45 Strengths to Include on Your Resume (with Examples)

The moment you send your resume, you’re up against a sea of other candidates. Going head-to-head with hundreds of applicants isn’t for the faint of heart. So, how can you make sure you’re victorious?

Including a selection of core strengths in your resume is the answer. Identifying what makes you unique and conveying that in your next application is the way to go.

In this guide, we’ll cover 45 resume strengths—divided into categories—you may want to consider.

What are resume strengths?

First up, let’s kick things off with a definition. These are skills, attributes, and traits that help you succeed in the workplace. They may be technical, such as being proficient in certain software, or soft, such as communication. Take the time to consider what your top professional strengths are.

The difference between strengths and skills

Resume strengths and skills aren’t the same thing. While the difference is subtle, you need to understand it before we go any further:

• Skills are specific abilities or knowledge you’ve acquired through training or experience. These include technical skills (like Excel or programming languages) and soft skills (like communication or teamwork).
• Strengths are broader personal qualities or characteristics reflecting how you approach work and interact with others. They include qualities like adaptability, attention to detail, leadership, and problem-solving. They allow you to get the job done.

There’s a simple way to remember this. Strengths describe how you work, while skills describe what you can do. Both add value to a resume by showcasing your professional value.

Mistakes to avoid when listing resume strengths

When you’re listing your resume strengths, you want to get it right. However, there are some common mistakes you can fall into if you’re not careful:

How to include strengths in your resume

Showing off your strengths in your resume is a smart way to get ahead. But where should you start? The truth is you can include these attributes in a variety of resume sections. In this part, we’ll break down the main options you have.

Summary statement

Your summary statement is a short and sweet paragraph about you. It should contain your most impressive professional feats. You want to grab the hiring manager’s attention and keep it.

One way to do that is to include your resume strengths in this section. Pick a couple that truly makes you stand out as an applicant. Write about them in your statement and, where possible, add some context.

Skills section

Similarly, you can list your resume strengths among your main skills. You can do this by adding them as simple bullet points within the skills section of your resume.

If you want to provide the hiring manager with more detail, include your proficiency rating. This information tells them the level of your strength.

Work experience

Next up, your work experience section is the perfect place to highlight your resume strengths. The main benefit is you can add context to each of them here.

For example, rather than simply saying you have “excellent time management,” you might say you used your “time management techniques to improve efficiency by 16% in a year.” Do you see how that extra detail makes all of the difference?

Strength-based resume

Have you got loads of resume strengths to shout about? If so, lead with them by using a strength-based resume layout. This structure puts your strengths front and center on your application.

45 examples of different strengths for different roles

Now you understand the importance of including resume strengths, let’s take a look at some examples. In the following section, we’ve categorized major strengths by common job roles.

Administration  

Working in administration means having top-notch organizational skills so you can keep all of the plates spinning. The strengths on your resume should accurately reflect this, like the examples below.

• Organization
• Communication
• Multitasking
• Calendar management
• Record keeping

Here’s an example of how you may illustrate your multitasking strength on your resume:

Creative

Do you work in the creative sector? If so, you need to highlight vital strengths, such as innovation and storytelling on your resume. We’ve listed some of the main strengths you may have.

• Artistic vision
• Innovative thinking
• Adaptability
• Attention to detail
• Storytelling ability

Let’s take a look at an example of how to include attention to detail in your summary:

Education

It takes a litany of strengths to work in the educational field. Not only do you need to know your subject matter well, but you also have to collaborate with others.

• Subject matter expertise
• Strong time management skills
• Technology integration
• Collaboration with colleagues
• Student assessment and evaluation

Check out how you can outline the above strengths in your work experience section:

Finance and accounting

Strategy is the baseline of positions in the finance world. For that reason, you need to show the hiring manager that you have a wealth of varied strengths on your resume.

• Forecasting accuracy
• Strategic planning
• Data interpretation
• Quantitative analysis
• Compliance awareness

You may choose to list the above in your skills section, like the below example:

Healthcare

Healthcare is a highly competitive field. It’s not simply about having the right knowledge, you need to make ethical decisions and have the stamina to keep going.

• Patient education skills
• Cultural sensitivity
• Precision and accuracy
• Ethical judgment
• Physical stamina

Here’s how you can include the above strengths on your resume:

Leadership

Do you have what it takes to inspire and motivate those around you? If you’re going for a leadership position, you need to show the hiring manager that you’re ready to excel.

• Emotional intelligence
• Problem-solving
• Resilience
• Mentorship
• Confidence

Use our example of how to show off these strengths as inspiration:

Legal

Only the strongest survive in the legal realm. You’ll need to demonstrate you have the ability to command a courtroom and work on behalf of your clients.

• Knowledge of legal procedures
• Client-focused mindset
• Adaptability
• Courtroom presence
• Document drafting

You can weave these resume strengths into your work experience section, as below:

Technology

Are you hoping to land a position in the ever-changing tech industries? You need to prove that you have your finger to the pulse and a wealth of strengths to boot.

• Software troubleshooting
• Technical documentation
• Network management
• Cybersecurity awareness
• Data analysis

You may want to include these in your skills section along with proficiency levels, as below:

Sales and marketing

Sales and marketing are all about persuading people they need a product. But what about persuading the hiring manager you’re right for the job? Use your strengths to your advantage.

• Persuasion
• Negotiation
• Relationship-building
• Market research
• Customer-centricity

You can refer to these resume strengths in your summary statement:

Conclusion

Resume strengths are certain to impress hiring managers. However, you need to be strategic when choosing which to include. Be sure to select attributes that convey your sense of professionalism and show you’ll excel in the position. You can highlight these abilities in your summary, work experience, or skills sections. Use the examples we’ve shared as inspiration and get started now.