Top Communication Skills For Resume + Ways To Improve

Effective communication skills are essential for building healthy relationships, whether with siblings, significant others, or coworkers. But what are good communication skills? How can you measure them for your resume, and how can you improve them if they are lacking?

1. What Are Communication Skills?

Communication skills are the ability to effectively transmit ideas, instructions, thoughts, or emotions to another while receiving a response or feedback in return. According to the National Association of Colleges and companies, communication skills are the most important qualities companies look for when recruiting a candidate.

Good communication skills usually involve:

• Absorbing, sharing, and understanding the information presented.
• Communicating (whether by pen, mouth, etc.) in a way that others grasp.
• Respecting others’ points of view through engagement and interest.
• Using relevant knowledge, know-how, and skills to explain and clarify thoughts and ideas.
• Listening to others when they communicate, asking questions to understand them better.

The Conference Board of Canada, an independent research body, developed the Employability Skills 2000+. In it, they list communication as the most fundamental skill required for ongoing development.

Main Types of Communication Skills

Communication skills in the workplace can be broken down into three distinct categories:

• verbal
• non-verbal
• written

Verbal communication is spoken. Effective verbal communication involves nuances such as the tone of your voice, enunciation, and inflection.

Non-verbal communication is transmitted and received via other mediums, such as touch and sight. The most common of these include eye contact, hand gestures, facial expressions, and body language.

Written communication comes through the written word, including handwriting and typed text. Though it seems like it should be included in non-verbal communication, HR managers like to differentiate here, as it is a major part of the occupational dialogue.

According to some, we communicate 93% nonverbally and 7% verbally. While studies contest the truth of this ratio, we can all agree that good communication skills require much more than simply words.

In case you’re wondering, communication skills fall under soft skills. As a simple reminder:

• Hard skills are specific abilities and know-how (e.g., Photoshop, cash register, tech skills).
• Soft skills are self-developed, life-learned attributes (e.g., social skills, adaptability).
• Combined, these make up a skill set, which is a jobseeker’s range of skills and abilities.

2. How to Improve Communication Skills (Or Develop Effective Communication Skills)

As author Gypsy Teague said, “Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood.”

Some think they have communicated effectively simply because they said what they meant to say, but in reality, effective communication means that the interaction goes successfully for both sides of it. Developing good people skills will bring you countless benefits, no matter the position.

Below, you’ll find tips on how to improve some of the most important interpersonal communication skills in today’s workforce:

• Listening
• Reflection (or self-reflection)
• Friendliness
• Confidence
• Clarity
• Accepting feedback
• Giving constructive feedback
• Open-mindedness
• Choosing the right medium
• Nonverbal communication
• Building trust
• Asking questions

Now, read more about each and every of the above communication examples for a resume:

Listening

Good communication begins with listening. You may lecture your cat on who won the election, and the cat will listen. That is not listening. Listening is more than just hearing things; it also requires proper reception and interpretation in order to be done effectively.

A bad listener makes for a poor manager or employee. They will be unable to comprehend what is expected of them, let alone complete it. According to author Stephen R. Covey, “Don’t listen to reply, but rather listen to understand.” If you choose, you can include listening abilities on your resume.

Reflection

People prefer to communicate with you rather than simply talking to a wall. They want you to not only hear, but also understand, chew on, and think about what they’re saying.

Also, contemplation does not have to end with the talk. What distinguishes reflection from simply hearing is the ability to think over ideas after the discussion, whether at your desk or the next day.

Stop and consider incoming communication rather than simply comprehending it. You can listen to a talk show in the car during your daily commute, but is it simply background noise or are you paying attention?

Friendliness

Encourage efficient communication by using a welcoming tone, an optimistic and polite attitude, and a general sense of openness. This builds rapport and helps people feel at ease about approaching you.

Approachability greatly improves communication. Without it, a manager may only be consulted at the last minute—possibly too late—because an employee did not feel comfortable reaching out sooner. An affable, open, and welcoming demeanor makes situations like these nearly impossible.

Confidence

Be confident in how you communicate. People should believe not only what you say, but also that you believe it. Confidence is one of the most important resume communication skills.

Suppose you’re a manager. You’re trying to reassure your team that layoffs will not occur. Employees would believe you if you back it up with confidence and make it clear that you mean it (data and a renewed contract would be helpful!). Morale will not suffer more, and you will receive excellent support from team members who will continue to have your back.

People will notice if you show a lack of confidence in your message or don’t believe it at all. In the same circumstance, morale will plummet, employees will leave, and you will fight even more to right the ship.

Clarity

In a business setting, communicate clearly and concisely. Your message or lesson should not be buried in a sea of unnecessary words and illustrations. Rambling is disrespectful and unclear, and the listener may simply tune you out—a negative outcome in the workplace.

The greatest method to keep your message brief and clear is to think before you speak. If you have time, scribble down some notes to help you make your argument. Listeners will be grateful! This will also help improve your presentation skills.

Accepting Feedback

Listen and reflect on what you have heard, while accepting professional feedback. It can be upsetting to hear someone approach you and reject a project you’ve been working on for weeks—you may want to snap at them or launch a counterattack.

However, in the workplace, this input should usually be interpreted as constructive criticism rather than derision or contempt. One of the most important managerial abilities is the ability to take it calmly and examine it objectively. Use criticism to improve yourself, your project, and your goals.

Giving Constructive Feedback

Communication is a two-way street, so being able to provide constructive feedback is just as vital as receiving it gently.

As a team member, and especially as a manager, you want to provide feedback that acknowledges the labor and contributions of others. You must be honest: let them know if they made a mistake while remaining diplomatic.

Do not scream, make passive-aggressive remarks, or sigh in frustration. This will simply make things worse for you and will not get you anywhere. Instead, be patient and courteous in your remarks; this will help you maintain relationships and address issues quickly.

Open-mindedness

Good communicators approach talks with an open mind, demonstrating empathy, emotional intelligence, and respect for both the person and the message they convey.

Don’t discard someone, their beliefs, ideas, or solutions simply because you don’t agree with them, their point of view, or the message.

Even if you disagree, understanding and appreciating them as individuals and their perspectives is essential for a happy, problem-free workplace.

Choosing the Right Medium

A competent communicator communicates effectively and through the appropriate media. Would you be offended if your significant other abruptly ended years of blissful love by SMS?

Some things should be said in person, while others, like a request for time off, require proof. The specific person should also be considered: busy or not, good or negative news, and so on. Consider whatever method of communication is most effective and acceptable, and your peers will really appreciate it.

Nonverbal Communication

Body language is an essential component of nonverbal communication. Use it to make your point.

Consider someone who has just returned from a vacation and is eager to tell you about their experiences. Rolling your eyes during their story will undoubtedly make them feel insignificant, whilst glancing at your watch will indicate that you have more important things to accomplish.

Hand gestures, eye contact, and body position are all parsed unconsciously (or even consciously at times) by the person with whom you are speaking. Making people feel at ease with your body language helps to reinforce the openness we discussed earlier.

Building Trust

Develop rapport with your fellow co-workers in order to build their trust and be regarded as a colleague with amazing personal skills.

If you want others to trust you, communicate matters honestly. Don’t promise something you can’t deliver.

Asking Questions

To show interest in what the other person is saying, you must ask the appropriate questions. Asking open-ended questions helps you engage the other person and understand how they think about a particular subject.

When you need a definite answer to a question, use closed questions (questions that begin with Did, Do, Should, Have, or Could).

When creating a resume with our builder, you may drag and drop bullet points, talents, and auto-fill the uninteresting details. Spelling check? Check. Begin creating a professional resume template here for free.

3. Examples of Communication Skills for Your Resume

Ready to tweak your resume? Just say you possess Effective Communication skills and move on, right?

Wrong! Everyone’s resume says they have strong communication skills. Yet they fail to really get the message across (oh, the irony!). Employers look for tailored resumes and want applicants with job-specific skills.

You have to curate the few skills that are most relevant:

• Find communication skills important to them in the job offer or by talking to current employees.
• Create a list of your strong resume communication skills that showcase your approachability, empathy, and openness.
• Make sure the rest of your resume “supports” the skills you picked out, i.e., provides proof.

Then, compare the lists and add the matches in the Skills section of your resume. Here are some communication examples for a resume if you need inspiration:

Communication Skills Examples for Your Resume

• Active listening
• Collaboration
• Confidence
• Counseling
• Cross-cultural communication
• Diplomacy
• Empathy
• Feedback
• Friendliness
• Leadership
• Mediation
• Negotiation
• Open-mindedness
• Phone calls
• Presentation
• Public speaking
• Summarizing
• Teaching
• Language skills
• Nonverbal communication
• Verbal communication
• Written communication

Once you’ve selected the communication skills to add, you have to saturate your job descriptions with evidence, too. However, you can’t just say that you have them, like this:

WRONG

I’m a great communicator, and I am adept at both giving and receiving feedback. I am confident, honest, and respect others’ opinions while keeping an open mind….

You’ve got to show, not tell. Prove to the employer that you have the skills you claim to have by using past examples, numbers, and quantifiable achievements. Here are a few good communication skills examples:

To show empathy:

My last team increased productivity by more than 35%, and this wasn’t from a specific policy, but rather from working together to understand and meet the goals of team members.

To show openness:

Through increased one-on-ones with my team members and by sharing department metrics more transparently, our team boosted key performance and engagement by over 50%.

To show feedback:

By changing our team’s policy to recognize a team member once per week publicly, morale and happiness metrics all skyrocketed by at least 40%.

The examples above are excellent bullet points for a resume work experience section, or as a top highlight in your resume summary or objective statement. You can also include such examples in your cover letter.

Remember that when you submit your cover letter and resume (or your job application email), you are demonstrating your communication abilities for the first time. Your language, writing, and storytelling abilities are quickly assessed, so if you want to make a good first impression with your strong communication skills, make sure you know how to write a good resume and cover letter.

Communication skills are important on your resume, but focusing on them doesn’t mean you can’t learn the others! Check out our full guide: 30+ Best Examples of What Skills to Include on a Resume

Furthermore, a strong cover letter that complements your CV will offer you an advantage over other applicants. You can write it using our cover letter builder. Here’s what it might look like:

Key Takeaway

Good communication skills are at the very top of skills employers look for in a candidate. Keep these points in mind to create a solid resume that underscores communication:

• Be open: a good communicator fosters an open environment by being approachable and friendly, but they also listen to others with an open mind.
• Listen to understand: don’t just hear when another person is talking; you have to listen to them and reflect on what they say if you want to understand.
• Choose the right format: there’s a time and a place for everything, including each communication medium, especially in the more formal workplace environments.
• Show, don’t tell: you can’t just say that you have such-and-such communication skills, you have to prove it to them using examples and experiences and wins.
• It starts with your resume: showing you can communicate effectively begins with writing your resume and cover letter perfectly.