahead of schedule.
Increased client retention to 96% by introducing a transparent reporting system, allowing for early identification and resolution of project challenges.
This example effectively demonstrates time management, problem-solving, and communication. Refer to our project manager CV example for more examples and tips.
Soft skills in the work experience section example for a teacher:
English Teacher, Newcastle High School, UK 2018
Create lesson plans that meet standards and match students' strengths and learning styles. Use Universal Design for Learning framework. Integrate technology into the curriculum and assess student progress based on workload and classroom behaviour. Partner with other teachers to stay aligned. Lead parent-teacher evenings, and offer extra onsite and remote tutoring.
Successfully utilised a hybrid learning model by combining face-to-face and online teaching.
Inspired students to excel by applying strategies to engage learners with a broad range of learning styles, prioritising one-on-one learning plans, and taking a whole-child approach.
This example showcases teamwork, communication, and emotional intelligence. See the teacher CV example with a guide for more information.
Soft skills in the work experience section for a volunteer:
Shop and Fundraising Volunteer, Mind Charity, London, UK, 2019-2020
Collaborate effectively with a diverse team to organise and execute fundraising events. Engage and interact with team members, beneficiaries, and visitors, demonstrating strong communication skills. Assist with event preparation, participate in training sessions, and contribute to a positive work environment. Motivate fellow volunteers, maintain morale, and provide customer support.
Successfully raised £800k through collaborative fundraising efforts, contributing to the charity's financial goals.
Assisted with implementing an efficient event planning system, resulting in a 10% increase in event productivity.
Received recognition from the charity for outstanding customer service skills.
This example demonstrates communication, leadership, and teamwork soft skills. See the volunteer work on a CV blog article for more inspiration.
3. Skills section
This section is perfect for listing additional soft and transferable skills. Arrange them in bulleted lists or clearly formatted for clarity, ensuring you incorporate terms that align with the job description.
| Skills |
|---|
| Teamwork |
| Collaboration |
| Critical Thinking |
| Flexibility |
| Networking |
| Problem Solving |
| Time Management |
| Leadership |
| Negotiation |
| Decision-making |
If you are fluent in more than one language, mention them in a separate CV section called 'Languages'.
For more insights, see the article on how to list language skills on a CV.
If you want to upskill yourself, check out our article on how to add courses and certificates to a CV to learn how to acquire and show off your skills gained from additional training.
Tips for an ATS-friendly CV
To ensure your CV makes it past applicant tracking systems and reaches the hiring manager:
Use common keywords: Incorporate soft skills related to the job posting. Keywords such as “collaboration,” “leadership,” or “problem-solving” are often programmed into ATS software.
Be specific: Avoid generic terms like "hard worker" and focus instead on measurable achievements tied to those skills.
Avoid overloading: Focus on relevant skills and back them up with examples from your achievements.
Key takeaways
Highlighting in-demand soft skills on your CV can enhance your chances of securing job interviews and make your CV more ATS-friendly.
The above skills create a dynamic work environment, foster collaboration, and help drive the organisation’s success as well as elevate your career growth. Take proactive steps to enhance your soft skills. Seek feedback from colleagues and continuously invest in your personal and professional development. Your next job opportunity is just around the corner!
Include soft skills: Incorporate soft skills in crucial parts of your CV, like the summary, work history, and skills sections.
Highlight key skills: Focus on soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and leadership that employers value.
Make your CV ATS-friendly: Use relevant soft skills and provide clear examples to ensure your CV meets all the criteria
Tailor to your level of experience: Show your soft skills in a way that fits whether you’re a student, an experienced worker, or changing careers.
Provide examples: Show how your soft skills have benefited your previous roles with specific examples and action words.
Next steps?
We can help you create a CV and cover letters for a specific job through our professional CV Writing Service. It is especially useful if you have the necessary skills but are unsure where to start. Our built-in builder lets you make as many CVs as you want.
Use our professional CV templates or choose from our extensive library of CV example guides and samples. To get help, check out our cover letter templates or CV templates. Your ability to combine technical expertise with exceptional soft skills is what will set you apart from other candidates. Start making your CV the best it can be today!
FAQs
What are 5 soft skills?
Five soft skills include active listening, teamwork, adaptability, time management, and problem-solving skills. These skills form the foundation for a well-rounded and effective professional.
What are the top 10 soft skills for managers?
Leadership: Inspires and motivates teams to achieve goals effectively.
Communication: Ensures clear, concise, and open dialogue with team members.
Empathy: Builds trust by understanding and valuing team members' perspectives.
Adaptability: Responds effectively to changes in priorities or challenges.
Problem-solving: Tackles obstacles with practical and innovative solutions.
Time Management: Prioritises tasks and delegates efficiently to meet deadlines.
Conflict resolution: Mediates disputes to maintain a harmonious work environment.
Decision-making: Makes informed, timely choices to guide the team strategically.
Collaboration: Fosters teamwork and cooperation across departments.
Mentoring: Guides and develops team members to enhance their skills and growth.
Want more tips for your manager job application? Explore our manager CV example writing guide.
How do you write soft and hard skills on a CV?
Distinguish between hard and soft skills. Create separate sections, ensuring clarity for recruiters. Clearly label each section, such as 'Technical Skills' and 'Soft Skills,' to make it easy for employers to identify your strengths.
Are soft skills and transferable skills the same thing?
While closely related, transferable skills often include both hard and soft skills. Soft skills specifically refer to interpersonal skills and personal qualities. Transferable skills are skills that individuals can apply across various roles and industries.
How can I improve my soft skills?
Boost your soft skills and impress hiring managers by actively joining training sessions and seeking advice from colleagues. Practice communication in different situations and consider attending workshops, which provide hands-on learning experiences, practical insights, and networking opportunities to enhance your skills.
Refer to the article on finding seasonal work in the UK if you wish to gain new skills through part-time jobs or short-term placements.
What soft skills to avoid on a CV?
While transparency is crucial in a CV, avoid using terms that might not add value or are overly subjective. Commonly used soft skills, such as "hard worker" or "self-motivated", might not clearly represent your capabilities. Instead, focus on specific examples or achievements that demonstrate these qualities.
Examples of generic skills to avoid for your CV:
Hardworking
Strong Work Ethics
English Speaker
Flexible Worker
Punctual.
