What personal qualities are better to indicate in the resume?
When looking for a job, it is important to consider many nuances. In addition, what kind of job seeker has education, work experience and professional skills, the employer wants to know what personal qualities he possesses. How he relates to work, the tasks that are set for him, how he finds (or does not find) contact with other people - colleagues and clients, what career goals he would like to achieve.
Usually people don't understand very well what to write in this section of the resume. Does it have to be detailed, or can you list a number of definitions in a short list? However, the resume should indicate that what a person wants to tell a potential employer when applying for a job about himself, and the way it is drawn up affects the opinion that will be formed about the candidate, including the section on personal qualities.
Types of qualities
Although the section on personal qualities contains additional information about the applicant, and the main one that interests the employer is in the sections on work experience, education and business skills, this does not mean that you need to fill it out at random. Personal qualities are those character traits that a person has developed in himself not as a specialist, professional, but as a person, and, taking into account the fact that he has to work in a team, it is very important that he be both a full-fledged professional unit and a part of the team.
In the section "Personal qualities" the applicant can describe himself in such a way that, all other things being equal - work experience and education, the employer chose him. For this you need to think carefully which of the character traits are the most advantageous and are suitable specifically for the implementation of the desired work. These are the ones that need to be mentioned. For example, if a person has indestructible optimism, and it is thanks to him that he achieved a lot in his career, let it be on the resume. At least it will not look like a cliché, but like a real quality of a person.
In addition, it is important that the qualities of the candidate are close to the employer, that is, he would choose him on the basis of those personal characteristics and habits that are indicated in the resume. If a candidate can convince a potential leader through written speech that he has exactly those properties and habits that will help him to do his job effectively, then he has a real chance of getting the job for which he is applying.
If the employer indicates the desired business and personal qualities of the employee, it is worth including them in the resume. However, they do not need to be completely copied; it is better to partially paraphrase them so that there is no complete duplication.
The wording should be written by the candidate himself, so that it reflects him as an employee. Personality should be evident in everything, starting with the resume. The maximum list of qualities for a resume is 5. You need to write only about those traits that you actually have. There is no need to mention what is not. Deception is very easily detected by both experienced HR professionals and managers (employers). If you are emotional, do not write that you are reserved and immune to stressful or unusual situations. If you don’t know how to multitask, it’s better to write “completely immersed in the work on the task” than to deceive about what is not there.
The resume should not be designed and drawn up in such a way as if it was written “on the knee” in five minutes. It is better to spend a little time and get a document that will 100% reflect the applicant's personality, knowledge and hobbies. Don't expect to come up with one one-size-fits-all resume that fits any job you like. For example, even a person with a legal background may need two different resumes - one for the positions of "lawyer" or "legal adviser", the other for "leading legal counsel" or "head of the legal department". In the first case, personal qualities should reflect the ability to fulfill the orders of the boss quickly and correctly, in the second - to be able to organize the work of subordinates, setting clear and logical tasks.
You need to be prepared for the fact that During the interview, a question will be asked regarding the personal qualities indicated in the resume and how they have helped or are helping in professional life.
It is advisable that the candidate has a couple of examples at the ready, and he can easily tell about them.
How to describe yourself to girls?
Statistics show that, as a percentage of the total number of vacancies, there are more jobs for women than for men, but the average salary for women is lower. It means that if a woman is applying for a job with a high salary, it will be more difficult for her to find one than for a man. And if young unmarried and childless girls can still get the desired position, then it is very problematic for women with children, especially of preschool or primary school age, to convince an employer that they will be able to perform their job duties as efficiently as a man would.
This has true grounds, since, indeed, it is mothers who most often go on sick leave with their children or take time off for matinees, other events in preschool or school institutions. Wherein women are very often much more efficient when multitasking work is required, that is, at the same time to answer calls, work with papers and with people, prepare several documents that are different in content and focus at the same time, so they are more valuable in such positions.
In this regard, if the applicant has children, and the nature of the work implies the possibility of partially performing it after the working day is over, it can be indicated in the resume that there is an opportunity to stay late after work. Of course, this should only be done when the applicant knows for sure that she will cope with the need to work overtime outside of working hours on a regular basis.
It is necessary to take into account the area of the planned activity and indicate exactly those qualities that are suitable for its successful implementation.
For a woman who wants to take the position of HR specialist, such character traits as attention to detail, excellent memory, accuracy, patience are important. A clerk must be scrupulous, diligent, diligent, able to work with a large amount of paper and information, and for a designer, completely different personality traits will become key - creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, the ability to work quickly and comply with deadlines, stress resistance.
Traditionally, strong qualities for women are:
- patience;
- diligence, accuracy;
- love of life, good nature;
- a responsibility.
The weaknesses in women are:
- irascibility, excess of emotions;
- resentment;
- conflict, quarrelsomeness;
- immunity to criticism.
What to indicate to a man?
A resume is a visiting card of a candidate, so sufficient attention should be paid to its preparation. Both brevity and informational content are important. It is advisable to keep within a maximum of 2 A4 sheets, this is quite enough to give an exhaustive description of the employee.
Traditionally, male strengths are:
- activity, energy;
- responsibility, decency;
- purposefulness;
- thinking outside the box or analytical mind (depending on the position).
Male weaknesses are:
- irascibility;
- optional;
- arrogance and arrogance;
- selfishness, careerism;
- excessive ambition.
If you have "weak" traits, rephrase them in such a way as to turn them into strengths.
Then careerism will become the desire to perfectly fulfill the assigned tasks at all costs, and arrogance will become restraint and resistance to the manifestation of other people's emotions.
What to write about yourself in the "Additional information" column?
This is the last section of the resume, which is usually completed on a leftover basis. Most employers form an idea of the candidate before the moment they read to the "Additional Information", so the job of the applicant is not to spoil the impression. There is no need to write anything overly “creative”, although there are no specific rules for filling out this section. First of all, you should indicate the marital status and the presence of children. This needs to be done briefly, literally with a couple of words: Married / married. Two, three, seven children.
With regard to information on proficiency in a foreign language (or languages), you should indicate it in as much detail and truthfulness as possible. If you read Polish with a dictionary, you do not need to write that you are fluent in it at a conversational level. The employer can arrange a check directly at the interview, and an uncomfortable situation will turn out. If you are writing about how good your PC is, it is worth mentioning which specific programs you have used. It is best not to use the phrases "confident user" or "at the level of an advanced user." Suitable, for example, the wording "I work in the program 1C: personnel, I can draw up a timesheet, work schedules." If you are ready to travel, please indicate it. If not, it's best not to.
The presence of a driver's license and open categories is appropriate to indicate only when the nature of the work may require it.... For example, for a traveling nature of work or the need to move quickly during the working day. As for hobbies and hobbies, it makes sense to indicate only those that are related to the job for which the applicant applies. For example, reading as a hobby for someone who wants to become a salesperson or a supervisor in a bookstore. Or knitting for a consultant at a yarn store. The same goes for awards - if they are related to the profession, they should definitely be mentioned. For example, participation in the competition "Lawyer of the Year" according to the version of Consultant + or even a prize in it if you are applying for the position of a legal consultant. As for winning the amateur local league “What? Where? When? ”, It is better to share this information with friends and family. She doesn't belong on a resume.
You need to fill out this section of the resume in such a way as to summarize the information about yourself that is contained in it.
What's not worth mentioning?
It all depends on what position the applicant is applying for. If this is the post of a leader or top manager, you need to list the relevant qualities - balance, the ability to make decisions and be responsible for them, the ability to organize and manage a group of people, etc. There is no need to mention creativity or love for children and animals. If your work involves focus and perseverance, calmness and the ability to process large amounts of information will be your advantage. But communication skills and multitasking are better left for other positions. And vice versa - where non-standard thinking, creativity and attention to detail are required, it is better not to mention diligence and observance of subordination.
"Easily trained" - another word often found in questionnaires and resumes. However, it is better not to use it if a person cannot immediately memorize new terms, work in new computer programs for himself, use new techniques, etc.
"Stress-resistant" - is also a "fashionable" word that should not be used unnecessarily. Resilience to stress in different jobs means different things. For example, a call center operator should be ready for negativity from callers, and a police officer should be ready for corpses, people who have been victims of crimes, criminals, and the like. That's why stress resistance must be specified in relation to the position for which the applicant applies.
Qualities such as attractive appearance and athletic form, it is appropriate to mention only when it is directly indicated in the requirements for the job - a dancer, fashion model, instructor of a fitness club, administrator or hostess of a restaurant, night club. In other cases, the personal photo attached to the resume is enough for the employer to get an idea of the external data of the applicant.
You should not use cliches: responsibility, diligence, learning, punctuality. Such a resume will end up in a pile of no different "candidates" and is unlikely to attract the attention of the employer. The gaze should linger on at least one of the formulations. Instead of "sociability", which has recently been in every first resume, you can write "I find an approach to any person" or "I know how to come to an agreement with everyone." This does not mean, of course, that you need to paint all your qualities in this way, turning your resume into an ode to your merits, but the utmost brevity and facelessness is also useless.
If the employer's request does not contain a special requirement to indicate weak character traits, you should not do this. As a last resort, you can indicate little work experience or an inability to pretend.
Examples of
A sample resume for any position looks pretty much the same.
Personal data: Full name, date of birth or age.Place of residence. Email address, telephone.
Education: first, the educational institution is indicated - secondary special or higher. The order is from earlier to later. It is necessary to indicate the name of the educational institution, the years of the beginning and end of training, the specialty in accordance with the diploma. After the educational institutions are listed, you can indicate additional education, if its focus corresponds to the position held.
Work experience: in this section, on the contrary, the information is arranged from later to earlier. It is necessary to indicate the name of the organization, the period of work (hiring and dismissal), the position held. Briefly list what responsibilities the person performed in this position, what he achieved.
Professional skills: briefly but exhaustively indicates the knowledge and practical skills that will be required specifically for the position for which the applicant applies.
Personal qualities: similarly to professional ones, you should list no more than 5 personal qualities that the applicant possesses and which will help him to work successfully.
Additional information: marital status, children. Driving license, if required. Knowledge of foreign languages and the degree of their knowledge.
Desired salary: since hardly anyone is willing to work for free, this section must be completed.
The employer must see what the employee is counting on, and this calculation must match what the employer is willing to offer.