how to say interpersonal skills on cover letter

5 Useful Examples Of Interpersonal Skills In A Cover Letter

Find out the interpersonal skills you need to include in your cover letter to land that dream job.

Your interpersonal skills determine how you interact or engage with others. The skill is by far the most crucial one that employers look out for when recruiting personnel for their companies. The first contact that employers have about you is through the cover letter even before they meet you in person. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that you will be able to make a good impression through the cover letter. It is essential that you bring out your strongest interpersonal skills in the letter, to give the employer more reasons to slot you in for the interview and to even hire you afterward. These skills include creative thinking, problem-solving skill, ability to communicate effectively, ability to adapt and networking skills.

Creative thinking

It is one of the skills you should bring out clearly in your cover letter. Outline how you have put to use your creativity in trying to solve any given problem. Creative thinking is about addressing an issue in a manner that is efficient and effective than the usual way.

Problem solving

It goes hand in hand with creative thinking. With problem solving one can devise solutions to resolving the problem that the organization is facing. It entails, identifying a problem, analyzing it and then coming up with useful and practical solutions that can solve the problems.

Networking skill

The ability to network and create networks that will benefit the companies you are seeking to work in is very crucial. Ensure you highlight your previous networking success and how that will benefit the company that wants to hire you. Show them that you indeed have what it takes to establish new networks while also strengthening the existing networks.

Ability to adapt

It is also imperative to show the recruiting panel that you are a flexible person and that you are very comfortable and can be willing to go to extra lengths to do other tasks that are not even listed on your list of roles. Try to portray yourself as a person who can work in any environment without any struggles.

Communication skills

No company will want to hire an individual who does not know how to express him or herself. Therefore, in your cover letter, ensure that you adhere to good writing skills and that you can communicate effectively. Give evidence of some of the relevant instances.

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28+ Top Interpersonal Skills in 2024

You may be the most skilled professional in your field…

You may have won dozens of awards and titles…

But without this one type of skill, you're never going to reach your full potential.

Yes, you guessed it: we’re talking about interpersonal skills .

Interpersonal skills, in a nutshell, dictate how well you get along with other people.

But what else is there to know about interpersonal skills, and how can you develop them? Well, we’ll cover both these topics in this article!

What Are Interpersonal Skills?

7 types of interpersonal skills, how to show off your interpersonal skills, 10 most in-demand interpersonal skills for jobs in 2024, how to develop interpersonal skills.

So, let’s get started!

Interpersonal skills are skills that dictate your ability to get along with and understand other people.

Interpersonal skills are not just a single skill - rather, they consist of several soft skills . These include:

Emotional intelligence
Communication (both verbal and nonverbal)

...And several others (we’ll cover the full list a bit down the line).

And yep, they ARE in demand for any type of job.

For people-related roles, good interpersonal skills are, obviously, essential. After all, jobs that involve people require communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence, among others.

Interpersonal skills also come in handy for very individual-focused roles.

Say you’re a writer. You may think that as long as you can just sit down and write, you don’t have to deal with those pesky people skills, right?

Not exactly.

To be a really good writer, you need to be able to communicate well with other people:

You need to communicate with your readers and understand why they like/don’t like your books.
You need to communicate with your publishers and make sure that there are clear expectations and responsibilities set both ways.
You need to have a good understanding of what people are like so that you write accurate characters in your book.

And that’s where interpersonal skills come into play!

Interpersonal Skills Examples

As we mentioned before, interpersonal skills are more of a mixture of different types of people skills.

Some examples of interpersonal skills are:

Collaboration

Now that we went over the theory, let’s see what interpersonal skills are in practice.

#1. Communication

Communication is a very large chunk of interpersonal skills.

After all, no matter how good you are with other types of interpersonal skills (teamwork, conflict management, leadership, etc.), it doesn’t really matter if you can’t effectively communicate with other people.

Here are some examples of skills associated with communication:

Verbal communication
Active listening
Nonverbal communication

#2. Teamwork

Teamwork is when a group of people works together to efficiently achieve a common goal or complete a task.

Teamwork is an interpersonal skill required for, well, almost any job ever.

Whether you’re a football player or a computer scientist, you need to (effectively) work with a team to achieve your goals.

Examples of teamwork skills include (but are not limited to):

Team facilitation
Problem-solving

#3. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to being able to understand and manage emotions - both yours and other people’s.

It takes emotional intelligence to work in positions that require one-on-one interaction and a lot of emotional labor.

Nurses make a good example of this. On top of physically taking care of patients, they also need to be empathetic towards their emotional needs and look after their mental state.

However, emotional intelligence also comes in handy in the workplace - being able to “read” colleagues’ emotions and act accordingly can go a long way in building good relations.

Emotional intelligence is associated with:

Sensitivity

#4. Leadership

Leadership is the ability to motivate, encourage and inspire others and lead a team towards achieving a common goal.

Leadership is required to succeed in all sorts of roles, including:

Management positions like CEO, director, team lead, etc.
Positions where you need to inspire other people. This includes teachers, brand managers, and other creative roles.

Think of the difference between an average and a truly great teacher. The latter has the ability to motivate students to learn, encourage them to go after their dreams and inspire them to become whatever they wish. If those aren’t the qualities of a leader, then we don’t know what is.

Examples of leadership skills are:

Encouraging

#5. Conflict Management

Conflict management is the ability to resolve disagreements or disputes in such a way that minimizes negative results and maximizes positive ones.

As a professional skill, conflict management has a wide range of uses that are not limited to specific industries. At one point or another, you will most likely need to manage a disagreement in your work environment - even if it’s between you and a colleague, supervisor, or client.

Conflict management involves:

Conflict Resolution

#6. Influencing skills

Influencing skills encompass the ability to convince people of the way you think on a certain matter without using force or coercion, and while taking their opinion into consideration.

Influencing skills are required if you want people - be it your supervisor, colleagues, or clients - to see things from your point of view and act a certain way that benefits you, the team, or your career path.

Influencing skills consist of:

Negotiation

#7. Positive Thinking

Positivity is a skill, attitude, and mindset.

How is it a skill? Because it involves practicing to see the best in every situation and not allowing yourself to get demotivated by life’s drawbacks.

And since drawbacks, difficulties, and challenges will be a part of life no matter what your profession is, positive thinking is nothing short of vital.

If you’re wondering how a mindset can be an interpersonal skill, consider this - when you have a positive attitude, you are happy and optimistic. Hence, you are more likely to build constructive relationships with your colleagues and be a beneficial member of the work environment.

Here are some examples of positive thinking:

Friendliness
Sociability

Even if you have amazing interpersonal skills, you need to somehow show it to prospective employers.

Here’s our advice on how you can best showcase your interpersonal skills for your job search:

Step #1. Scan the Job Ad

Scan the job ad and find the right interpersonal skills for the job. Not ALL interpersonal skills are relevant for all jobs.

If you’re a software engineer , for example, clear communication and teamwork is what’s required of you.

If you’re a software engineer team lead , though, the job will need you to have (again) communication skills, leadership skills like mentoring and perseverance, and organizational skills.

So, scan the job ad you’re applying for, and make a list of the relevant interpersonal skills.

Step #2. Add These Skills to Your Resume

Mention the relevant interpersonal skills in the following resume sections (whichever is relevant):

Resume Summary
Work Experience
Skills Section

Keep in mind, though, that you don’t want to just slap these skills on your resume and call it a day - you want to back them up, too.

Here’s what we mean by that:

If you mention Communication Skills in your skills section, the recruiter reading it doesn't really get much value. Sure, you’re saying that you have communication skills, but how can they know for sure?

If, on the other hand, you add a bit in your work experience section to talk about how you used these communication skills to excel at your last job, THEN your skills will shine a whole lot brighter!

Communicated with 3 different departments - marketing, finance, and HR - to bring Project Z to conclusion successfully.
Strong Communication Skills

Step #3. Add (Relevant) Skills to Your Cover Letter

In addition to your resume, you can also mention your interpersonal skills in your cover letter!

In your resume, you’re a bit limited by space on how many details you can mention - all you’ve got are bullet points, after all.

Well, in your cover letter, you can expand on whatever you already mentioned in your resume, but in more detail.

Let’s expand on the previous example. In your cover letter, you could say:

“During my last role as Senior Product Manager, I had to implement a workflow management software that would be used by 3 departments - marketing, finance, and HR. I understood the needs of each department and used it to source a software solution that worked for everyone.”

Step #4. Talk About Your Interpersonal Skills During the Interview

During the job interview, you’re bound to get asked a lot of questions about your soft skills. And rightfully so!

97% of employers think that soft skills are as important (if not more important) than hard skills. Meaning, you might be the perfect candidate in terms of hard skills, but if you lack the interpersonal skills to get along with your team, your chances of getting the job go down significantly

When answering such interview questions, though, don’t just say something like, “Oh, I’m a great leader” and stare at the interviewer, waiting for them to move on.

Instead, give a concrete example of a situation where you’ve used this interpersonal skill before, and how it helped you excel.

“I believe that I’m great at managing people. We were always both ahead of schedule and under budget in every client account, I’ve managed. This one time, due to a mix-up with HR, several of my team members took time off at the same time, and it was too late to change this.

Regardless of the mistake, I borrowed team members from different departments, got them up to speed with the tasks, and still managed to complete the pressing project on time.”

I’m an amazing manager.

Step #5. Show Your Skills During the Interview

Talking about your skills is one thing. Unless you actually demonstrate them during the interview, though, the recruiter will remain unconvinced.

For example, if you’re saying you’re a charismatic leader, and you’re bumbling through every interview question, that’s not too convincing, right?

Want to make sure that you’ll ace that upcoming interview? Preparation is key! Check out some of these most common job interview questions (and learn how to answer them):

What are your biggest strengths?
What are your biggest weaknesses?
Why should we hire you ?
How did you hear about this position?
Why did you decide to apply for this position?
What do you know about this company/organization?
What are your salary requirements?
What are you looking for from a new position?
Tell me something about yourself .
Are you considering other positions in other companies?
What is the professional achievement you’re most proud of?
What kind of working environment do you work best in?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Do you have any questions for us?

Some of the most sought-after interpersonal skills in the job market today include:

Conflict resolution

Interpersonal skills CAN be developed, although at first glance they seem like traits people are born with (e.g. being empathetic, friendly, or inspirational).

Given, acquiring interpersonal skills is not as easy as learning hard skills - you can’t just register for a class in kindness, learn how to be kind in a semester and get a certificate in the end. Instead, interpersonal skills require commitment and daily practice to develop.

That being said, here are some ways to develop your interpersonal skills:

Preserve your relationships: Don’t remove college friends or past colleagues from your life - you never know where life will take you, so burning bridges is never a good idea. Grab a coffee, call them, or, at the least, send them an email from time to time. It’s called networking.
Put yourself in other people’s shoes: Seeing things from other people’s perspectives will help develop your empathy and compassion, and give you new eyes to look at old problems.
Look for the positives in others: Practice finding something good - like a positive trait - in the people you work with. It might not be easy, we know, but it will definitely help you be kinder, more tolerable and more open.
Control your emotions: Letting your emotions get the best of you can seriously influence your ability to solve problems, listen to others, and resolve conflict.
Pay attention to body language: A big part of communication is understanding what was not said - verbally, that is. Body language, on the other hand, always has something to say, so the more attention you pay, the better you’ll get at reading nonverbal cues.
Own up to your mistakes : Look, humans are fallible beings - they make mistakes. You probably appreciate people who have the courage to admit they were wrong and the desire to do better. Then, make sure to practice what you preach next time you make a mistake. Do keep in mind, however, that owing to your mistakes without the desire to do better will just make you unbearable.
Don’t stop practicing when you get off work: To really develop your interpersonal skills, do it all the time. Pay attention to your mindset by not letting things you can’t control irritate you (e.g. morning traffic), or by practicing friendliness with strangers. By making this a part of your routine, interpersonal skills will become a part of you in no time - and you’ll notice their benefits outside of the office, too.

Key Takeaways

And that sums up all you need to know about interpersonal skills!

Now, let’s recap some of the most important points we’ve covered in this article:

Interpersonal skills dictate your ability to get along with and understand other people.
Interpersonal skills are not just a single skill - rather, they consist of numerous soft skills
You can use your resume, cover letter and job interview to show off your interpersonal skills.
There are ways to improve your interpersonal skills. Those include putting yourself in other people’s shoes, controlling your emotions and paying attention to body language (among others).

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10 Important Interpersonal Skills (With Examples)

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Find a Job You Really Want In

What are interpersonal skills in the workplace, and why are they important? Interpersonal skills relate to how you interact and communicate with people. They’re also known as soft skills, emotional intelligence, or people skills.

This article will cover interpersonal skills examples, the best interpersonal skills for a resume, and how to improve your interpersonal skills. Whether you’re a job seeker trying to highlight your soft skills or you’re trying to improve your relationships, interpersonal skills are essential in the modern workplace.

Key Takeaways:

Examples of interpersonal skills include communication, empathy, and active listening.

Use the experience section on your resume to show quantifiable achievements you owe to your interpersonal skills.

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to respond to interview questions about your interpersonal skills.

10 Important Interpersonal Skills (With Examples)

What are interpersonal skills?

Interpersonal skills examples, interpersonal skills on a resume, interpersonal skills on a cover letter, interpersonal skills during an interview, how to improve your interpersonal skills, interpersonal skills faq.

Interpersonal skills are skills that relate to your ability to interact and collaborate with other people. Examples of interpersonal skills range from simply having a good attitude to managing conflict well.

Interpersonal skills are also known as soft skills, in opposition to hard skills, which relate to your on-the-job technical expertise and are learned through instruction.

Soft skills, on the other hand, relate to the intangible qualities and personality traits that make you a great employee. Managers and recruiters value interpersonal skills highly because they’re harder to teach.

Interpersonal skills’ definition is simple enough, but to see interpersonal skills’ meaning more clearly, here are examples of the most important ones:

Communication . This is one of the most valuable interpersonal skills in the workplace. Communicating clearly and effectively with your coworkers and clients is vital to the organization’s (and your) success.

This goes beyond crafting engaging presentations and well-written memos. Good communication skills include knowing when to send an email and when to meet face-to-face, sharing your concerns while remaining respectful, and understanding when to speak up and when to save it for later.

The nuances of your communication style should adjust to fit the culture of your workplace, but having a general understanding of how to interact with others well will help projects run smoothly, keep you in good graces, and show that you can take on more responsibility in the future.

Public speaking

Noverbal communication

Constructive criticism

Writing emails

Leadership. Having good leadership skills means more than being bossy. It means taking the initiative, leading by example, looking out for your team and the organization, and being willing to have tough conversations.

Even if you aren’t technically in a leadership position, hiring managers want to know that if they put you in charge of a project or team, you’ll be able to lead it well. They also want to know that you aren’t just a yes-man or lazy worker, but that you will lead by example through hard work and ethical behavior.

People/project management

Instruction

Active listening . You’ve probably been told, “You have two ears for listening and one mouth for speaking,” at some point in your life. Well, this is a skill that remains important from Kindergarten through adulthood.

Being a good listener involves more than just not talking. Employers want to know that you’ll not only hear them, but that you’ll do what they ask you to do. They also want to know that you’ll listen to customers and colleagues as they bring up concerns and ideas.

Taking direction

Responding to constructive criticism

Giving feedback

Teamwork . Even if you’re the only person in your department, you’re still a part of a larger organization, and you need to be able to show that you’re willing to support it.

Being a team player doesn’t mean you have to roll over and neglect your personal needs, but you do need to give your team your best effort and be willing to make some personal sacrifices for the good of the group.

Collaboration

Team-building

Selflessness

Conflict management . No matter where you work, chances are you’ll encounter conflict, whether directly involving you or not. Knowing how to manage it well is a skill many companies look for when they’re hiring.

Your ability to be assertive, come up with creative solutions and compromises, and look out for the interests of all parties involved in the conflict is invaluable.

While this is one of the most difficult interpersonal skills to master, it’s also one of the most teachable, as several classes and resources are available to help you learn how to do this well.

Problem-solving

Conflict resolution

Empathy . Whether you’re working with customer complaints or just coordinating with your coworkers, being able to put yourself in another person’s shoes is vital.

Before you get defensive about your boss’s complicated new formatting requirements or a customer complaint, take a moment to look at the situation through their eyes.

Maybe the extra five minutes it takes to format your report differently will save your boss hours of work, or maybe the customer is on a tight budget and really needed your product to come through for them, and it didn’t.

This skill will help you be enjoyable to work with and make it easier for you to work with difficult people.

Sensitivity

Helpfulness

Desire to grow. Most good managers want to help you succeed at your job, and great managers want to help you grow into new roles and responsibilities. They can’t do that if you get defensive every time they try to help you improve, though.

Being coachable is vital to being a good employee and coworker, as well as opening doors for future roles and promotions. Show that you want to learn by seeking out relevant training opportunities, asking for feedback on your work, and thanking those who give you constructive criticism .

Self-motivated

Negotiation . Like conflict management, negotiation requires assertiveness and creative problem-solving. Whether you need to negotiate with clients or just help resolve conflicts within the office, having this skill can help you stand out as an employee or manager .

Negotiating well can also help you individually when it comes to your job, especially if you create a lot of sales or contracts.

Thankfully, this skill is relatively easy to find practical training for.

Positive attitude. No one likes a complainer, especially if you have to work with them consistently. You can easily be the bright spot in someone’s day by accepting assignments and facing obstacles with a smile on your face.

You can and should still be realistic, because over-the-top optimism can be just as annoying as constant complaining, but responding graciously, no matter how you feel, will set a pleasant tone for the whole office. It helps you feel better about the situation as well.

Friendliness

Dependability . It may sound obvious, but your employer should feel like they can trust you to do your job. This includes showing up on time and giving consistently good results. It means that when you say you’ll spot-check that report, you’ll do it, and you’ll do it thoroughly and promptly.

You want to be someone your boss and coworkers can rely on to make their jobs easier.

Consistency

Punctuality

When it comes time to showcase these skills during the job application process, start by incorporating them throughout your resume . You can list them under the “skills” section or find ways to weave them into your “experience” sections. Check the job description and include the listed skills, as this can often get you through the initial screening.

Interpersonal skills in your resume’s skills section . You might naturally think the skills section is the best place to include your interpersonal skills. While you’re correct to think this makes a good home for them, we don’t recommend simply listing “Interpersonal Skills.”

Interpersonal skills in your resume’s work experience section . Now is when the “show, don’t tell” mantra comes into play. Instead of simply listing your tasks with phrases like “Organized X event” or “Communicated Y data,” look for professional accomplishments you owe to your interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal skills in your resume’s summary statement . You can also lead your resume with a vibrant picture of yourself as possessing top-notch interpersonal skills. Something like “Compassionate caretaker with 5+ years experience helping patients understand, cope with, and manage the stress of illness” helps sell both your experience and your value as an interpersonal wizard.

No matter where you choose to incorporate your interpersonal skills into your resume, be sure to tailor your qualifications to the job. Read the job description carefully and note which interpersonal skills are mentioned multiple times or otherwise emphasized.

Then, look for ways to honestly and naturally use that same language in your resume.

When you write your cover letter , feature your top one or two skills that make you an ideal candidate for the position you’re applying for. Don’t just say you have them; show how you’ve used them in the past and how they’d help you with this position.

A cover letter is a great place to add personality to your resume’s technical qualifications. In short, it’s a great opportunity to show that you’re friendly, personable, and able to communicate clearly via the written word.

As always, try to bring in great results that you owe to your interpersonal skills. For example, if you’re applying for a customer service role, you might write about a time when your positive attitude and solutions-oriented mindset brought about a great resolution that helped create a happy return customer.

Before your interview, go through this list and think of one or two anecdotes for each skill that demonstrates your abilities. If you do have a weak spot, explain what you’re doing to grow in that area.

This is also a great answer to the ever-popular interview question , “What’s your greatest weakness?” Hiring managers know that no one is perfect, and you have a better chance of being hired if you show that you’re self-aware and actively working to grow.

Many questions that relate to your interpersonal skills are behavioral interview questions that ask you to describe an example of your past behavior. They often start with phrases like “tell me about a time” or “give me an example of a time when.”

The best method for answering these common interview questions is to use the STAR method . STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result, and it’s a great way to organize short stories that pack a punch. Let’s take a look at a couple of common interview questions designed to test your interpersonal skills to the test, as well as example answers using the STAR method:

At my last job at XYZ Inc., I had a coworker who would often turn in work late and fail to communicate their progress with teammates. We all did our best to work around the problem, but eventually, it became too much. I stepped up and had a frank conversation with our coworker about how our projects were being delayed because of him and asked if we could work out a better communication system. We agreed to morning meetings every other day to establish how far along he was and get him resources if he was stuck. Overall, the increased accountability led to fewer delays, and the delays that did happen were much more manageable, since we were more in-tune with his progress.

The seasonal rush is a big thing in retail and, sadly, many customers become irate with all the stress of the holidays. Last year, a few days before Christmas, a customer came in with a jacket she had purchased but turned out to be the wrong size. She wanted it fixed before Christmas day, but we were out of stock of her desired size, and our website was also showing out of stock. She became really upset, but I looked into creative solutions. I found that one of our outlets had the same jacket from the previous season in the size she wanted it. Not only did she get the product she wanted, but at half the cost!

You’ll use these interpersonal skills for the rest of your life, so it’s worth putting in the effort to develop them. Get in the habit of looking for ways to hone your strengths and improve your weaknesses, as this will help you be sure you’re always growing and make you an even more valuable asset to your employer. Here are some ways to do this:

Ask for honest feedback. Find a trusted coworker or manager and ask them which areas you are naturally gifted in and where you might need to improve.

Find a class or workshop. There is no shortage of articles, classes and lectures on the internet. Find some reputable ones and put together your own training regimen.

Look into local in-person classes and workshops that you can attend on your lunch break, or sign up for a conference that covers these topics.

Ask your employer what professional development opportunities they provide as well. Companies are often more than happy to help their employees grow, and they may even pay for your training.

Ask for help. If you have someone you look up to who has strong interpersonal skills, consider asking them to mentor you. This can be over the span of several years or just a day of watching them in action and asking questions.

If you have some specific areas you want to grow in, find one or two people you admire who demonstrate these skills and ask them for advice. Usually, people are more than willing to offer a helping hand.

Practice empathy. We could all stand to focus a little less on ourselves and a little more on those around us. To practice empathy, start putting yourself in the shoes of those you work and live alongside.

Boost your confidence. Feeling good about yourself helps you treat others well. Start keeping a brag book of all the compliments you’ve received at work, and note down any major accomplishments you’re proud of.

Ask more questions. Not just during on-the-clock, professional conversations (but certainly do ask questions that relate to your job performance), but also during less formal conversations. When you express interest in other people’s ideas, you become more likable.

What is the most important interpersonal skill?

Communication is one of the most important interpersonal skills. Although there are many important interpersonal skills for the workplace, communication is one of the most crucial. Since interpersonal interactions result in many acts of communication, from communication do a lot of other interpersonal skills follow.

Why are interpersonal skills important?

Interpersonal skills are important because the workplace requires effective interactions among employees, clients, and competitors. Most professionals, regardless of their occupation, will inevitably interact with others. Therefore, with good interpersonal skills, you can improve your chances to positive interactions and results.

Which jobs need interpersonal skills?

Highly social jobs such as teaching, nursing, customer service, and marketing need employees with great interpersonal skills. Although many other professions need some level of interpersonal skills, unsurprisingly, jobs that require constant interaction with others require a high level of interpersonal skills. If you plan to work in a profession where your must work with others, make sure you have great interpersonal skills.

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Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

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Interpersonal Skills

Strong Interpersonal Skills: Example Usage on Resume, Skill Set and Top Keywords in 2024

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

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In This Guide:

What are interpersonal skills, what traits, skills, and abilities help you demonstrate strong interpersonal skills on your resume, how to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills on your resume, common misconceptions and pitfalls to avoid when demonstrating interpersonal skills on a resume., interpersonal skills: key takeaways for your resume.

In the corporate world, interpersonal skills are a set of skills that define one's ability to successfully work with others. These include communication skills, ability to listen, positive attitude, dispute resolution, emotional intelligence, etc.

Interpersonal skills are key to effective interaction on the job. Co-workers with well-developed interpersonal skills are considered to be core team players. Generally speaking people with good interpersonal skills know how to behave in society, understand what the norms are, and know what is expected of them. They can also read very well social signals or interpret verbal interaction and adjust their behavior to smoothen communication and improve workflow.

Interpersonal skills are also known as employability skills or people skills. Simply put you might be the best IT engineer in the world but if you lack interpersonal skills chances are that you will not be employed at all.

Why are Interpersonal skills important on your resume?

Interpersonal skills are important on your resume because without them you will not get along with your co-workers making any process in the organization impossible.

Communication is key to everything. If you can not interact properly with others you become the weakest link in the organization and the overall level of the organization is decreasing. Colleagues would prefer to do more work themselves instead of trying to seek help from you. A bad attitude could affect the morale and the performance of the organization in a very negative way and it spreads quickly.

Interpersonal skills are considered a top priority by HR interviewers. This is because it can be difficult to evaluate one’s long-term performance within the organization. Judging by the interpersonal skills you demonstrate through your resume and during the interview, the hiring manager could project how you fit within the organization.

Communication skills: Clear and effective communication is crucial for the success of the organization. Communication could be verbal, including written communication and nonverbal (gestures, expression, tone, body language, etc.). In case you lack some of these skills you will be able to learn them If you have the right attitude
Emotional intelligence: Trying to put yourself in your co-worker’s shoes is key to understanding her or him. If you are aware of their feelings and overall values, beliefs, and current situation you will find the right approach.
Positive attitude: Negative attitude is a disease. It was not a coincidence that during WW2 defeatism was criminalized. A positive attitude on the other hand makes you a desired partner and an approachable person. People will do things for you. The positive attitude has an enormous power to overcome the hardest problems. Statistics show that in extreme conditions those who keep a positive attitude have a higher rate of survival.
Social intelligence: People with high social intelligence know that to achieve anything they need to communicate and form relationships with others in a proper manner. Social intelligence works hand in hand with emotional intelligence. It helps understand roles, social settings, and how you should behave. The non-fancy word for social intelligence could be “tact”.
Conflict Management: Conflict is inevitable. A good set of interpersonal skills always includes constructive criticism, counseling, mediating, problem-solving, mentorship, and other abilities that help resolve conflicts. Avoiding and managing conflicts is critical for the workflow. Some estimates show that American companies lose 359 billion per year because of conflicts at the workplace with nearly 35% of the workforce being involved in some sort of conflict.
Teamwork: Collaboration is another key element of a successful team.Sure some tasks could be completed by individuals but usually, group efforts are those that make a difference. Look at the pyramids.
Responsibility: Employers value serious and responsible people that they can depend on. With micromanagement getting harder and costlier process people you can depend on become even more valuable.
Patience: In some cases, patience can help avoid conflict. Patience is also a key ingredient while building a team or mentoring someone. Sometimes the same message delivered prematurely will be rejected but delivered at the right time will be accepted.
List examples from your job experience that demonstrate interpersonal skills
Think of major achievements and breakthroughs made possible by your interpersonal skills
If you speak foreign languages emphasize this because people who master a few languages usually have excellent interpersonal skills
If you were in a multicultural environment add this as well
Use keywords such as “supported”, “resolved”, “improved”, “mentored”, “solved”, “counseled”, “guided”, “encouraged”, “helped”
List specific courses or certificates related to interpersonal skills
Make sure to add if you were mentoring or trained someone
Do not forget to add if you practiced public speaking or debating
List all technical communication tools that you can work with
Give examples of problem anticipation and prevention
List any innovation and improvements that were implemented as a result of your efforts to solve a crisis

Writing “Strong interpersonal skills” on your resume is simply not sufficient. You will need to convince the hiring manager through examples and achievements.

Example 1: Show your interpersonal skills in your experience bullet points

• Evaluated the current HR practices and made recommendations to reduce contemporary HR issues by 20%
• Executed labor and employee relations activities that improved productivity and efficiency by 30%
• Improved product margins by 5% and cycle time efficiency by 1 week through by outsourcing activities.
• Achieved and maintained a healthy client portfolio by client retention rate of 75% by presenting and organizing events.
• Developed customized exercise patterns to achieve over 20% weight loss targets.
• Worked with National team to develop the new structure of sports club funding for future 5-year plan
• Deploying and upgrading Microsoft 2008 & 2012 servers across small to medium sized organisations.

Example taken from our Relationship Management on Resume guide

Example 2: Demonstrate interpersonal skills in your resume summary

Example taken from our Change management resume guide

Example 3: Use your achievements to make the point

Example taken from our CEO Resume Guide

Top related skills to strong interpersonal skills:

Project Management
Business Development
Communication
Time Management
Negotiation
Customer Service
Problem Solving
Change Management
Microsoft Office
Process Improvement
Emotional Intelligence
Social Intelligence
Conflict management
Gossiping: It could seem that gossiping will make you look like a popular person, but in the long term it will create tension, and you will lose credibility. It is hard to tell if you will be gossiping from your resume, but a skillful interviewer can tell during the interview.
Sharing information: Conveying information is not communication. It is a one-sided process. You should make sure you deliver what is needed and tailored to the one who receives it. Communication is a dialogue. Make sure to point out you understand this on your resume.
You said it once: To deliver a message, you need to make sure you use the right medium. Then repeat your message if you feel that the response is low. Sending an email to your plumbing team in the field is not a good idea. Give examples of various communication methods, tools, and systems that you use on your resume. Did you measure the results of your communication? How?
Patronizing: People with good communication skills know it, and sometimes they can feel superior to a co-worker just because they can express themselves better. Being communicative without empathy and the right attitude is not enough.
Interpersonal skills are a gateway to employment
Interpersonal skills are about two-way communication, understanding the other person, the social setting, and the norms
Interpersonal skills should be demonstrated indirectly on your resume through examples of communication skills, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, conflict solving skills, etc.

Resume Skills

How To Answer The “Why Do You Want To Be A Manager?” Interview Question

How to write an informational interview email that lands you the interview, are photos on your resume unprofessional [expert advice], 5 effective strategies to handle a workplace bully and reclaim your professional confidence, +20 useful chatgpt prompts to optimize your linkedin profile for the dream job, should you and how to include phone number on your resume.

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Cover Letters

Transferable Skills Cover Letter Examples

What Are Transferable Skills?

How to Show Transferable Skills
Cover Letter Example #1
Cover Letter Example #2

How to Send an Email Cover Letter

Are you changing jobs—or maybe even industries? Especially if you’re making a big career transition, it’s important to emphasize transferable skills in your cover letter , resume, and during your job interviews.

Transferable skills are those that can be used in different industries and jobs, and they can help make you a valuable candidate for employers. Transferable skills include the hard and soft skills that are applicable in both your current role and the job you’re seeking.

Hard skills are career-specific knowledge, such as programming languages, engineering, legal expertise, project management, or design.
Soft skills are people skills such as teamwork , creative thinking , critical thinking, communication , flexibility , and problem-solving .

Transferable soft skills are particularly important to mention when you lack much professional work experience; or are transitioning to a new career where you haven’t yet developed industry-specific job skills.

For example, you might have developed time management , communication, and conflict resolution skills in your student job as a food server. All of those skills will be useful to you when applying for a retail or customer service job, even in an entirely different industry.

How to Demonstrate Transferable Skills in Your Cover Letter

Match your qualifications to the job description. Analyze the listing and tease out keywords that describe the role, its duties, and the company’s requirements. Then match your skills, experience, and abilities to their needs, emphasizing how your qualifications translate to the role.

Include examples of projects, teams, or training you've been a part of allows the company to gain a better understanding of your background and helps them to see the potential positive impact you'll make on their business.

Customize your cover letter for every job. Remember, the following cover letter examples are merely guides.

It is important to tailor the letter to fit your situation and the job for which you're applying.

Transferable Skills Cover Letter Example #1

If you are a current college student or recent graduate, you will definitely want to emphasize the transferable “soft skills” (like leadership, attention to detail, or communication) that many employers seek in entry-level personnel.

This is a transferable skills cover letter example for a college student or recent grad. Download the cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Transferable Skills Cover Letter (Text Version)

Michelle Applicant 123 Main Street Anytown, CA 12345 555-555-5555 michelle.applicant@email.com

October 13, 2020

Rosa Lau Director, Human Resources Acme Software 123 Business Rd. Business City, NY 54321

Dear Ms. Lau,

In reviewing your corporate website, I was excited to learn about your management training program. Please consider the attached resume as a sign of my very deep interest in becoming an Intern in this exciting program.

During my undergraduate studies in Business Administration at ABC College, I have enjoyed the opportunity to explore subjects including retail merchandising, customer service strategies, and business communications – studies which have inspired me to pursue a career in retail management.

To this end, I have worked for our campus bookstore for the past six months as a sales clerk, acquiring a solid knowledge of how to provide excellence in customer service. My duties in this role have also included merchandising, stocking, and inventory control.

I believe that as an Intern in your management training program, my enthusiasm for customer service and retail sales will become clear. I also look forward to using my leadership skills (developed as Captain of the ACB College Crew Team and Rush Chairman for my sorority) to learn how to motivate and coordinate store teams, with an emphasis upon honesty, diversity, inclusion, and safety. Other skills that will transfer well to this role include:

Excellent verbal and nonverbal communications talents, with fluency in both English and Spanish.
A demonstrated attention to accuracy in all cash and credit handling transactions, with the ability to quickly master new POS systems.
A dedication to team building and accomplishment, based on creating a climate of mutual respect between all team members, no matter what their position or level of seniority.

Thank you for your time and consideration in reviewing the attached resume; I would be grateful for the opportunity to speak with you directly in a personal interview. Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide in support of my candidacy for this internship.

Signature (typed letter)

Michelle Applicant

Transferable Skills Cover Letter Example #2

This cover letter example focuses on changing industries and emphasizes transferable sales skills.

Jane Brown 27 Chestnut St., Apt 2 Business City, NY 20733 Phone: 555-234-5678 Email: Jane.Brown@email.com October 13, 2020

Linda Lee Human Resources Manager Widget, Inc. 200 Office Park Way, Ste. 300 Business City, NY 20733

Dear Ms. Lee,

It was with much interest that I learned about your recently posted advertisement for a Sales Representative.

In various roles in the retail sales sector, I have developed strong sales skills that have enabled me to build a record of sustained sales increases. I thrive on challenge and change, and I look forward to new opportunities to build positive customer relationships every day.

I believe that as a Sales Representative for Widget Inc., my energy, analytic skills, organizational abilities, and creativity in tackling problems will make a positive contribution. I am equally comfortable working independently to meet company goals, as well as collaboratively as part of a team. I have always been able to establish and maintain excellent relationships with clients and coworkers at all levels. My professional skills include:

Uncovering client needs and recommending appropriate products or services.
Selling solutions to customers and then backing up those sales with top-quality service.
Building relationships with co-workers, clients, and strategic partners.
Developing processes and strategies to increase referrals and revenue.
Accurately completing data research and analysis while demonstrating computer proficiency.

I would welcome the chance to provide you with additional information to supplement what appears in my enclosed resume and demonstrate how my sales skills will seamlessly transfer to the IT sales sector. I am available for a personal interview at your convenience. I know you are busy and have many applications to review, so please let me know if you wish to further discuss your requirements and my ability to meet them.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sending your cover letter via email offers several advantages: it’s faster, more efficient, and saves the cost of a stamp. Many employers ask for email cover letters or require them as part of their online job application system. To make sure your email cover letter impresses the hiring team:

Use the right subject line. List your name and the job title in the subject line of the email message, e.g., “Senior Graphic Designer – John Smith.”

Skip the employer’s contact info. In an email submission, it isn’t necessary to list the employer’s contact information (as you would in a “snail mail” letter). Instead, begin your letter with an appropriate salutation and include your personal contact information in your email signature.

Proofread and test your email before hitting send. Have a trusted friend check your email for typos and errors after you’ve completed your draft. Then send yourself a copy before emailing your cover letter to the hiring manager, so that you’re sure your formatting holds up.

CareerOneStop. " Identifying Transferable Skills ." Accessed Oct. 13, 2020.

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Career Services Blog

The cover letter: bringing your skills to life.

Cover letters are a crucial part of the application process and can determine whether you get an interview. Unlike resumes, which are given a quick skim, cover letters are usually read a little more closely by recruiters. It is important to take the time you deserve to craft a strong cover letter to sell yourself and bring your skills to life.

Keep in mind that in the legal world, a cover letter is the first and most important writing sample that an employer sees. It must be well-written, persuasive, show good judgment, and have no typos. Just like with resumes, having spelling and grammatical errors in your cover letter will likely get your application removed from consideration, no matter how qualified you are.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Use the Same Design as Your Resume: Just as choosing a format/design for your resume is important, the same is true for your cover letter – keep it elegant, simple, and traditional. Make sure your resume and cover letter match aesthetically. It can appear sloppy and careless to submit mismatched materials that look like two different people submitted them. Coordinate these documents by using the same header, design elements, and font on your cover letter as your resume.

Use Standard Business Letter Format: The format of a cover letter is standard business letter, single-spaced, with the following key components:

Use the same header as your resume , with your name and contact information at the top.
Include the date at the top.
Following is the employer’s address block , with the name of the company, the name of the person hiring (or Human Resources), and full mailing address. Go out of your way to look up the company’s address, even if you are emailing the letter. If emailing, you can write “via email” with the email address underneath the physical address.
Next is the opening salutation . Try your best to find the name of the person who will be looking at your application materials; if you can’t find this information, though, you may write, “Dear Hiring Committee” – a modern version of “To Whom it May Concern” (also acceptable). If you are not sure whether the person you are greeting uses Ms. or Mr., then it is acceptable to use both first and last name, “Dear John Smith.” Be very careful to spell the person’s name correctly.
After the body of your letter, use a closing salutation such as “Sincerely” or “Best,” followed by your signature and name.

Use the Persuasive Essay Concept: While formatting is crucial for the first impression, organization and content is even more important. Do you remember first learning to write persuasive essays in grade school? Well, a cover letter is, at its core, a persuasive essay to convince an employer to give you an interview. Just like any other persuasive essay, your cover letter will consist of an introduction paragraph that includes an overview of your key supporting arguments, body paragraphs that offer evidence and support for your main points, and a conclusion to recap your stance and wrap up. IRAC, if you will. Following this structure will help guide and organize your thoughts to prevent rambling – a common problem with cover letters.

Introduction – Create a Roadmap: The introductory paragraph serves to answer the following questions:

Who are you? Rather than restating the obvious with, “My name is Jane Doe,” use this paragraph to provide useful context: “I am a second year law student at Lewis & Clark studying environmental law…” or “As a recent graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, …”
Why are you writing this letter? Tell the employer what position you are applying for: “I am interested in your opportunity for a summer associate” or “it would be an honor to work with Smith Law as an Associate Attorney in your litigation section.”
Why do you want to work for this employer? Even if you want this job for the experience and connections, and even if it will look good on your resume, recruiters do not want to hear that. People want to be wanted , and this is true even for employers. Make a genuine connection with this position by presenting what is exciting to you about this specific company and position, not in terms of what you think you will get out of it. Consider how your passions match this opportunity, and what it is about this company or position that genuinely appeals to you: “Your firm’s job posting stood out as a perfect fit because I enjoy working in small collaborative work environments and I am eager to gain more hands-on experience.”
What makes you a strong candidate for consideration? This is where you make a few persuasive points to advocate for yourself. What skills do you have to offer? What relevant experiences do you have? These points will be what you delve into more deeply and give supporting evidence for in the following paragraphs. “I am a strong candidate for this position because of Skill or Attribute A, Skill or Attribute B, and Skill or Attribute C.” This is your essay’s Roadmap , the promise of what you intend to talk about in the next paragraphs: Skills or Attributes A, B, and C (in that order!).

Organize your paragraphs by discussing Skill or Attribute A and B in the first middle paragraph, and then Skill or Attribute C in the next paragraph. Or A in the first and B and C in the next. Lead with your strongest and most descriptive experience.

Use the investigatory Ws – Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How – to describe your work. Pick experiences that are in line with the work you might be doing for this prospective employer or that highlight universally transferrable skills such as research, writing, client service, time and project management, leadership, presentation or oral advocacy, communication skills, teamwork, or a demonstrated interest in the subject.

For example, rather than simply declaring that you “have good communication skills” and are “able to communicate with people from a variety of backgrounds,” draw a picture with your words of your communication skills in action:

Before law school, I worked as a high school English teacher in a Title 1 district for four years. I am no stranger to difficult conversations, difficult people, or difficult situations. That experience has blessed me with the maturity to confront critical issues with grace and care. It also taught me how to communicate effectively to a range of audiences, to manage administrative as well as substantive workloads, and treat people with professionalism and respect. One of the greatest compliments I ever received as a teacher is that I have a way of making people feel seen. Now, as a law student, I hope to bring those skills to bear in making meaningful change.

Instead of an unsupported statement that you “have outstanding written and verbal communication skills,” describe a project where you really used those skills while volunteering or performing an internship during law school. Here is an example of how to show communication, research, writing skills, as well as a subject-matter interest:

I value communication skills, as demonstrated by my deep interest in supporting the performing arts through pro bono and volunteer work over the past four years. Through my work with the Oregon Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, under the supervision of an attorney, I took on a project to produce guidelines for local nonprofits to gain tax-exempt status. This required me to conduct extensive research into local tax codes and write a usable document for the organizations that explained the law to a non-lawyer audience with starter forms the organizations could use to complete and file in order to obtain the desired status. I met with each organization to learn about their needs and to explain whether and how a tax-exempt status might help them. My background in economics came into play and I enjoyed using my education in conjunction with my current legal training to help my clients in a tangible way.

This method works even for those without much work experience. Do not sell yourself short. Use experiences gained through your academic work, club involvement, volunteer work, or subject-matter interest. For example, to highlight your academic writing experience without the benefit of practical experience, rather than asserting you “are a good writer,” go deeper:

My academic performance and background give me the technical skills necessary to be a thoughtful, resourceful, and effective clerk. In Lawyering (legal writing), during my 1L year, I earned a High Pass and then an Honors Pass – the highest grades offered for that course. After completing the required courses during the first year in law school, I purposefully chose courses requiring an intensive writing component that will bolster my writing skills and allow me to apply the law to a broad range of topics. My academic accomplishments during my first year also opened the door to Lewis & Clark Law Review where I contributed as a Member this past year. This experience further refined my ability to properly cite, edit, and appreciate legal writing. I expect that my skills in the technical aspect of legal writing will only grow as I take on the responsibility of Lead Article Editor next school year.

Pull out tangible achievements such as high sales numbers, positive customer reviews, and other wins. Use the job description from the posting to make sure you address skills that are important to the employer. Click here for more examples of how to bring your skills to life in a cover letter.

A helpful strategy to make this customization of each cover letter easier and less time consuming in the long run is to keep a Cover Letter Paragraph Bank. Prepare paragraphs about your key skills/attributes/experiences ahead of time and then draw from this saved document to create tailored cover letters without starting from scratch every time. You will thank yourself later.

Final Paragraph – Recap and Close: The final step is to write a short conclusion paragraph, consisting of a brief restatement of what you have told them. Take care not to repeat yourself verbatim. Finding different ways to phrase your skills and attributes will be more impactful than repeating yourself. You can even mention strengths, interests, and skills that are adjacent to those you discussed in your letter, so long as there is a clear connection and you are not bringing things up seemingly out of nowhere. An example of this would be to highlight the genuine enjoyment you feel from working with people, which relates to and enriches the information you’ve already provided about your strong people skills, but isn’t something you’ve already said – and is self-explanatory enough that there is no need to substantiate it.

Additionally, the final paragraph will be where you make your ask. Tell the employer that you would like to work or intern with them in plain language. Again, people want to be wanted, so make sure they know that you want to work there and are hoping for an interview. Make a point to thank them for their consideration.

For more guidance, see the examples on Lewis & Clark Law School’s Career Services website . To keep your cover letter authentic and to honor your own skills, experiences, and voice, use the examples as guides without using the language directly – otherwise, your letter may end up looking too similar to others who are using the same examples.

Law Career Services is located in Gantenbein on the Law Campus. MSC: 51

email [email protected]

voice 503-768-6608

Law Career Services Lewis & Clark Law School 10101 S. Terwilliger Boulevard MSC 51 Portland OR 97219