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11 Best Communication Skills for Your Resume (With Examples)

11 min read · Updated on February 13, 2024

Are you properly conveying communication skills in your resume?

When it comes to employment skills, few are more important than the ability to effectively communicate with others. No matter your profession, chances are that you'll need some level of communication skill to interact with co-workers, managers, subordinates, and customers. As a result, employers who are evaluating potential hires always want to see evidence of communication skills in a resume.

But which communication skills should you include in your resume to make the best possible impression on employers?

In this post, we'll explain why you need to highlight these skills in your resume, examine 11 of the top communication skills, and offer tips to help you demonstrate those abilities. We'll also provide examples that show you how to include this critical information.

Why should you include communication skills in your resume?

While your hard skills - specific, measurable, job-related abilities - typically form the core of any job description's required qualifications, soft skills cannot be overlooked in your resume. In fact, those interpersonal abilities can play a significant role in any hiring decision that involves two otherwise equally competent candidates. If you're competing for a job against someone with equivalent technical capabilities and experience, that difference in soft skills may determine who gets hired.

When you include communication skills in your resume, you're letting an employer know that you have interpersonal abilities that can make you a valuable member of their team. That's an important consideration for any employer, of course. Companies want new hires who can do more than just fulfill their duties; they want team players who fit well within their organization.

Related post : The Essential Steps of Your Communication Process

Types of communication skills

It's important to understand what we mean when we talk about communication skills. For our purposes, we can categorize these skills into three distinct types:

Verbal skills . These communication skills include everything from conveying information or persuading others to public speaking and dealing with customer complaints.

Written skills . Many jobs require the ability to write in a concise and informative manner. These skills can include everything from informal emails to professional briefs, client presentations, and detailed reports for superiors.

Interpersonal skills . The third type of communication skill involves all those abilities that you use to interact with others. They can include things like empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution.

  What are the top 11 communication skills employers want to see?

Below are 11 of the top communication skills for resumes. As you might expect, there are many others that you might want to consider as well. However, these 11 skills are among the most sought-after that employers are looking for in job candidates.

1.     Active listening

Active listening is a prized communication skill. This ability goes well beyond simply hearing what others say, and instead involves the ability to actively understand their message. People with these skills can connect with others, build trust, and participate in collaborative problem-solving efforts.

Active listening includes a host of other skills, including the ability to ask probing questions, provide nonverbal and verbal cues that show that you're paying attention, and paraphrase what you're hearing to confirm your understanding of the message.

Related post : What are the Types of Listening Skills? 8 Types Explained

2.     Empathy

Empathy is a vital interpersonal trait and one of the most important leadership communication skills. People with empathy tend to be more curious and open-minded, have a keener sense of self-awareness, and are less likely to be hostage to their own natural biases and preconceptions. They value other people's perspectives and are willing to entertain ideas that challenge their beliefs.

3.     Conflict management and resolution

Conflict is an inevitable feature of human interaction - including in the workplace. If you have excellent conflict resolution skills, it's important to highlight them in your resume. Employers will be interested in knowing that you're capable of resolving interpersonal conflict in your work setting, since that can have a direct and positive impact on productivity and workplace harmony.

4.     Presentation skills

There are many jobs that require the ability to make presentations to superiors, customers, shareholders, or even coworkers. Good presentation skills enable you to compellingly convey information to others, persuade them to consider your point of view, or simply keep your target audience apprised of relevant developments.

5.     Writing skills

Effective writing skills are important in virtually every industry and a wide variety of roles. Obviously, many jobs will require simple writing tasks like composing emails, but there are a whole host of other writing abilities that employers may be looking for. These can include everything from legal briefs or technical writing to advertising copy, marketing presentations, contract creation, and more. Depending on the job you're seeking, including these important communication skills in your resume could be vital.

6.     Team building

The ability to build and work with teams is another important leadership communication skill for your resume. Whether you're interested in a managerial or executive role, this skill set is something that you'll need to succeed in that leadership position. Effective team builders know how to work with others to solve problems, are skilled in delegating work to competent subordinates, and know how to help team members reach their full potential.

Related post : 20 Key Leadership Competencies for Success (Plus Tips!)

7.     Motivation

Employers also appreciate candidates who possess useful motivational skills. While the ability to set goals, maintain a positive attitude, and rally others to achieve a shared objective is essential for leadership, it can also be an invaluable skill for anyone who works in a collaborative setting. By including these communication skills in your resume, you can ensure that employers recognize your ability to inspire others and drive productivity in the workplace.

Related post : 6 Qualities of Managers Who Practice Inspiring Leadership

8.     Openness to feedback

Hiring managers also want to see that you're capable of receiving feedback, whether it's constructive criticism or praise. These skills reflect a commitment to teamwork and continual improvement, both of which are highly prized by today's employers. It's a bonus if you're also adept at providing feedback to others. That desire to develop as an employee and help others to reach their full potential can make you an attractive candidate for many jobs.

9.     Honesty

You might not think of honesty as a communication skill, but it is. Whether you're an entry-level worker or a manager, it's important for others to know that they can trust your words. Of course, honesty encompasses more than just being truthful. It also includes character traits like trustworthiness, responsibility, accountability, and reliability. Honest people are seen as authentic and confident, traits that all good leaders possess.

10.  Emotional intelligence

As the workplace has grown more complex in recent years, hiring managers have placed greater emphasis on employees' emotional intelligence. That's a fancy term that simply describes your ability to manage your own emotions, understand your own interactions with others, and use that knowledge and insight to control stress, relate to others, communicate in a clear and effective way, and manage conflict.

People with high emotional intelligence often excel at interpersonal relations in the workplace and tend to be competent leaders. Their ability to recognize their own emotions and the feelings of others around them can help them to make more informed decisions. Including examples of your use of emotional intelligence can help to highlight those critical interpersonal communication skills in your resume.

11.  Negotiating

Negotiation skills are also highly prized in most industries, so make sure that you highlight these abilities in your resume too. Successful negotiators are adept at problem-solving, persuasive communication, and conflict resolution - skills that are useful in nearly every industry. Include an achievement in your professional experience section that highlights your negotiation skills, demonstrating how those abilities provided measurable value to a previous employer. 

Tips you can use to highlight these skills in your resume

Of course, being familiar with these different communication skills is just the first step. You also need to know how to highlight them in your resume. The following tips can help you with that process.

Match your skills to keywords in the job posting

Always make sure that you review the job posting to identify specific communication-related skills that are listed as job requirements. Wherever possible, use those exact terms in your resume as you describe various communication skills that you've used in previous jobs. That will help to ensure that your resume is found by an applicant tracking system when an employer conducts a search.

Focus on measurable achievements

Don't just say that you have certain communication skills. Show that you have them by including them as achievements in your resume summary or professional experience section. Make sure that you describe how you used those skills to produce measurable value for your employer. Use real numbers to help the reader understand the type of value you can provide as a potential hire.

Always be brief and to the point

Brevity is important, since hiring managers often sift through dozens or even hundreds of resumes. Make sure that you highlight communication skills and other abilities as concisely as possible to optimize space in your resume. Remember also that your writing skills will be on full display as you create the resume, so you probably won't need to spend much time boasting about them.

Communication skills: resume examples you can use

As we noted, there are several ways that you can highlight communication skills in your resume. You can include mention of them in your resume summary, list several within your core competencies section, and highlight examples of their use in your professional experience section. Below are some examples to show you how this is done.

Communication skills in your resume summary

Detail-oriented Office Manager with 10 years of experience managing office operations and interdepartmental communications. Managed 21-person team responsible for accounts totaling $123 million a year. Researched, drafted, and implemented interoffice communication changes that reduced waste by 22%, expedited internal processing and increased departmental revenue by 19% in the first year.

Communication skills in your skills section

Including these communication skills in your core competencies, or skills, section is a simple matter. Pick the skills that most closely align with the job requirements, and list them in bullet point form alongside other key soft skills and your technical proficiencies. For example:

Copywriting

Email management

Media communications

Presentations

Team building

Training management

Office management

Organization

Time management

Decision-making

Communication skills in your work experience section

When it comes to including your communication skills in a work experience section, you again need to focus on notable achievements. Use real numbers that demonstrate value and create several bullet point accomplishment examples for each job listing in this section. You only need to include a couple of examples of how you used your communication skills, of course, since you'll likely also want to highlight other core job-related skills too. Here are some examples that show how to do this:

Reorganized office information flow to speed up client onboarding and account management, resulting in growth of 12% in client acquisition and an increase of 40% in retention

Created an innovative training program for new office transfers, focused on new skills and employee growth. Program resulted in 60% drop in employee attrition, contributing to a 13% increase in revenues in the first quarter of implementation

Negotiated resolution to client conflict that saved a $2 million project contract and led to a 30% expansion in business with the customer over the next two years

Related post : 47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

Achieve job search success by including communication skills in your resume

Much of your resume will be devoted to highlighting your job-related skills and experiences, but that's no reason to neglect these important soft skills. Conveying effective communication skills in your resume can be a terrific way to demonstrate that you're the best candidate for any job, and may be just what you need to differentiate yourself from your competition!

Are you still not sure if you've properly included your communication skills in your resume? Get a free resume review from our team of experts today!

Recommended reading:

Soft Skills Explained - and the Top 7 for Your Resume

What Are Skills? (With Examples and Tips on How to Improve Them)

These 14 Leadership Traits Can Fuel Your Career Success

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

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50 Inspiring Examples for 7 Communication Skills for a Resume

By Status.net Editorial Team on November 22, 2023 — 6 minutes to read

When crafting your resume, highlighting your strong communication skills is essential. Here are some top skills to consider and examples of how to showcase them on your resume.

• Active Listening: Demonstrate your ability to be receptive and engage in the conversation. For example: Successfully facilitated team meetings by actively listening to colleagues and providing constructive feedback.
• Verbal Communication: Showcase your ability to express ideas clearly and effectively. For example: Presented quarterly reports to the executive board, effectively communicating the sales team’s achievements.
• Written Communication: Emphasize your capacity to create clear, concise written documents. An example may be: Developed and maintained monthly newsletter for the marketing department, reaching over 500 employees.
• Empathy: Understanding others helps foster strong professional relationships. For example: Addressed customer concerns with compassion, resulting in significant improvements in client satisfaction.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Focus on moments where you contributed to successful team projects. For instance: Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and execute a new product launch, achieving a 30% increase in sales.
• Adaptability: Showcase your flexibility and ability to handle change effectively. Here’s an example: Adapted communication style to accommodate remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring a seamless transition for the team.
• Conflict Resolution: Resolving conflicts efficiently benefits everyone. For example: Mediated disagreements between team members, helping to create a more collaborative and harmonious work environment.

Verbal Communication Skills

Public speaking.

Mastering public speaking can be a game changer for your resume. Employers appreciate candidates who can confidently present information to groups. To showcase your public speaking skills, mention specific experiences where you have delivered presentations or speeches. For example:

• Delivered a presentation on sustainable business practices to a team of 30 colleagues
• Facilitated a workshop on effective communication for new employees

Foreign Language Proficiency

Being proficient in one or more foreign languages can set you apart from other candidates. It indicates your ability to communicate with a diverse range of people, which is valuable in a globalized workplace. To highlight your language skills, list the languages you’re proficient in along with your level of fluency. For instance:

• Fluent in Spanish and French
• Intermediate proficiency in Mandarin and German

Related: How to Include Language Skills on Your Resume (Examples)

Active Listening

Active listening is an essential verbal communication skill that demonstrates your ability to understand and engage with others effectively. Employers value employees who can listen attentively and respond thoughtfully in discussions. To emphasize your active listening skills, provide examples of situations where you’ve made a difference through attentive listening. Examples might include:

• Resolved a customer complaint by actively listening to their concerns and implementing a solution
• Improved team dynamics by being attentive during meetings and encouraging open communication among team members

Written Communication Skills

Professional writing.

In the professional world, written communication is a must-have skill. Your resume should showcase your ability to articulate thoughts and ideas with clarity and precision in different formats (reports, emails, proposals, etc.). To highlight this skill on your resume, use phrases like:

• Developed and edited company newsletters, enhancing employee engagement
• Created detailed project proposals, securing client approval and project funding
• Drafted and revised technical documentation, ensuring user-friendly clarity and accuracy

Business Correspondence

Effective business correspondence involves crafting clear and concise emails, memos, and letters tailored to various audiences. Showcasing this skill on your resume can demonstrate your expertise in professional etiquette and the ability to adapt your writing style to different scenarios. Here are some examples:

• Collaborated with international teams, sending clear and concise email correspondence to prevent miscommunications
• Generated persuasive sales emails that contributed to a 15% increase in client conversion rates
• Wrote concise and informative weekly memos to upper management, providing updates on project progress

Interpersonal Communication Skills

Conflict resolution.

When listing your conflict resolution skills on your resume, be specific about the techniques you employ:

• Skilled in using active listening to pinpoint underlying issues and complaints.
• Experienced in mediating disagreements between colleagues to find a mutual agreement.
• Proficient in providing constructive feedback and reinforcing positive communication behaviors.

Collaborative Teamwork

Highlight your ability to work effectively with others by showcasing the following abilities:

• Proven track record of successful group projects and team initiatives.
• Ability to adapt communication style based on team dynamics and members’ strengths.
• Skilled in brainstorming, group problem-solving, and co-creating ideas with diverse team members.

Showcase your ability to understand and relate to others’ feelings and emotions by including these skills in your resume:

• Empathetic and compassionate attitude to foster a positive work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to provide emotional support and encouragement to team members in stressful situations.

Digital Communication Skills

Social media.

Nowadays, social media plays an important role in promoting a company’s brand and engaging with customers. Highlight your experience in leveraging social media platforms to advocate brand values and enhance customer relationships. Include these skills in your resume with statements like:

• Managed corporate social media accounts to establish a consistent brand voice and engage with customers.
• Successfully increased follower count and engagement on various platforms by creating relevant content.

Online Meeting Management

Effectively managing online meetings is a skill that demonstrates your ability to keep participants engaged and ensure productive outcomes. Emphasize your ability to plan, host, and facilitate virtual meetings using platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Here are some examples of how to put those skills on your resume:

• Experienced in scheduling and hosting virtual meetings, ensuring timely starts and focused discussions.
• Skilled in facilitating online meetings with participants from diverse backgrounds, fostering collaboration and decision-making.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some strong examples of communication skills to include on a resume.

Consider showcasing a range of communication skills, such as active listening, clear writing, public speaking, and negotiation. For example:

• Active listening: “Consistently praised for effectively capturing project requirements through attentive listening in client meetings.”
• Clear writing: “Developed company-wide email guidelines to ensure clarity and professionalism in written communication.”
• Public speaking: “Delivered engaging and informative presentations at industry conferences, demonstrating strong public speaking skills.”
• Negotiation: “Successfully negotiated contracts with suppliers, resulting in a 12% reduction in supply chain costs.”

How can I effectively showcase teamwork and collaboration abilities on my resume?

To emphasize your teamwork and collaboration skills, think about the projects you’ve participated in and your role in those projects. Examples:

• Successfully worked on cross-functional teams to complete projects on time and under budget.
• Collaborated with colleagues to innovate and implement improvements, increasing department efficiency by 15%.
• Facilitated open and constructive conversations within a diverse team environment, fostering trust and accountability.

What are some tips for highlighting written communication skills in a resume?

When showcasing written communication skills, focus on the outcomes your writing has achieved. For example:

• Crafted client proposals that consistently resulted in increased contract value and successful project launches.
• Edited and proofread internal communications, ensuring consistent tone and style across departments.
• Authored monthly newsletter with a growing subscriber base, receiving positive feedback for engaging and informative content.

Which techniques can demonstrate strong verbal communication abilities on a resume?

To illustrate your verbal communication skills, highlight situations where your speaking abilities played a critical role. Examples:

• Delivered persuasive sales pitches, resulting in a 20% increase in closed deals.
• Articulated complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, facilitating successful project rollouts.
• Mediated conflicts between team members, fostering a positive work environment and promoting effective problem-solving.

How can one emphasize active listening skills when creating a professional resume?

To showcase your active listening skills, emphasize your ability to understand and respond to others’ ideas and concerns. Think about instances where your attentive listening has positively impacted projects. For example:

• Acted as a key liaison between departments, ensuring clear communication and understanding of project goals and tasks.
• Routinely sought input and feedback from team members, incorporating ideas into project plans and processes.
• Demonstrated a diplomatic approach in meetings and discussions, fostering open communication and maintaining team harmony.

What are some strategies to showcase problem-solving and leadership skills on a resume?

To highlight problem-solving and leadership skills, focus on examples where your actions led to positive outcomes. You might include:

• Successfully led a team through a challenging project turnaround, implementing targeted solutions to deliver on-time and within budget.
• Mentored junior employees, providing guidance and support that contributed to their successful progression within the company.
• Identified inefficiencies in work processes and implemented process improvements, resulting in a 25% increase in productivity.
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Over 20 Effective Communication Skills (Good for a Resume)

Which Communication Skills Should You List on Your Resume?

Acing the interview: what to do before, during, and after, frequently asked questions about communication skills.

Employers understand good communication is key to increased productivity, effectiveness, and overall efficiency. Regardless of your occupation, demonstrating interpersonal skills on your resume will show that your qualifications extend beyond technical expertise. This guide provides expert tips and a list of over 20 communication skills you can use to build a well-rounded resume that presents you as a versatile candidate.

Employers are looking for candidates with soft skills . Emphasizing your effectiveness as a communicator is a great way to show hiring managers you have the emotional intelligence to succeed.

But what do employers mean when they require someone with “good communication,” and how do you list that on your resume? Let’s explore strategies you can employ to showcase your interpersonal skills in a compelling manner.

What are communication skills?

Communication is conveying knowledge of or information about something. We do this every day without thinking much of it. But communication skills allow you to convey information effectively in various contexts.

No matter the industry you work in, you’ll be required to communicate with others. However, the types of interpersonal skills you’ll need will vary. Interactions with patients, customers, colleagues, and leadership all require different abilities within the umbrella of communication. Let’s look at some of those skills below.

Which communication skills do you have?

The soft skills you’ll need to include on your resume will depend on the job description and function of your role. Below, we’ve compiled over 20 resume skills and their related abilities to give you a good idea of what you may need to demonstrate to potential employers.

How should you list communication skills on your resume?

When demonstrating communication skills on your resume, there are a few options to choose from, but it’s often best to do a combination of the following:

• Cover letter: Including a cover letter not only demonstrates your communication in action, but gives you more space to elaborate on your resume skills. The only caveat to this approach is that some hiring managers don’t read cover letters in-depth, if at all.
• Key skills list: Create a simple bulleted list of technical and soft skills that match those of the specific job you’re applying for. This makes it easy for the reader by providing a quick overview.
• Professional experience section: In the job descriptions of your past positions, describe how you applied your skills to provide hiring managers with a clear picture of your abilities. This is a great way to go in-depth on your soft skills, but may not be fully captured if readers only do a quick scan of your resume.

An interview is likely your first direct interaction with potential employers. This is the perfect place to prove your communication skills in real-time, as the interviewer will be taking note of what you say and how you say it. So, let’s discuss how you can come to the interview ready and able to communicate effectively.

Be prepared to back up your skills with your experience

If you list a skill on your resume, be ready to explain it further to employers. Before your interview, have a few examples prepared that demonstrate how you’ve used communication in the past. This gives the hiring manager confidence that you can transfer your skills seamlessly to the new position.

How do you showcase communication skills during your interview?

Whether you’re interviewing on Zoom, over the phone, or in person, here are a few communication skills you can intentionally demonstrate during an interview:

• Active listening: Engage in the conversation by being a good listener. Nod your head, paraphrase (restate their thoughts in your own words), and ask follow-up questions.
• Clarity and conciseness: Respect the interviewer’s time and show that you can stay focused on the topic at hand. Avoid unnecessary details and long explanations.
• Nonverbal communication: Be aware of your body when you’re speaking and listening. Make eye contact and sit up straight to convey your interest and professionalism.
• Positive tone and attitude: Be mindful of the way you’re speaking and how you describe past experiences. Keep things positive even when speaking about challenging subjects.
• Verbal communication: Speak clearly and confidently. Don’t talk too fast or too slow, and avoid filler words such as “um,” “uh,” and “like.”

Following up after the interview

Express your gratitude and reinforce your interest in the position by sending a thank you note after your interview. This also serves as another way you can highlight the soft skill of professionalism to hiring managers.

Aim to send this note by email 24 to 48 hours after the interview. If you’re not sure what to say, see our thank you note examples guide for inspiration.

How do you quantify communication skills? -

In your professional experience section, use numbers when describing how you used communication to achieve results. You can do this by including things such as:

• Customer satisfaction and patient satisfaction scores
• High client retention rates
• Increase in social media engagement
• Number of people trained, positive impact on team performance
• Revenue increase resulting from successful negotiations

Is communication the most important soft skill to put on a resume? -

According to a 2022 LinkedIn survey , employers agree that resume skills like communication are a top priority. However, always look at the job description of the position you’re applying for to determine which skills are most important for you to highlight. There is likely a select set of communication skill requirements listed in the job posting, so tailor your resume to include those keywords mentioned by the employer.

How do I develop my soft skills and communication skills? -

Identify the specific abilities you’d like to work on and create a few goals for yourself. If you’re not sure where to start, ask for feedback from trusted colleagues or mentors. People who interact with you regularly can provide great insight into what they’ve observed and experienced.

Once you have a clear picture of what to develop, start practicing. The only way to improve is to jump in and give it a try. Make a conscious effort to practice these skills at work, at home, and as you go about your day. If you need more help leveling up your interpersonal skills, look to books, training, and role-playing for extra insight and practice.

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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Top Communication Skills for Resume

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing job market, having strong communication skills is essential for success in any industry. In fact, according to recent research by Salesforce, 86% of employees and executives cite insufficiency of collaboration and communication as the main reason for workplace failures.

Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to make a change, highlighting your communication skills on your resume can set you apart from other candidates.

In this blog post, we will explore the top communication skills that employers are looking for and provide tips on how to effectively showcase these skills on your resume. From active listening to written communication, we’ll cover the key skills you need in order to succeed in the modern workplace. So, let’s dive in and learn how to make your communication skills shine on your resume!

Table of Contents

What Are Communication Skills?

Communication skills refer to the ability to effectively convey and receive information through various channels, such as verbal , nonverbal, and written communication.

These skills include the ability to listen actively, express ideas clearly and coherently, ask questions, provide feedback, and adapt communication style to different audiences and situations. Additionally, communication skills may involve being able to negotiate, persuade, resolve conflicts, and collaborate with others effectively.

Good communication and networking skills are essential in both personal and professional contexts and are highly valued by employers.

Top 10 Communication Skills for a Resume

Written and oral communication: Both verbal and written communication skills are essential in almost all industries and job roles. Good communication skills enable individuals to convey their ideas effectively, build relationships with others, and ultimately achieve their professional goals.

• Active listening: Paying attention to what others are saying, asking clarifying questions, and responding appropriately.
• Nonverbal communication: Being aware of and using body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice to effectively convey messages.
• Empathy: Understanding and acknowledging the perspectives and feelings of others.
• Adaptability: Adapting communication style to different situations and audiences.
• Respect: Showing respect for others’ opinions and ideas, and communicating in a professional and courteous manner.
• Conflict resolution: Resolving conflicts in a professional and constructive manner.
• Persuasion: Using effective reasoning and communication to influence and persuade others.
• Public speaking: the ability to deliver an effective speech or presentation to a live audience. It involves the ability to articulate ideas clearly and confidently, engage and persuade the audience, and adapt to different speaking situations.
• Feedback: Giving and receiving feedback constructively and effectively.

Written and Oral Communication

Verbal communication involves the use of words to convey information, and it can be either oral or written. Strong oral communication skills are crucial, even in jobs that don’t involve public speaking. For example, as a server in a restaurant, being able to speak clearly and establish a rapport with customers is essential for providing good service.

Additionally, written communication skills are vital for most jobs, as you will likely need to write emails, reports, or other forms of correspondence. If you have expertise in a specific type of writing, such as copywriting or editing, it’s important to highlight that on your resume or in a job interview.

Here’s how to demonstrate written and oral communication on a resume:

“Exceptional written and oral communication skills with a talent for conveying complex information in a clear and engaging manner.”

“Demonstrated ability to adapt communication style to diverse audiences and contexts, from technical reports to marketing materials.”

Active Listening

Active listening is a communication skill that involves paying full attention to what someone is saying and demonstrating that you are engaged and interested in the conversation. Active listening requires more than just hearing the words that are being spoken. It involves being fully present in the conversation, asking clarifying questions, and providing feedback to ensure that you understand the message accurately.

Active listening can help build rapport and trust between communicators, and it can help prevent misunderstandings or miscommunications. Additionally, active listening can help individuals understand different perspectives and gain insight into other people’s experiences and ideas. Some specific techniques for active listening include making eye contact, avoiding distractions, paraphrasing or summarizing what the other person said, and acknowledging their feelings or emotions. Active listening is an essential skill for effective communication in both personal and professional contexts.

Here’s how to demonstrate active listening on a resume:

“Conducted regular one-on-one meetings with team members to actively listen to their concerns and provide guidance on professional development, resulting in a 20% increase in employee satisfaction.”

“Collaborated with cross-functional teams to gather and synthesize customer feedback through active listening, informing product development decisions that led to a 15% increase in customer retention.”

Nonverbal Communication

Effective communication involves nonverbal cues such as body language, posture, gestures, eye contact patterns, and facial expressions, which can foster trust and reveal underlying emotions.

Nonverbal communication is crucial in various professions, including sales and leadership. In fact, the power of nonverbal communication was the subject of the research of the renowned behavioral psychologist Dr. Albert Mehrabian. His research resulted in the 7-38-55 rule , which indicates that only 7% of all communication is conducted via verbal communication, whereas nonverbal communication (tonality and body language) accounts for 38% and 55% respectively.

During job interviews, it’s advisable to showcase your nonverbal communication skills by maintaining eye contact, controlling facial expressions, and avoiding excessive hand gestures.

Here’s how to demonstrate nonverbal communication on a resume:

“Implemented effective communication strategies, including active listening and nonverbal cues, to manage high-pressure situations and diffuse conflicts in a team environment.”

Yes, empathy is a communication skill. It involves the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. Empathy can help establish a connection with others, foster trust, and create a safe space for effective communication. It is especially important in situations where people may be experiencing strong emotions, such as during conflict resolution or when providing support to someone in distress. By demonstrating empathy, you can show that you care about the other person’s well-being and are willing to listen and support them.

How to demonstrate empathy on a resume:

“Developed a reputation for being approachable, patient, and attentive to the needs of clients and colleagues”

Adaptability

Adaptability is a communication skill that refers to the ability to adjust your communication style and approach to fit the situation and audience. It involves being flexible and responsive to changing circumstances, such as the needs, expectations, or preferences of different people.

Adaptability is particularly important in diverse environments where people have different backgrounds, cultures, or communication styles. It enables you to build rapport, avoid misunderstandings, and communicate effectively with people who have different perspectives or preferences.

Examples of adaptability in communication can include modifying your tone, word choice, or nonverbal cues based on the situation or audience, listening actively and responding to feedback, and being willing to change your approach when necessary.

How to demonstrate adaptability on a resume:

“Adaptable team player with a proven track record of thriving in fast-paced, dynamic environments.”

“Able to pivot quickly in response to changing priorities and maintain a positive attitude in high-pressure situations.”

Respect is a crucial element of successful communication and an essential skill to demonstrate during job interviews. It involves active listening, patience, and appropriate initiation and response in conversations. Demonstrating respect through simple gestures, such as staying focused, being polite, and minimizing distractions, can go a long way in building relationships with colleagues and recruiters.

During job interviews, interrupting the recruiter or going off-topic is considered rude and may harm your chances of getting the job. Therefore, showing respect by being attentive and focused during the interview can make a positive impression and increase your chances of success.

How to demonstrate respect on a resume:

“Skilled in effective and respectful communication with diverse audiences, from team members to clients and stakeholders.”

“Demonstrated ability to navigate complex conversations with empathy, tact, and professionalism.”

Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is an important communication skill on a resume because it demonstrates an ability to effectively manage and resolve disagreements or disputes in the workplace. This skill is highly valued by employers as it can lead to increased productivity, improved morale, and stronger relationships among team members. In addition, the ability to handle conflicts in a calm and professional manner can showcase a candidate’s leadership potential and ability to work well under pressure.

Here’s how to demonstrate conflict resolution on a resume:

“Skilled in conflict resolution, with a proven track record of successfully navigating challenging conversations with tact and empathy.”

“Experienced in using active listening, problem-solving, and negotiation skills to find win-win solutions in high-pressure situations.”

Persuasion is an important communication skill in the workplace because it can help individuals influence others and achieve their goals. Effective persuasion skills can help individuals sell ideas, products or services, negotiate contracts, motivate employees, and convince stakeholders to support a particular course of action.

This skill is particularly valuable for individuals in leadership, sales, marketing, and customer service roles, as well as for those who need to work collaboratively with others to achieve common objectives. By mastering the art of persuasion, individuals can become more influential and successful in their careers.

Here’s how to demonstrate persuasion on a resume:

“Adept at crafting persuasive arguments and delivering compelling presentations to diverse audiences.”

“Proven track record of using data-driven insights and compelling storytelling to influence key stakeholders and drive business results.”

Public speaking

Public speaking is an important communication skill in the workplace because it enables individuals to effectively communicate their ideas, expertise, and vision to their colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. It is a crucial skill for professionals in a wide range of fields, from sales and marketing to education and politics, as well as for those in leadership positions who need to inspire and motivate their teams. Effective public speaking can help individuals build their credibility, establish themselves as thought leaders, and connect with their audience on a personal level. It can also lead to career advancement opportunities, as those who are able to deliver compelling and persuasive presentations are often seen as more capable and competent by their superiors.

Here’s how to demonstrate public skills on a resume:

“Experienced public speaker with strong presentation and facilitation skills for audiences of all sizes.”

“Adept at developing and delivering clear, concise, and engaging presentations that drive knowledge transfer and inspire action.”

Providing and accepting feedback is an essential communication skill that requires active listening, respect, open-mindedness, and teamwork. To encourage constructive feedback, it is necessary to truly understand the speaker’s meaning, respect their opinion, and remain open-minded. When receiving feedback from a supervisor, it is important to listen and accept the evaluation without judgment, and ask clarifying questions at the end to make the process as constructive as possible. When giving feedback to a colleague, a fact-based evaluation should be used, offering time for them to respond and considering their needs, with negative feedback provided discreetly. The ability to give and take feedback is essential for career success, as it reflects a willingness to learn, adapt, accept constructive criticism, and engage in critical reasoning.

Here’s how to demonstrate feedback on a resume:

“Experienced in giving and receiving constructive feedback to drive personal and team development.”

“Adept at creating a culture of feedback that fosters open and honest communication and continuous improvement.”

How to Describe Communication Skills on a Resume

When describing communication skills on a resume, it’s important to be clear and specific about the types of communication that you excel in. Here are some tips for effectively describing communication skills on a resume:

Tailor your language to the job description: Look at the job description and identify the specific communication skills that the employer is looking for, such as public speaking, active listening, conflict resolution, or persuasion. Use similar keywords and phrases to describe your skills.

Use concrete examples: Provide specific examples of how you have used your communication skills in past jobs or other experiences, such as leading a team meeting, giving a presentation, or resolving a conflict. Use metrics or other data to show the impact of your communication skills on the organization.

Be concise: Keep your descriptions brief and to the point, using bullet points or short sentences to convey your skills and accomplishments. Use action verbs to describe what you have done, such as “collaborated,” “negotiated,” or “facilitated.”

Highlight your soft skills: Soft skills such as active listening, empathy, and emotional intelligence are highly valued by employers, so be sure to include these in your description of communication skills. Provide examples of how you have used these skills in the past to achieve results or build strong relationships.

Proofread: Ensure that your descriptions are error-free, well-organized, and easy to read. Use a clear, legible font and avoid cluttered or complex formatting.

20 Phrases for Describing Communication Skills on a Resume

• “Excellent verbal and written communication skills”
• “Strong interpersonal skills “
• “Exceptional listening skills”
• “Articulate and clear communicator”
• “Comfortable speaking in public or presenting to groups”
• “Effective at communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences”
• “Skilled in facilitating group discussions or meetings”
• “Proficient in professional email communication”
• “Experienced in negotiating and persuading”
• “Active and engaged listener”
• “Comfortable working in a team environment”
• “Accustomed to adapting communication style to meet various audiences”
• “Skilled in conflict resolution and problem-solving through communication”
• “Experienced in giving constructive feedback and criticism”
• “Knowledgeable in nonverbal communication cues”
• “Effective at communicating empathy and understanding”
• “Fluent in multiple languages”
• “Adept at creating and delivering effective presentations”
• “Experienced in active listening and paraphrasing”
• “Proficient in using various communication technologies and tools.”

Communication vs. Effective Communication

Communication in the workplace refers to the exchange of information or ideas between individuals or groups.

Effective communication, on the other hand, means conveying messages clearly, accurately, and in a way that is easily understood by the receiver, leading to a desired outcome. According to a study by Pumble, teams who master effective communication can increase their productivity by as much as 25%.

Effective communication involves not only the transmission of information but also the ability to actively listen, provide feedback, and adjust communication styles as needed to ensure the message is understood.

Why You Need Communication Skills

Communication skills are essential in the workplace for several reasons:

• Collaboration and teamwork: Effective communication skills enable individuals to work together and collaborate effectively as a team, share ideas, and work towards a common goal.
• Better productivity: Good communication reduces misunderstandings and errors, thereby improving productivity and efficiency.
• Improved customer relations: Communication skills are critical in customer service, ensuring that customer needs are understood, and their issues are addressed promptly.
• Career advancement: Effective communication skills are often a requirement for leadership positions in organizations. Strong communicators are often considered for promotion as they can effectively convey their ideas to colleagues and management.
• Building relationships: Communication skills are essential for building relationships in the workplace, including networking , negotiating, and managing conflict.

How to Improve Your Communication Skills?

There are several things you can do to improve your communication skills. Namely:

Practice active listening: Pay close attention to what others are saying and respond appropriately.

Use clear and concise language: Avoid using complicated or jargon-filled language and focus on being straightforward and to the point.

Be aware of your body language: Nonverbal cues such as eye contact, posture, and facial expressions can impact how your message is received.

Be empathetic: Try to understand the perspective of the person you are communicating with, and respond in a way that shows you value their thoughts and feelings.

Practice, practice, practice: The more you communicate, the better you will become. Seek out opportunities to practice, such as in public speaking or social situations.

Get feedback: Ask for feedback from others to help you identify areas where you can improve your communication skills.

Read and write: Reading and writing can improve your vocabulary and help you communicate more effectively.

Take a course or workshop: Consider taking a course or workshop in communication skills to learn new techniques and strategies.

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100 Communication Skills for Your Resume

Find 100 good communication skills (verbal, written, interpersonal) you can use on your resume and how to list communication skills on your resume.

Effective communication skills are undoubtedly one of the most sought-after skills in today’s world of technology.

Communication is now multifaceted and multi-channel.

It doesn’t matter how good you are at the core skills of your job if you are not good at communicating with team members or stakeholders effectively. Work gets hindered and your career progress gets stalled.

The art of communication is of eminent importance not only in the world of sales and marketing but in all careers and in our day-to-day lives.

So it is quite obvious that your potential employer will be on the lookout for effective communications skills on your resume.

Here are 10 of the best communication skills for your resume:

• Collaborative Mindset
• Conflict Management
• Negotiation
• Presentation Skills
• Public Speaking
• Team Building

But let’s not stop here. There are so many other communication skills that are very useful for different career options.

What Are Communication Skills?

Communication skills are defined as the abilities needed to exchange information between you and others. These skills involve giving and receiving both verbal and non-verbal information.

When you are writing a resume, it’s important to note that there are three distinctly different types of communication skills.

Three Types of Communication Skills:

• Verbal communication skills are all the skills that help you with job speaking to colleagues or customers (i.e. phone kills, presentational skills, persuasion).
• Written communication skills include the skills you need to write anything in your job, from emails to presentations to legal briefs.
• Interpersonal communication skills are the skills that help you understand and work with other people effectively. These skills would be adaptability, empathy, flexibility, etc.

We’ve researched 100 communication skills for your resume and categorized them for your convenience. Check out the list and choose the skills that are relevant to the jobs you are applying for.

Read on to see these skills in action!

Verbal Communication Skills For Your Resume

Verbal communication is the most used and perhaps the most important mode of communication in our daily life.

Ask anyone with communication anxiety about the importance of using the right words with the right tone and voice in front of an audience.

A slight mispronunciation can throw you off-track during a presentation, as the presenter or audience member.

The same is true for our day-to-day office activities.

Use the following verbal communication skills on your resume to show that you are a pro at this.

Not required for most jobs other than the entertainment industry. But putting it on your resume can show that you are a good communicator.

2. Active Listening

If you don’t listen to others, how would you know what to say to them? Active listening is a must for effective verbal communication.

3. Articulation

Being able to speak clearly and present your ideas coherently and effectively is a skill that everyone would like to have.

4. Assertiveness

There are situations when we must be assertive to present an idea or opinion. But not everyone can do it in a polite manner. It’s a skill that you can master with practice.

Speaking with clarity and making sense to each and every person in your audience is one of the basics of effective verbal communication.

6. Conciseness

We want to know what we want to know quickly. Concision is a virtue.

7. Confidence

Speaking with confidence keeps your audience assured and engaged. A lack of confidence in you will sow doubts in others’ minds about your capabilities.

8. Conflict Management

Among colleagues, subordinates, or customers, conflicts must be handled. You can solve conflicts with your empathetic verbal communication and problem-solving skills.

9. Consensus Driving Skills

Having the ability to get multiple people on the same page is a difficult task that involves understanding different viewpoints, conveying ideas, and some persuasion.

10. Counseling Skills

If you have counseling skills, that means you know how to use words to soothe minds in distress. It’s also a great leadership trait to include on your resume.

11. Debating Skills

They may not be explicitly required for the job, but having this skill means you are a good speaker and critical thinker.

12. Eloquent Speaking

Fluent or eloquent oratory skills enable you to express your ideas, emotions, and incidents in an easy-to-follow and effective manner.

13. Expressing Complex Ideas

Verbal communication is about expressing facts, ideas, and emotions. Expressing complex ideas so that your audience understands them demonstrates your ability to process information and communicate it.

14. Imagination

The more imaginative you are, the more ways of problem-solving and expressing yourself are at your disposal.

15. Inquisition

Another element of active listening is being responsive and asking the right questions to gain insight. It lets you pinpoint the pain points of your audience and address them.

16. Literary Device Skills

Devices like similes, metaphors, analogies, and others help in expressing complex and abstract ideas in an easy-to-grasp manner.

17. Motivational Speaking

People need motivation every now and then and you know how to provide it. This could be one-on-one with a colleague or in front of an audience.

18. Multilingualism

If you know more than one language, you can show it off on your resume. It also indicates that you are ready to learn new things.

19. Open-Mindedness

You should not let your biases and judgments affect your communication. Open-mindedness is a much-needed communication skill in today’s world.

20. Persuasion

Persuasion is tricky. You always risk being too “salesy”. But there’s a sweet spot for being convincing without being pushy and it’s a highly sought-after skill.

21. Phone Skills

Knowing phone call etiquette and having stellar phone conversation skills are required for jobs involving phone calls with customers or other team members.

22. Presentation Skills

Presentation skills are very useful in an office setup. Not everyone can give an effective presentation, so if you have presentation skills, make it known on your resume.

23. Public Speaking Skills

Speaking effectively and clearly in front of an audience requires both verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

24. Quick Thinking

There are situations when we feel at a loss for words. You have to be a quick thinker to get out of these situations quickly.

25. Sense of Humor

A sense of humor can go a long way in more professions than you think. Customer-facing, marketing, and human resources roles can all benefit from someone who can crack a joke and a smile.

26. Storytelling

Who doesn’t love stories? Weaving storytelling techniques into verbal communication keeps your audience attentive and entertained.

27. Vocal Tone Sensitivity

Using vocal tones and pitch is an essential element of effective verbal communication. It enables your communication to be deeper and more powerful.

Written Communication Skills For Your Resume

Written communication skills are the core of many jobs and almost all jobs require you to have some kind of written communication skills.

Moreover, as a significant portion of office communication is happening online, written communication skills have assumed further importance.

Check out some of the most sought-after written communication skills below.

28. Blogging

Blogging is a great written communication skill. It denotes creativity and depth of understanding.

29. Business Analysis Writing

Similar to business writing, but more focused on comparative study between companies or business models. Add to your resume for any writing or business-related positions.

30. Business Writing

This is a great writing skill to add to your resume for any kind of job. Apart from writing, this also shows that you have business acumen.

31. Content Strategy

A must-have for marketing jobs today. It’s a huge skill consisting of many sub-skills like SEO. It denotes you are familiar with the new media landscape.

32. Content Writing

Adding content writing skills to your resume will show that you are good at writing as well as research.

33. Copywriting

Listing copywriting skills is a must for any digital marketing-related job. It is also useful for any job where you are required to do text-based work.

34. Correspondence

Effective office and business correspondence is a must-have skill for many jobs, especially office assistance and customer support professions.

35. Creative Writing

The ability to write creative pieces not only shows your writing ability but also your creativity. This skill is essential for artistic career fields.

36. Editing

A must-have skill for writing-heavy jobs. Include it whenever the job responsibilities include written communication.

37. Effective Message Writing

Essential for jobs in the communications field. Putting it on your resume will show you understand audience targeting.

38. Email Writing

Emailing is one of the essential written communication skills. You need to know what to say and how to say it correctly.

39. Financial Report Writing

If the job is related to finance, you should consider including this written communication skill on your resume. It also does well for any writing-related jobs or managerial positions.

Grammar Knowledge

We all know technology can do most of this for us in some jobs, but having a keen eye and a thorough understanding of grammar rules is essential for some roles.

40. Investigative Writing

Indicates your attention to detail, research skills, and critical thinking ability.

41. Legal Writing

A job-specific requirement. List it if the job descriptions hint at the ability to handle legal documents.

42. Pitch Deck Writing

Writing wonderful pitch decks will make you the boss’ favorite in no time. It also expresses your business acumen.

43. Playwriting

Not required in most cases, other than jobs in the entertainment industry. But having it means you are good with words and expressing ideas.

44. Poetry Writing

Writing poetry shows you are creative and imaginative. It can also show that you have a deeper level of sensitivity and emotional intelligence.

45. Presentation Writing

Writing a stellar presentation is almost 70% of the job of giving an impeccable presentation.

46. Press Release Writing

Often required for many positions in public relations, public affairs, and mass communications. Having this ability would prove you to be an asset to the team.

47. Proofreading

Having this skill means you will keep office correspondence and documents flawless.

48. Report Writing

Previous experience and your ability to describe and analyze all the crucial business updates for your office meetings will make you stand out among others.

49. Research

No writing is possible without research. Even creative writing requires it to some extent. So, add it to your resume as needed.

50. Screenwriting

Required for some specific jobs in the entertainment industry. Having this skill means you are creative.

51. Social Media Skills

Social media management and writing are popular skills sought after for digital marketing positions.

52. Speech Writing

Not always required. But having it would benefit you for certain jobs, like office assistant, personal assistant, etc.

53. Summarizing

The ability to summarize events or documents concisely and accurately can be an important communication skill to have.

54. Technical Writing

Applying to a tech company? Having this skill will denote that you are familiar with the technology landscape.

55. Translation

If you know more than one language, translation is a great written communication skill to show off on your resume.

56. Visual communication

Having this skill allows you to convey ideas through visual formats such as infographics, charts, animation, etc.

57. Web Communication

A must for jobs that require constant communication over the internet, i.e. customer support.

Interpersonal Communication Skills For Your Resume

Interpersonal communication skills are essential for our day-to-day operations.

These skills describe how you work with other people in a work environment. These skills are especially important for leadership roles in an organization.

Let’s have a look at some of the best interpersonal communications skills to put on your resume.

58. Adaptability

Having adaptability means you excel at change management and can read changing situations easily.

59. Approachability

Approachability indicates how easy you are to work with. It shows that you are open to discussions with your team.

60. Coaching and Training

Having the ability to teach and coach others is a great asset to have in any employee or leader.

61. Collaborative Mindset

Required for working on teams and building lasting client relationships. Effective collaboration makes work effortless.

62. Convergent Thinking

A problem-solving tool used to arrive at a concrete answer using logical reasoning. Show off your logic and problem-solving skills.

63. Courtesy

A basic skill that we all should have. But being courteous in the most difficult of situations is a great skill to master.

64. Creative Thinking

A must for creative fields. But having it on your resume for business-related jobs also fares well.

65. Cross-Cultural Communication

A much-needed skill in today’s world of globalization. You need to constantly engage with people from various cultures across the globe.

66. Diplomacy

Although required on a daily basis, it is essential for jobs involving international relations.

67. Divergent Thinking

A problem-solving tool that uses multiple possible solutions to come up with ideas or answers. Show that you are creative and open-minded.

68. Emotional Intelligence

An underrated interpersonal skill. Emotional intelligence plays a significant role in rapport building by forming an understanding of others at an emotional level.

69. Empathy

A must for your personal as well as professional life. Understanding the pains of your clients or audience is what makes you the best at what you do and say.

70. Flexibility

Flexibility is a must for creating a smooth workflow. Working with others and in certain situations can require a great amount of compromise.

71. Friendliness

A great skill to have for any kind of career that involves co-workers or customers.

72. Giving and Receiving Feedback

Being able to give and receive constructive feedback shows that you are open to improving yourself and helping others succeed.

73. Honesty

Another much-needed skill for any job. You should always be honest to keep you and your company out of trouble.

74. Identifying Personality Types

If you know how and what to say based on someone’s personality and values, you can get the desired result out of any interpersonal communicative situation.

75. Improvisation

Improvisation skill is a lifesaver in awkward situations. Shows that you are an out-of-the-box thinker.

76. Interviewing

An essential HR management skill. Indicates that you contribute to the recruitment process and can select the best candidates for a position.

77. Leadership

Leadership skills come with experience and practice. If you are applying to management roles, be sure to include leadership skills on your resume.

78. Logical Thinking

Logical thinking is a must for every job. But more so for jobs in business development, strategy, and planning.

79. Mediation Skills

Having this skill helps in day-to-day conflict management. It is also essential to work in corporate legal teams.

80. Mentoring

The same is true for mentoring. This skill is a leadership trait and enables you to set an example and keep your whole team in sync.

81. Motivating

Including this interpersonal communication skill on your resume indicates that you are optimistic and a team player.

82. Negative Reinforcement

An interpersonal skill for leadership and executive roles. It allows you to keep your team on the right track.

83. Negotiating

Stellar negotiation skills are a great advantage when it comes to interpersonal communication. It lets you create a win-win situation for all the parties involved.

84. Networking

Networking is a communication skill that is great to have for your own career growth as well as for your company’s progress.

85. Positive Reinforcement

This is a required skill for leadership and executive roles. It allows you to constantly improve your team.

86. Problem Sensitivity

The ability to sense the pain points and problems of your clients is a great skill, specifically in sales and marketing.

87. Psychology

Having a basic knowledge of psychology helps you to understand others better, and improves your interpersonal communication.

88. Rapport Building

Interpersonal communication is all about building lasting relationships. Rapport building is a must-have skill when you will be working directly with clients.

89. Reading Facial Expressions

A non-verbal communication skill that allows you to get the vibe of your audience and craft your message accordingly.

90. Respect

Every recruiter keeps an eye open to detect disrespectful behavior in potential employees.

91. Responsiveness

Responsiveness means that you are proactive and a team player. You are also able to take appropriate action quickly.

92. Social Skills

Social skills are great for networking events. Employees with stellar social skills can attract clients to their companies.

93. Strategic Thinking

A must-have skill for business development, planning, management, leadership, and executive roles.

94. Team Building

Teamwork is fine, but team building is even better. Team building is the ability of a leader.

95. Teamwork

Every employer wants a team player in their organization. The ability to selflessly work on a team is a trait that employers will be looking for.

96. Understanding Body Language

An often ignored, but very crucial part of interpersonal communications. A lot depends on reading and using body language signs.

97. Understanding Non-Verbal Cues

Reading non-verbal cues is essential for knowing how the other person is feeling and what you should say or do next.

98. Utilizing Non-Verbal Tools

Hand gestures, facial expressions, touch, and eye contact are important parts of interpersonal communication. Using them appropriately is an essential skill.

99. Versatility

Versatility means you are flexible, can communicate across mediums, and handle difficult situations with calmness and ease.

100. Visualizing

Be it with words or creative art forms, visualizing skills are often required for many jobs, i.e. customer experience manager and creative director.

(Check this article out for more hard and soft skills: Most Important Skills for a Resume .)

How to Add Communication Skills To Your Resume

How do you include your communication skills on your resume? Depending on the jobs you are targeting, you may need to list written, verbal, or interpersonal skills…or perhaps all three!

There are multiple ways you can put communication skills on your resume.

The first step is to take inventory of all of the communication skills that you possess. Use the list above to write down as many skills as you have.

Next, check the job description of the job that you are targeting. Look for any required or preferred skills the employer would like to see.

Compare the employer’s list to your list and any common skills will be the skills to add to your resume.

If your skills list falls a little short, double-check the job description for skills that may have been missed in your initial list. You can also research common skills for the role you are applying to.

The key is to list the communication skills on your resume that you possess, and  are relevant to the job you are applying for.

Resume Summary Section

Your resume summary, or professional summary, sits at the top of your resume and provides a summary of your highlights to your prospective employer.

It is only 4-6 sentences long, so you want to include your most impressive and relevant information.

Describe your skills using examples or experiences.

Here are some sample sentences from resume summaries that include communication skills:

Senior Marketing Leader with proven experience in driving the full scope of traditional, digital, social media, and content marketing for diverse organizations and Fortune 500 clients.

Cultivate team symmetry and drive adherence to industry best practices by effectively communicating with executives, teams, and stakeholders to ensure achievement of all financial goals.

Technical and business acumen with advanced knowledge of and experience with machine learning technologies, analytics solutions, and data warehouse tools.

Resume Skills Section

You can list your most relevant skills in the main “Skills”, “Core Competencies”, or “Area of Expertise” section of your resume.

This section of your resume quickly lists and highlights the skills you possess for the targetted job.

The main skills section of your resume is usually between your summary and your professional experience section.

List 12 -15 of the hard and soft skills you possess for the job. Use our list above to get started.

Professional Work Experience Section

You should also showcase the achievements that you have made possible using your verbal communication skills wherever suitable on your resume, i.e. in the previous job details, voluntary or extracurricular work.

In this section, you will write about any hard communication skills you have as well as soft skills.

Take a look at some example sentences from professional experience sections that include communication skills:

Recognized for consistently exceeding individual quotas by overcoming client objections, making appropriate product recommendations, and diffusing escalated client issues.

Mentored and coached resources in adopting Agile behaviors and principals, including 200 scrum masters, product owners, business owners, development teams and HR teams.

Drafted and edited legal documentation, including pleadings, appellate briefs, summonses, subpoenas, complaints, discovery and court filings, as well as transcribing dictation and drafting legal correspondence.

Consistently created viral content across several social media platforms in addition to playing a lead role within a team tasked with developing a $5MM financial presentation/analysis.

Educate providers on product portfolios, addressing their questions and concerns to ensure optimal patient outcomes.

Sample Resume With Communication Skills

We’ve provided samples of adding good communication skills to your resume.

How does this look put together on one resume?

The communication skills used in this sample resume are underlined to show how these skills are used throughout a resume.

How your resume will look will depend on your own communication skills and what skills are required for the job you are applying for. Every job is different and every resume will be too.

Key Takeaways

The most important lessons from the article are worth repeating: 

• Having effective communication skills is a must in today’s world of business.
• Communication skills to include on your resume are skills related to verbal, non-verbal, interpersonal, and written communication.
• You must include only relevant communication skills on your resume to be seen as the perfect fit for your desired job.
• You can highlight your communication skills in various sections of your resume.
• Back up your skills with examples and achievements in your resume.

Follow these guidelines to list communication skills on your resume and rest assured that you will get noticed.

Of course, an effective resume is more than great communication skills on a mediocre resume. Your entire resume needs to shine!

If you’d rather have a professional take care of all of this for you, no problem! Professional resume writers create successful resumes with effective communication skills for clients every day. Check out how Find My Profession  can help you!

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• Career Blog

30 Effective Communication Skills to Include in a Resume

As job seekers, we often hear the phrase “communication skills” mentioned in job postings, interviews, and networking events. It’s not surprising considering that effective communication is an essential aspect of any job, regardless of the industry.

In today’s competitive job market, candidates must showcase their communication skills on their resumes to stand out from the crowd. Effective communication skills on a resume can demonstrate your ability to articulate ideas, build relationships, solve problems, and contribute to team success.

This article will cover 30 effective communication skills to include in a resume, providing job seekers with valuable insights on how to highlight their communication proficiency. Read on to discover the best ways to showcase your communication skills and get noticed by employers.

Verbal Communication Skills

Exceptional communication skills are essential for success in any profession. Verbal communication skills, in particular, enable us to express our thoughts, ideas, and emotions effectively. In this section, we will discuss five essential verbal communication skills that you should highlight in your resume.

1. Public Speaking

Public speaking is a skill that can intimidate many people, but it’s one that’s necessary in many professional settings, from pitching ideas to presenting reports. The ability to deliver confident and articulate presentations can set you apart from your peers. If you have experience delivering presentations and addressing large groups, make sure to showcase this skill on your resume.

2. Active Listening

Active listening is the ability to listen intently to someone, to understand their message and respond appropriately. This skill requires focus, patience, and empathy. In today’s fast-paced business environment, people are often in a rush to give their opinion and overlook the importance of listening. Highlighting active listening on your resume can demonstrate that you are a team player who values collaboration.

3. Negotiation

Negotiation is critical in many professions such as sales, marketing, and law. The skill to persuade others to a common ground and achieve desired outcomes can be the difference between you and your competitors. The ability to negotiate could also be useful in day-to-day work situations like getting deadlines extended or managing client expectations.

4. Persuasion

Persuasion is the ability to influence others’ decisions or opinions by presenting logical arguments with supporting evidence. This skill is especially useful in sales, marketing, and advertising. Having persuasive skills can help you close more deals, generate leads, and create compelling marketing campaigns.

5. Confidence

Confidence is a vital component of effective verbal communication. It helps you articulate your message with clarity, conviction, and authority. Confidence helps establish trust with clients and colleagues, giving them the assurance that you know what you are talking about. High confidence levels also help when meeting new people or networking.

Verbal communication skills are a critical component of any successful career. Emphasizing these five skills on your resume can help you differentiate yourself positively from other candidates. Make sure you highlight your experiences and achievements in these areas and include any relevant metrics where possible.

Written Communication Skills

When it comes to job applications, written communication skills are crucial. Hiring managers want to know that potential employees can write clearly and accurately. Here are five key skills to highlight on your resume:

Grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and spelling can make even the most impressive content appear sloppy and unprofessional. Attention to detail is important when it comes to written communication. Be sure to review your work for errors and consider using spell check and grammar check tools.

Organizing ideas

Strong writing is well-organized and easy to follow. Before you start, think about the structure of your content. Consider using headings or subheadings to break up large sections of text. An outline can also be helpful to ensure your ideas flow logically.

Writing concisely

In today’s fast-paced world, attention spans are short. To be an effective communicator, it’s important to get to the point quickly. Cut unnecessary jargon and keep paragraphs short. Consider using bullet points or numbered lists to make key points stand out.

Storytelling

Employers want to see that candidates can write content that engages readers. A great way to do this is through storytelling. Include personal anecdotes or case studies when possible. This makes your content more relatable and memorable.

Adaptability to different styles

Different writing styles may be required depending on the job or project. The ability to adapt your writing style is essential. Be sure to read job descriptions carefully and tailor your resume accordingly. Familiarize yourself with different writing styles and be willing to adapt as needed.

Effective written communication skills are important for anyone looking to secure a job. Highlighting your skills in grammar and spelling, organizing ideas, writing concisely, storytelling, and adaptability to different styles on your resume can set you apart from other candidates. Nonverbal communication skills are just as important as verbal skills when it comes to effective communication. In fact, nonverbal communication can play a significant role in conveying a message, sometimes even more so than the words themselves. Here are the top five nonverbal communication skills that you should include in your resume:

1. Eye contact

Maintaining eye contact with your audience is one of the most important nonverbal communication skills. It indicates that you are confident, engaged, and interested in the conversation. Avoiding eye contact can be interpreted as disinterest, discomfort, or even dishonesty. Be sure to practice making eye contact with others when speaking with them, as this will not only help you communicate more effectively but also make you appear more trustworthy and confident.

2. Body language

Body language refers to the way you hold yourself during conversations. Your posture, movement, and facial expressions can all communicate nonverbally to your audience. Good body language conveys confidence, openness, and trustworthiness. Some examples of effective body language include standing or sitting up straight with your shoulders back, nodding your head to indicate understanding and agreement, and leaning slightly forward to show interest.

3. Tone of voice

The tone of your voice can convey a great deal of information about the message you are trying to communicate. The way you speak can signal whether you are confident or unsure, excited or bored, sincere or insincere. When speaking with others, make sure to vary your tone of voice to reflect the message you are trying to convey. Use tone to communicate enthusiasm, concern, interest, or conviction.

4. Facial expressions

Facial expressions can say a lot about your emotions and your intentions. A smile can signal warmth and friendliness, while a frown can indicate displeasure or discomfort. Raised eyebrows can show surprise or curiosity, while a furrowed brow may signal worry or concern. When communicating with others, be aware of your facial expressions and strive to use them consciously to convey your message.

5. Gestures

Gestures are another important nonverbal communication skill. They can be used to emphasize a point, communicate a feeling, or convey information. For example, pointing can be used to indicate direction or highlight a specific object, while hand gestures can be used to express excitement, agreement, or even frustration. Be careful not to overuse gestures, as excessive or inappropriate gesturing can be distracting and detract from your message.

Nonverbal communication skills are an essential part of effective communication. Be sure to include these skills in your resume, as they are highly valued by employers and can be a critical factor in your success in the workplace. Practice these skills regularly, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a master of nonverbal communication.

Interpersonal Communication Skills

When it comes to building strong relationships with colleagues, clients, and managers, interpersonal communication skills are vital. Below are five skills you should include in your resume, along with tips for improving them.

Empathy is the ability to understand others’ feelings, thoughts, and perspectives. It’s a crucial skill for effective communication because it helps you connect with others on a deeper level. To improve your empathy, try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Listen actively, and ask questions to clarify their perspective.

Conflict resolution

Conflict resolution is the ability to resolve differences and disagreements with others in a productive way. This includes finding common ground and compromising when necessary. To improve your conflict resolution skills, practice active listening, and avoid taking sides. Focus on finding a solution that works for both parties.

Collaboration

Collaboration is the ability to work effectively with a team towards a common goal. This requires good communication skills, as well as the ability to share ideas and listen to other people’s input. To improve your collaboration skills, practice active listening, and ask for feedback from others. Be open to new ideas, and make sure everyone on the team feels heard.

Giving and receiving feedback is an important part of effective communication. It helps you improve your performance, as well as build stronger relationships with others. To improve your feedback skills, make sure you’re clear and specific when giving feedback. When receiving feedback, try to be open-minded and non-defensive. Take the feedback as an opportunity to grow and improve.

Understanding cultural differences

In today’s globalized world, it’s essential to understand and respect cultural differences. This includes differences in communication styles, customs, and values. To improve your cultural understanding, educate yourself on different cultures and customs. Be open-minded and respectful when interacting with people from different backgrounds.

Including these five interpersonal communication skills in your resume can help you stand out as a strong communicator and team player. By practicing empathy, conflict resolution, collaboration, feedback, and cultural awareness, you can build stronger relationships with colleagues and clients, and contribute to a more positive work environment.

Leadership Communication Skills

Effective communication is crucial in any leadership position as it helps leaders to inspire, guide, and motivate their team members towards a common goal. In this section, we will discuss the following leadership communication skills that should be included in a resume:

Motivating team members is one of the primary responsibilities of a leader. An effective leader should be able to communicate with their team members in a way that inspires them to achieve their best performance. This can be achieved by recognizing and rewarding team members’ achievements, offering constructive feedback, and creating a positive work environment that fosters growth and development.

Delegating tasks is an essential aspect of leadership communication. Leaders must be able to effectively communicate their expectations to their team members and delegate tasks according to their strengths and weaknesses. A good leader should be able to trust their team members to handle delegated tasks effectively, while still providing guidance and support when needed.

Inspiration

Inspiring team members is another critical leadership communication skill. A great leader should be able to inspire their team by setting a good example, effectively communicating their vision, and creating a sense of purpose that motivates team members to work towards a common goal.

Visionary communication

A visionary leader must communicate their vision to their team members effectively. This involves creating a compelling message that inspires team members to work together towards a common objective. Visionary communication should highlight the benefits and outcomes of the vision, helping team members to understand how their contributions can help realize the vision.

Decision making

A leader must make informed decisions that benefit the entire team. Decision-making skills are critical in leadership communication as they can help teams to avoid roadblocks and stay on track towards their goals. Effective decision-making involves analyzing relevant data, communicating with team members, and weighing up different perspectives before making an informed decision.

Effective leadership communication skills are essential for any leader looking to succeed in their role. By including these skills in your resume, you can demonstrate your ability to lead, inspire, and motivate teams towards a common goal, making you a valuable asset to any organization.

Technological Communication Skills

Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate, and to succeed in today’s workplace, it’s important to have strong technological communication skills. Here are five technological communication skills that will make you a valuable asset to any team.

Email Etiquette

Email is a vital form of communication in the workplace, and mastering email etiquette is crucial. Clear and concise subject lines, proper grammar and tone, and timely responses all contribute to professional email etiquette. Remember to always proofread your emails and avoid using slang or abbreviations.

Video Conferencing

Video conferencing allows for remote collaboration and is becoming more common in today’s workplace. It’s important to know how to set up a video conference, use the appropriate software, and dress professionally for the camera. Pay attention to body language, maintain eye contact, and avoid distractions during the call.

Social Media Communication

Social media is no longer just a platform for personal use. Many businesses utilize social media to communicate with customers and collaborate with colleagues. Knowing how to effectively communicate on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter can give you an edge in your career. Remember to always maintain a professional tone and represent your brand well.

Mobile Communication

With the rise of smartphones and mobile devices, mobile communication has become a significant aspect of workplace communication. It’s important to know how to communicate effectively on mobile devices, including text messaging and mobile email. Be mindful of your tone and response time when communicating on the go.

Virtual Communication

Virtual communication, including remote work and teleconferencing, requires strong communication skills. It’s important to be clear and concise in your communication, avoid technical glitches, and maintain professionalism. Good virtual communication skills can improve collaboration and productivity among remote teams.

Mastering technological communication skills is essential to succeeding in today’s workplace. By improving your email etiquette, video conferencing, social media communication, mobile communication, and virtual communication skills, you will stand out as a valuable employee and team member.

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Communication skills: how to demonstrate them on your resume

Open-Mindedness

Negotiation.

How effectively we communicate with those around us determines our impact.

In a world where our senses are being bombarded from every angle, getting the message through to others in the way that we intend is far from easy. Efficient communication skills therefore lie at the heart of every great resume story, but there is certain subtlety to the art of communication.

Different situations demand varying approaches. When you are looking to hire someone, scanning their resume for the sorts of communication skills that will work best in your company (and industry) is a key consideration.

So, how do you best demonstrate your blend of communications skills for resume? We will explore:

• What are communication skills?
• The four main types of communication skills
• Nine communication skills for your resume
• Where to share these qualities on your resume

When people understand what you want to say, achieving your goals becomes that little bit more possible. If they do not, you will struggle.

What are Communication Skills?

Ideas are what move our world forward; but conveying those ideas in the best way possible is one of the most valuable skills that we can develop (and continually improve). 

Communication skills help us to explain concepts, settle arguments, negotiate deals, translate technical details, offer feedback, listen intently and present ideas (amongst a myriad of other benefits). 

Ideas are transmitted between two people or within a group, back and forth until a desired outcome has been achieved. Communication comes alive when participants are skilled at moving it towards the best possible conclusion.

Employers expect to read a resume that hints at such heights, but as communication is such a broad topic, it is critical to ascertain which skills will be particularly required for the job in question.

Firstly, we need to distinguish between the four main types.

The Four Main Types of Communication Skills

There are four categories of communication skills that you might include on your resume to show how you got your message across:

1. Verbal communication skills are the spoken word, but this does not always entail a simple conversation. Video calls, conference presentations, and meetings also require ideas to be articulated concisely and confidently. 

Adding another level of complexity, the tone and inflection of your words will always influence how they are received. Your resume should contain this subtle level of detail.

2. Non-verbal communication skills are arguably more important than what you say, as your body language and facial expressions modify your words to an incredible degree. 

Great communicators have a finely tuned radar to these micro-behaviours and your resume should make it clear that you are a master of both conveying and picking up on these most subtle of clues.

3. Written communication skills are becoming a lost art in the age of Zoom, instant messaging and emojis, but as the old adage goes: “if it isn’t written down, it doesn’t exist.” And if you are going to write it, you had better leave no room for interpretation as you likely won’t be there to explain yourself when it is read.

Proving your written communication skills is not difficult in a job application. Your resume is a prime example of your ability to use language to persuade and impress.

4. Visual communication skills . Every picture tells a thousand words. In a world where attention spans are plummeting and technology enables the creation of arresting graphics and stunning presentations, the ability to communicate your ideas visually is rapidly becoming a desirable hiring trait across many careers.

For certain careers, the opportunity of including a portfolio with your resume is commonplace. Sharing a link to social media profiles is also a way of giving a future employer an idea of your visual communication style.

From four broad areas, here are ten more specific communication skills with some examples that you might see on a resume.

Nine Communication Skills for Your Resume 

The mix of communication skills on your resume will paint a picture of how you go about your working day. Which of these nine communication skills do you excel at?

The ability to pause, reflect on what has been said and only then respond appropriately is central to developing a productive conversation. This is more than listening skills – it is the ability to build on the communication that has come your way. 

It does not have to be immediate – mulling over a message away from the workplace is often a great way of letting your brain work out how to reply.

No one wants to listen for a minute when they could have got the message in five seconds. 

The simple messages are easiest for our brains to retain, so no matter how tempting it might be to ramble on about your business-critical idea, the time you spend speaking about something does not equate to the power of your delivery. Think before you speak and shut up before you think you should.

Active listening skills revolve around the desire to understand rather than simply hear a message. Being a great listener means giving the communicator the opportunity to finish their message before you respond. 

Too many of us respond with a pre-planned agenda before we actually process what has been said. Be comfortable with longer pauses to digest messages and only reply when you are ready.

Giving and receiving feedback lies at the heart of productive communication. If we do not know what others think about what we are saying, it is impossible to adjust our thought process. 

Use intelligent questions to clarify and zone in on someone’s point of view. When offering feedback, honesty is the best policy, but realize that your opinion will often be just one perspective on the matter.

If we all thought the same way, life would be very boring (and, frankly, the human race would grind to a halt). Being open to the fact that the ideas of others might differ from our own is the key to finding creative solutions in a process of communication. 

Productivity comes when two conversations meet somewhere in the middle to forge a new way forward. Poor communicators insist on ramming their message home.

Just telling someone that you understand their perspective is not enough. True empathy comes when your actions demonstrate that their perspective has influenced you. Too many people say: “I get you” and leave it at that.

When the other person understands that you are trying to comprehend their perspective, communication will flow because they become even more open to sharing their deeper feelings. Acknowledge their lived experience.

Communicating with authenticity and putting your cards on the table takes a great deal of confidence. There are always people who are out there to shoot down our ideas in order to further their own agendas, but unless communication is honest and transparent, the route to understanding can be winding and tortuous. 

When two people are communicating honestly, understanding comes swifter because you do not have to decipher what has been left unsaid.

The back and forth of workplace communication often involves an element of commercial give and take, so negotiation and influencing skills are vital to making sure that you and your team get what you need.

The art of negotiation involves all of the communication skills listed in this blog, and most resumes will need to hint at a degree of prowess in the negotiation dark arts.

Balance is a key attribute of great communication. Views are shared, outcomes are agreed upon and there is an even split between speaking and listening. When both parties feel that there is parity of communication, the end result seems fair.

We have all come away from a chat that seemed like a one-way street – no one likes that feeling. Balanced communication is effective communication.

Where Can You Share Your Communication Skills on Your Resume?

We hope that it is clear by now that it is not enough to add “communication skills” to the skills section of your resume. The impact of this personal attribute is simply too weighty when it comes to getting things done at work.

Share some of the examples above in your resume summary, definitely consider sprinkling into your career stories in the work experience section and add some of the deeper communication skills into the skills section.

Use effective action verbs to add an extra dimension to the context of the communication and make sure that you quantify the outcome of the communication wherever possible. Effective communication should always be measured.

Key Takeaways

Communication skills are critical in most careers, so explicitly sharing them on a resume will help to frame the subsequent interview conversations. 

Use examples of where your communication skills have led to breakthrough change and try to include a mix of verbal, non-verbal, written and visual communication.

Effective communication provides rocket fuel for your career.

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How Should you Show That you Have Communication Skills on Your Resume?

Here are the top ways to show your Communication skills on your resume. Find out relevant Communication keywords and phrases and build your resume today.

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In This Guide:

What are communication skills, why are communication skills important on your resume, what skills, activities, and accomplishments help you highlight your communication skills, communication skills: key takeaways for your resume.

Did you know that around 85% of employees and executives believe that the lack of effective collaboration and communication is the main reason for workplace failures? Or that employees who communicate effectively could increase their productivity by 25%?

Effective communication is all about having your ideas and understandings heard and doing the same in return. That, plus the ability to convince people to act upon your ideas.

Having communication skills means that you are not just exchanging information with a partner, but rather understand the emotions and intentions behind everything you hear.

Yes, this sounds intrinsic, but it actually requires a lot of situational awareness and emotional intelligence. Being an effective and respectful communicator would save you the trouble of dealing with misunderstandings and frustration.

The reason why employees are after candidates who stand out as good communicators is that effective communication is directly related to business performance.

Just imagine having a team of impatient employees who are not able to listen and negotiate well, lack a sense of humor and cannot express their ideas and position with confidence.

Well, this is the ideal recipe for project failure. Usually, business tasks require the participation of more than one person. No matter how easy or complex such a task is, the successful implementation depends on the communication skills of the responsible team.

So, employees who have communication skills are not only preferred by the managers of a company. They are the preferred colleagues, mentors, and points of contact by clients.

It’s not enough to mention that you are an attentive listener, confident speaker, or team player. Instead, to showcase your communication skills, focus on highlighting specific situations where your excellent communication has played a crucial role.

Saying the right thing at the right time can really make the difference and turn the tide in your favor. Here are some examples of skills and personal qualities that would demonstrate that you are adept at having productive and meaningful conversations.

• Positive attitude & Confidence: being able to dominate a conversation does not mean that you have to be pushy and impatient. Instead, to reach your end goal, you can rely on your charisma, confidence, and friendly attitude.
• Focus & Control of emotions: staying present in the moment of the conversations and focused on your and your partner’s objectives is essential. In addition, you should be able to stay calm even if things don’t seem to go your way.
• Non-verbal communication & Body language: while in a conversation, you can improve the way you express your ideas and goals by relying on body language. This helps the other party connect with you better and understand your viewpoints.

How to demonstrate communication skills on your resume:

• Explain how your friendly and positive attitude has boosted the levels of teamwork and has helped increase organizational productivity.
• Give examples of times when you have sought feedback from your superiors and have given constructive feedback to colleagues and interns.
• Mention some occasions when you have kept an open mind during a brainstorming session, which resulted in a better group discussion.
• Explain how your negotiations skills and empathy have helped you reach a specific goal in your workplace.
• Mention some achievements connected to collaborating with colleagues from other departments and new employees.

As much as we might think that communication skills are a natural human trait, they are not. And that is why it is important to convince your future employer that you actually possess what it takes to work in a team or to be in charge of a team.

This can be done by taking this big and vague notion of “communication skills” and breaking it down into smaller and more specific abilities and situational examples.

If you need some inspiration, take a look at the following snippets from Enhancv users who found a way to demonstrate their effective communication skills.

Just make sure that you take the time to consider what it personally means to you to be a good communicator. From then on, the examples will follow intrinsically.

Example 1: Demonstrate communication skills in the experience section

Job situation: Junior Project Manager applies for the position of a Marketing Specialist

• • Collaborated with a team of 10 fellow Junior Project Managers and 5 Senior Managers.
• • Received a small promotion within six months due to positive feedback from the business clients that I was in communication with.
• • Was in charge of managing the relations with 40 business clients, understand their needs and translate that to deliverables for the marketing team.
• • Delivered monthly presentations in front of the Senior Management team to report on progress.

These examples demonstrate that the candidate for the position of Marketing Specialist is a very emotionally intelligent and confident person.

He/she is clearly not afraid to take a lead on some projects but is also open to receiving feedback.

The fact that the candidate mentions being in charge of leading the communication with clients speaks that he/she is well able to have up-to-the-point conversations while keeping an upbeat attitude.

Being the bridge between external and internal stakeholders, meaning clients and the team, the Junior Project Manager appears as a good listener and negotiator.

Example 2: Demonstrate communication skills in the resume summary section

Job situation: Financial Analyst applies for the position of Junior Portfolio Manager

This resume example communicates determination, hard work, and resourcefulness. The fact that the applicant has been working in a small startup team highlights that he/she has successfully gone through a lot of communication and organizational challenges.

Example 3: Show your communication skills in your achievements sections

Job situation - PR Specialist applies for the position of Head of Communication

Make sure you build yourself an image of a professional communicator. Not only one that communicates effectively in the office but one that is confident to speak under the spotlight and in front of big crowds.

Example 4: Demonstrate the skill through other sections of your resume

Effective communication is something that one learns through experiences. So, include in your resume examples of hobbies and group activities. Topple that with organizations that you have been part of as well as volunteering initiatives.

If you are the kind of a public speaking person, mention some of the occasions that you have presented in front of an audience.

Last, but not least, you can include any relevant courses and certifications that you have completed. For example, a soft skills training course or a negotiations class.

It’s all about the soft skills: show that you are empathetic, understanding, and open-minded, build an impression of a person that is pleasant to talk to. Don’t forget to stress how important feedback is to you and that you proactively seek it.

Balance out between confidence and compromise: effective communication requires that parties compromise, so you should demonstrate your readiness to step back if needed. On the other side, show that you are also confident in yourself and pursue your goals.

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Communication Skills on Resume: What Do Recruiters Look For?

Need to demonstrate communication skills to land a job? Copy these examples and follow these practical tips for showing those skills on your resume.

3 years ago   •   8 min read

"This role requires excellent written and verbal communication skills."

If this line looks familiar, that’s because it’s on nearly every job description. It’s kind of a no-brainer — nearly every job requires some form of communication, so employers want to see evidence of those skills on your resume.

The question is, how do you convince a hiring manager you have what it takes based on your resume alone? How do you show you have great communication skills without simply stating that you’re “great at communication.”

In this article, we’ll discuss how to show your strong communication skills through detailed examples, the best competitive communication skills to highlight on your resume, and what recruiters are really looking for when they ask for good communication.

Why is communication so important

Communication is a hidden skill — you use it all the time, but rarely notice it. In some jobs, the need for clear communication is obvious, like if the position involves a lot of writing or public speaking . In others, it’s more subtle, but things like taking direction, working with clients, and conflict resolution are all clear forms of workplace communication. Every position, no matter the field, can benefit from good communication, hence why it’s a must-have for your resume.

How to demonstrate communication skills on your resume

Here are the top tips for listing communication skills on your resume:

• Remove vague words like “communication skills”, and instead, list detailed, specific examples of times you’ve communicated well.
• Review the job description to identify the kinds of communication skills the job is looking for, such as presenting, influencing, managing, and written communication, and detail your experience with these particular skills.
• Use strong action verbs and quantified results to create memorable statements. For example, instead of writing “Responsible for communication,” state that you “orchestrated a communication strategy that increased team efficiency by 30%.”
• Use bullet points to make your points easy to scan.
• Highlight relevant hard skills like languages that show your ability to communicate well.

Now, let’s dive into what skills recruiters are really looking for when they ask for “good communication” and the best examples of communication skills to include on your resume.

What recruiters mean by “good communication skills”

When recruiters ask for candidates with good communication skills, they’re not just looking for people who know how to chat around the office. They’re looking for candidates who can effectively communicate with colleagues and clients, discuss performance, resolve conflicts, and have experience communicating in their particular professional setting - be it a team environment, a remote workplace, social media, or delivering presentations.

The best way to determine what type of communication each particular role requires is to look at the job description. Here is a list of commonly sought-after communication skills you’ll likely see listed in a variety of job postings:

• Speaking and listening
• Negotiating
• Teamwork and relationship building
• Sales and pitching
• Business writing
• Social media
• Visual communication
• Marketing copy
• Giving and accepting feedback

If you’re looking to get more specific, check out our list of skills and keywords , broken down by your industry and job title.

Where to list communication skills on your resume

Communication is a soft skill, which means the do’s and don’ts of listing it on your resume are simple:

• Don’t list communication in your skills section or write that you have “excellent communication skills.” When it comes to communication, you need to show, not tell!
• Do describe accomplishments that involve good communication throughout your resume, in your work experience, resume summary, and education section.
• Do mention hard skills related to communication in your skills section, such as language proficiency and digital tools like Slack or Teams.
• Do use your resume itself as an example of good communication. This means proper grammar, no spelling mistakes, and good punctuation.

How to describe communication on your resume

The first step in highlighting good communication skills is to avoid repeating the same word or phrase over and over. When building your bullet points, try these action verbs instead:

• Interpreted
• Corresponded

Top communication skills to put on your resume - with examples

Here are the top communication skills to list on your resume that are relevant to almost all industries, with examples of how to showcase these skills through quantified bullet points.

Conflict resolution

Whether you're negotiating million-dollar contracts or resolving customer complaints, conflict resolution is a critical skill in any workplace. It involves handling disputes effectively, mediating between parties, and arriving at mutually beneficial solutions. On your resume, illustrate these skills by explaining an issue, how you resolved it, and what benefits your company gained. For example:

• Supported management with handling and resolving human resources issues, decreasing employee complaints by 70%.
• Resolve customer disputes and enhanced customer satisfaction ratings by 25%.

Digital tools and social media expertise

In today's digital environment, proficiency in modern communication tools like Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams is essential, while social media expertise is increasingly in demand for marketing and customer-facing roles. Demonstrating your ability to effectively use these tools can set you apart in a competitive job market.

Describe your skills by detailing what particular tools you’re proficient with, and include results-based data, such as social media campaigns you’ve run or the number of teams you've collaborated with on Slack. For example:

• Efficiently managed team projects and communications across global time zones using Slack and Zoom, leading to a 40% increase in project delivery efficiency.
• Directed 10+ social media campaigns for RSP clients on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Leading meetings and team collaboration

Discussing leading meetings and team projects highlights your ability to convey ideas, engage with audiences, and facilitate group interaction. These skills reflect not only good communication but also leadership and management skills. To show this, describe an accomplishment demonstrating your ability to manage personnel, host meetings, or coordinate reports and other correspondence. For example:

• Managed international stakeholders in India, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong by hosting daily standups and coordinating weekly status reports.

Verbal and written communication skills

Highlight both your verbal and written communication skills by mentioning presentations, reports, emails, or projects. Include hard numbers — like the number of marketing emails you wrote, new leads generated, or major accounts you landed — to show the positive outcome of your involvement. For example:

• Wrote and produced 100+ client prospecting video emails, leading to 50+ leads and landing major accounts.

Delivering education and training

Training others is an invaluable skill that showcases leadership, communication, and conflict resolution. If you've led training, mentored new staff, or guided clients through a complicated process, highlight these accomplishments. For example:

• Directed and advised 10+ business partners through annual talent assessments, discussions, and proactively pipelining for future openings.

Communicating with clients

Building relationships with clients is another soft skill closely related to communication. Creating a positive atmosphere, maintaining client relationships, and reaching out to community partners are all valuable skills. Including metrics elevates your bullet points from subjective to objective. For example:

• Established and maintained positive internal and community relations through on-site recruitment and telecommunications, ensuring 93% community acceptance.

How to show communication skills in different sections of your resume

As mentioned above, you can showcase great communication skills throughout your resume, as well as in your cover letter, online profiles, and during any professional correspondence. Here is how to showcase different communication skills in various sections of your resume:

Under professional work experience

The work experience section of your resume is the best place to list communication skills. You don’t need to have worked in a communication-heavy role to do this — every job uses communication skills. Using the job description as a starting point, identify what kind of communication skills the position requires and address each one with a bullet point accomplishment.

Once you’ve done that, use the tool below to search for skills for the job you’re applying to. You also have the option of adding in your resume — the tool will quickly scan it and tell you which skills are missing and which you need to add.

Through education, projects, and activities

If you don’t have a lot of paid work experience, or you’re struggling to find examples of good communication, that’s okay. Personal or academic projects and extracurricular activities can be used to show excellent communication skills, especially if you’re a current student or recent graduate.Use action-focused bullet points for these, too, and include metrics wherever possible.

In your hard skills section

You shouldn’t list communication in the skills section of your resume, but you can list hard skills that demonstrate strong communication. Language proficiency , is a great skill to inclide here, as well as particualr digital communication tools, such as Slack, Zoom, Trello, or Microsoft Teams.

In your cover letter

Showing most soft skills on a resume is difficult because there’s no way for hiring managers to evaluate those skills for themselves. Communication is an exception to this rule — Your resume itself, and in particular your cover letter , is a direct example of your written communication skills. Make sure your application, and any other communications, are well-written, succinct, and error-free by always proofreading to catch any errors.

Common mistakes to avoid when showcasing communication skills

Here are some key pitfalls to watch out for when trying to showcase good communication skills on your resume:

• Overusing generic phrases : Avoid vague language and overused terms like "excellent communication skills" or "strong communicator." These phrases are too general and don't provide a clear picture of your actual abilities.
• Lacking specific examples : Failing to provide concrete examples where your communication skills made a positive impact is a common mistake. Employers want real-world examples that demonstrate your skills in action.
• Not tailoring your examples to the job : Not tailoring your communication skills to the specific job you're applying for can be a missed opportunity. Highlight aspects of your communication that align with the job description.
• Neglecting digital communication skills : In today's digital world, not showcasing your proficiency with modern communication tools like Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams can be a significant oversight.
• Overstating your abilities : Be honest about your level of proficiency. Overstating your skills can lead to challenges if you're unable to meet the expectations set by your resume.

Top-Tip: Create personal branding through good communication

One crucial aspect often overlooked when showcasing communication skills is the role these skills play in personal branding. Personal branding is about how you present yourself to potential employers and the unique mix of skills and experiences that make you an ideal candidate. Think of it as your USP, or unique selling point.

When you describe your communication skills, think about how these skills have helped you achieve results and how they reflect your professional brand. For instance, if your selling point is that you’re an effective team leader, highlight instances where your communication skills facilitated team success or resolved conflicts. Or if your brand is about being innovative, highlight how your communication skills have been pivotal in driving change or adopting new technologies in your previous roles.

Ensuring that this theme, or “personal branding”, is reflected throughout your resume can transform a list of job duties into a compelling narrative, painting a picture of a dynamic and capable professional.

Find out how well you score on communication skills

The most important thing to remember when listing communication skills on your resume is show don’t tell . An easy way to check if you’ve actually shown hiring managers your strong communication skills is to upload your resume to the tool below. It’ll tell you if your resume has shown enough communication skills, as well as other soft skills like leadership or problem-solving skills.

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How to list communication skills and examples on a resumé

Good communication skills are essential to have – in your personal life and in the workplace. They’re a key ingredient for collaboration and teamwork, and essential if you work with customers or clients. 

Employers want team members who work well together and can support one another, which is impossible without good communication skills. No matter what type of job you’re applying for, including communication skills on your resumé is a good idea.

If you’re applying for your first job with no experience, it’s even more important to list communication skills and examples on your resumé. In this guide, we explore what communication skills are and help you pick the right skills to include in your resumé.

What are communication skills?

Communication skills involve the ability to clearly convey and understand information. Specific to work, it’s how effectively you:

• Collaborate with your teammates
• Interact with stakeholders
• Present data
• Send emails
• Solve problems
• Serve customers or clients 

Effective communication skills are helpful for career progression as they give you the ability to convey thoughts clearly and tactfully and help you build strong work relationships.

On your resumé, communication skills fall into the category of soft skills or transferable skills. They’re different from technical skills , which refer to specialised knowledge and specific areas of expertise. Depending on your profession, they are both highly beneficial to showcase in your resumé. Soft skills, for example, are especially important for roles in sales and hospitality.

Why should you include communication skills in a resumé?

Adding communication skills to your resumé helps give the employer a rounded impression of your abilities and what you can bring to a role. Even if your profession doesn’t involve interacting much with others, the hiring company probably still has expectations for communication. Communication skills can only benefit you at work and in your resumé. 

Quick examples of roles and communication skills in a resumé

There are many different types of communication skills and not all of them are common or required for every job. So how do you know which to add to your resumé? Here are a few examples of communication skills, to give you an idea of how to tailor yours to the role you’re applying for. 

• A manager may highlight their presentation skills, report-writing skills, active listening skills or empathetic communication skills
• A sales assistant may include their problem-solving and persuasion skills
• A designer would want to highlight their collaboration skills and visual communication skills

It’s all about selecting the communication skills that are most relevant and important to the job you’re applying for. Let the individual role and job description be your guide.

How to show communication skills in a resumé

There are a few different ways to showcase your communication skills in a resumé. You can highlight them in a career objective statement along with other key skills and work experience. You can list them in the skills section of your resumé or work them into the experience section. It’s up to you how you include them, but keep these best practices in mind. To best show off your communication skills:

• First assess your professional abilities and see which fall under the umbrella of communication skills.
• Choose two to five key communication skills that best align with the job.
• Show how your skills have helped you achieve an outcome in the workplace, like using effective communication to manage projects or meet deadlines.

The more specific your communication skills are to the job ad, the easier it will be for the hiring manager to align your abilities with what they need. 

Communication skills to include in your resumé

Communication skills come in many forms, like being able to write well, present engagingly or resolve conflicts in the workplace. Some of the top communication skills you can include in your resumé:

• Written communication: this could include creating reports, writing emails, liaising with clients, responding to customers, writing tenders or pitches, etc.
• Verbal communication: this could include delivering constructive feedback , public speaking, MCing events, chairing meetings, etc.
• Interpersonal communication: this could include day-to-day collaboration and teamwork, conflict resolution, serving customers, mediating, etc.
• Empathy, active listening and non-verbal communication: these could be important skills to list for roles in social and public services, teaching and healthcare, etc.

To ensure your skills support your application, choose the ones that best align with the job ad. This will ensure everything on your resumé makes a case for why you’re a great candidate for the job and why the hiring company should call you for an interview.

Communication skills – resumé phrases

Giving your communication skills some context in your resumé gives employers a better understanding of what you bring to the table. It helps them imagine your skills in practice in their workplace. Describe where you have used a specific skill and how it helped your past employer.

For example, include how a specific skill helped you exceed key performance indicators or how your skills help keep customers happy. Some different communication skills resumé phrases you could use include:

• Excellent written communication: wrote and edited my department’s quarterly reports
• Excellent verbal communication: increased average floor sales by 10%
• Presentation skills: required to present to senior leadership every quarter
• Empathetic manager: improved staff retention in 2023
• Public-speaking skills: moderated several industry panels
• Collaboration skills: work effectively with international teams 

Your resumé itself should also show off excellent written communication. Ensure it is concise and typo-free to give the hiring manager a good first impression of your skills.

Communication skills in a resumé – example

How you format your communication skills in your resumé depends on where you put them. If you put them in your skills section, you only need to list them as bullet points. If you include them in your work experience section, write them into the descriptions of your duties. You could also choose to highlight skills in your resumé summary . Here are some examples:

• Highly empathetic and compassionate nurse with a decade of experience in providing the highest level of patient care.
• Persuasive sales manager with strong closing abilities. Maintained a 72% close rate in the top 3% of sales managers in the state.
• Well-spoken student looking for a casual retail role with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Getting your resumé right is crucial if you want to effectively show off your skills. Choosing your most relevant communication skills can make all the difference when it comes to standing out against other job seekers. Even if your profession doesn’t involve a lot of communication, these skills are always valued in the workplace. They’re the foundations of a good workplace culture, which is something every employer – and employee – wants. 

How do you say good communication skills on a resumé?

A good way to talk about good communication skills on a resumé is to be specific about your particular skills. For example, you could mention or list:

• Good written and verbal skills 
• Strong presentation skills
• Public speaking experience

If your skills are advanced or you have a relevant qualification, you can list them as technical or advanced skills. 

How would you describe your written communication skills?

Some words to describe written communication skills on a resumé include: 

• Professional

You can also show off your written communication skills in your resumé and cover letter, or provide links to any professional writing samples. 

Can communication skills be listed in a separate section in my resumé?

Communication skills are often listed with other soft skills on a resumé or in the objective description. You can also use them in your work experience section to showcase how they helped you achieve specific results. If you are writing a resumé for a writing job or a role requiring formal communication, you should also include a portfolio of work or links to writing samples.

Are communication skills more important than technical skills in my resumé?

While technical skills will help you meet criteria for the role, communication skills help you stand out as a valuable team player. You should include both communication and technical skills on your resumé. 

Should I include communication skills in a cover letter as well?

Your cover letter is a good place to include examples of how you’ve used good communication skills, if they’re relevant for the job. For example, for a customer-facing role, you may highlight being commended for providing great customer service or being known for high satisfaction rates. 

How can I improve my communication skills for my resumé?

Some good ways to improve your communication skills for your resumé include:

• Working on active listening
• Practising speaking skills
• Asking for feedback
• Doing a course
• Joining a special interest group
• Getting a mentor

You can practise communication skills at home by reading more, watching instructional videos, taking online courses or role-playing work situations with family and friends. Communication skills are abilities that will evolve naturally over time through experience as you interact with different people in new situations.

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4 ways to showcase soft skills on a resume without sounding generic.

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4 Ways To Showcase Your Soft Skills On A Resume Without Sounding Generic

These days, standing out in the job market means more than listing the usual buzzwords like “good communicator” or “strong leader.” These terms are so overused that they’ve lost their meaning. Instead, let your resume do the talking by showing how your experiences and expertise back up your soft skills. Whether you’re leading a team or managing a project, employers want to see proof, not just words on paper.

Here's the thing: Nearly 4 in 10 employers (39%) are checking resumes specifically to see if candidates’ soft skills hold up, so it's a big deal to show them off right. So, how can you showcase your soft skills in a way that sets you apart from everyone else? Here are four practical strategies to help you do that without sounding generic.

Turn Your Bullet Points Into Stories

Let’s be real; no one’s going to get excited about a bullet point that lists tasks. Your resume is your chance to tell the story of how you applied your skills and made an impact. Recruiters don’t have time to read a novel, so those quick-hit bullet points are the easiest way for them to get the scoop on your skills. Focus on showcasing specific experiences where your soft skills came into play. How did you actually collaborate with a team or lead a project?

For example, instead of saying, "I’m a great leader," write, “Led a team of 10 to successfully execute a marketing campaign, increasing engagement by 20%.” Use strong action verbs to let your soft skills speak for themselves. Think of it like storytelling: what was the challenge, what did you do, and what was the outcome? Give them something they can picture rather than a bunch of corporate jargon.

Let Your Degrees And Certifications Do The Talking

Have you ever taken a course on leadership or communication and thought, "Wow, I should totally brag about this"? Well, you should! Certifications and training not only validate your technical qualifications; they highlight your soft skills, too. By putting these achievements on your resume, you’re showing that you’re not merely claiming to be a strong leader or communicator, but you’re invested in becoming one.

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And hey, if traditional degree programs sound too long and expensive, micro-credentials are your new best friend. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera offer these bite-sized courses that provide digital certificates or badges you can include on your resume. For example, instead of writing “excellent communicator,” you could say: “Earned a Certificate in Effective Team Leadership from Coursera, demonstrating proven ability to lead teams and drive collaboration.” Sounds way more legit than saying, “I’m good with people,” right?

Flex Your Awards And Achievements

If you’ve ever been recognized for your leadership or teamwork, this is your time to shine. These awards are more than recognition; it means that others have seen and appreciated your soft skills. Whether it's an award for being the "Top Performer" in your team or a recognition for "Excellence in Leadership," these accolades show you’ve stepped up in real-life situations, and people noticed.

When your achievements match the role you’re aiming for, they make your resume pop. Employers love concrete examples of how candidates have been recognized for their contributions. Instead of mentioning you’re a “strong communicator,” try something like: “Awarded ‘Best Presenter’ during a company-wide leadership summit, recognized for delivering engaging presentations to 200+ employees.” That’s not just talking the talk; it’s walking the walk. It proves to employers that you didn’t only claim to be good at public speaking — you’ve been recognized for it.

Let Your Resume Speak For Itself

First impressions count, and your resume is a great place to make a good one. A well-organized, clearly written CV speaks volumes about your soft skills without you having to spell them out. Resumes that are easy to read and understand reflect your professionalism, attention to detail, and communication skills.

And don’t forget to include a portfolio if it’s relevant. Showing off your work is a great way to get people to notice your creativity, analytical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. If you're a graphic designer, dropping a link to your online portfolio is a no-brainer. It instantly shows potential employers your design skills and creativity in action, letting them see what you can do. The same goes for writers. If your role involves content creation, including writing samples or reports is a great way to back up your skills with real examples. It's like saying, "Here’s the proof; go ahead and take a look." Showing is always more powerful than telling.

Think of your resume as more than a checklist of traits. It’s your personal highlight reel, showing how your soft skills have driven real results. Let your experiences, training, and accomplishments do the heavy lifting. Give recruiters something that makes them say, “We need this person.” Rooting for you!

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