How to add communication skills to your CV

It’s one of the most basic skills that we all use, whether at work or at play. Communication is at the heart of being human, so why should you put communication skills on your CV? Everyone can communicate, right? Well, yes – but we all communicate differently and have different strengths which we use in different situations.

In this blog, CV Shed looks into how we can use a CV to show off the communication skills that employers are looking for.  

What communication skills do employers want on a CV?

There are different types of communication skills, so your CV needs to highlight the ones that are most important for the role you seek. For example:

• A Translator or Interpreter will need to highlight which languages they speak and their level of fluency
• A call centre worker will need excellent speaking skills to chat with customers on the phone
• A marketing professional will need great writing skills, to write copy about the products and services they promote
• A business leader will need confident public speaking skills, to present ideas or directions to the workforce
• A salesperson will need skill in influencing and persuading, to overcome objections to buying

This is just a selection of the different ways in which we communicate in a professional environment. You probably use a combination of these every day and more – the key is to identify which ones are most useful in your target role and to focus on those in your CV. A great way to do this is to examine a selection of adverts for roles you’re interested in, to see which communication skills keep popping up.

How can I show communication skills on my CV?

Now that you know which communication skills are in demand, you need to add them to your CV in the right way. Including “good communication skills” in your profile simply won’t cut it. Apart from being much too vague, it’s also something that the recruiter will see on every entry-level CV – and yours needs to stand out.

The best way to show off your communication skills on your CV is to provide specific examples. Think of a time you used your communication skills successfully, then add that success to the relevant job on your CV. If you can quantify your achievement, that’s even better!

If there are very specific communication skills that the job requires, you can highlight them in your Key Skills section. In that case, make sure they’re framed as keyword-searchable bullets – for example, “Copywriting” or “Public speaking” rather than “I can write informative copy” or “I’m confident in front of an audience”.

Examples of communication skills on a CV

Looking for some inspiration on how to word your communication skills? Look no further! Try some of these out for size, then model your skills around them in your own words:

• Achieved a 30% cost reduction on raw materials by negotiating with suppliers in fluent German
• Reduced customer attrition by 20% by handling phone complaints calmly, professionally and articulately
• Grew traffic to the company website by 5,000 visitors per month by writing engaging social media posts
• Leveraged confident public speaking skills to deliver sales training to 200 people in just 1 month
• Increased stationery sales by 200% by interacting with potential customers to rapidly build a rapport

Get a professional on board

Now you know how to include those all-important communication skills on your CV, it’s time to start writing!

But if you’re still doubting your ability to craft a persuasive CV, you simply don’t have time to write one or you’re looking for a job search confidence boost, CV Shed is on hand to help. From a full rewrite or some expert eyes on your draft CV, there’s a service to meet your needs – just give me a shout.