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Sudoku for Beginners: How to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

Are you a beginner when it comes to solving Sudoku puzzles? Do you find yourself frustrated and unsure of where to start? Fear not, as we have compiled a comprehensive guide on how to improve your problem-solving skills through Sudoku.

Understanding the Basics of Sudoku

Before we dive into the strategies and techniques, let’s first understand the basics of Sudoku. A Sudoku puzzle is a 9×9 grid that is divided into nine smaller 3×3 grids. The objective is to fill in each row, column, and smaller grid with numbers 1-9 without repeating any numbers.

Starting Strategies for Beginners

As a beginner, it can be overwhelming to look at an empty Sudoku grid. But don’t worry. There are simple starting strategies that can help you get started. First, look for any rows or columns that only have one missing number. Fill in that number and move on to the next row or column with only one missing number. Another strategy is looking for any smaller grids with only one missing number and filling in that number.

Advanced Strategies for Beginner/Intermediate Level

Once you’ve mastered the starting strategies, it’s time to move on to more advanced techniques. One technique is called “pencil marking.” This involves writing down all possible numbers in each empty square before making any moves. Then use logic and elimination techniques to cross off impossible numbers until you are left with the correct answer.

Another advanced technique is “hidden pairs.” Look for two squares within a row or column that only have two possible numbers left. If those two possible numbers exist in both squares, then those two squares must contain those specific numbers.

Benefits of Solving Sudoku Puzzles

Not only is solving Sudoku puzzles fun and challenging, but it also has many benefits for your brain health. It helps improve your problem-solving skills, enhances memory and concentration, and reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

In conclusion, Sudoku is a great way to improve your problem-solving skills while also providing entertainment. With these starting and advanced strategies, you’ll be able to solve even the toughest Sudoku puzzles. So grab a pencil and paper and start sharpening those brain muscles.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

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• Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills
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When you are looking for new recruits or promoting from within there will be a set of skills your roles require. Some skills people will have as part of their nature, while others need to be taught.

The hard skills can be defined as part of the role specification. And soft skills are defined as the person specification.

After reading this guide you will be able to clearly define the hard and soft skills needed for your open positions. And it will also benefit those looking to revamp their CV and highlight their best skills.

What are Hard Skills?

What are soft skills, how to develop hard and soft skills, what’s the difference between hard skills and soft skills, list of hard and soft skills.

Hard skills are specific competencies, skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to perform a specific task or role. They can be learned through education and professional development. Usually, they are technical (but not always) and easily measurable.

Hard skills can be demonstrated through educational certificates or practical demonstrations.

For example, software development requires knowledge of some programming language and can be used for a variety of tasks, but the main goal is to write a computer program. The proficiency level can be easily measured.

Another example, design (of course it can be different – interior design, web design, etc.) but in general it is a specific skill set needed to perform exact tasks.

Microsoft suite knowledge, another example of hard skills, you can learn how to use Microsoft Word and Excel, and most often it will be needed for specific tasks.

So, each role will have different skill set requirements but they will be needed to perform a specific task.

Soft skills are personality traits, social competencies and skills, knowledge, and abilities used to perform interpersonal activities and unique tasks. Sometimes they are also called human skills.

Usually, they are more closely linked to people’s personality traits they are born with and social skills. But they also can be trained and developed through practice and professional development.

Unfortunately, it is not that easy to gauge if someone has the right soft skills as there is less information to draw upon. This is especially true when hiring new employees as their soft skills will need to be assessed by getting to know them.

There are specific techniques and tests that can be used to measure soft skills, but note the results will be quite vague and not accurate. Only real-life situations will display how good people are in this area.

Certain soft skills you would ideally like all of your employees to have are punctuality and collaboration. Other skills might only be necessary for specific roles like leadership, communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving.

Soft skills don’t come with certification but they are easily identified while working with someone. People with leadership skills will naturally take ownership and step up to lead. Those who are excellent timekeepers will always be on time or be forthcoming about potential lateness.

You can check our article about employee development methods , we have mentioned what methods work best for different skills sets and particular skills.

It will help you find ways to train your employees and improve your own skills.

Regarding leadership skills check our leadership development plan guide because it is a unique skill set and it requires specific training.

One way to map, manage, and track the required skills and skill gaps of your employees is to use a skills matrix .

The main difference is that soft skills are heavily linked to an individual’s personality and are not something that can always be taught.

Of course, there are courses you can send people on to develop leadership skills, communication skills, and other soft skills. However, there is always going to be a natural element at play here. Some people are simply more likely to have good leadership skills than others.

Hard skills on the other hand are much more grounded in what people learn, they are focused on a specific task and can be taught more easily. You can send people on development courses to learn new hard skills or develop the skills they already have.

Throughout a career development, people might, or even will have to, change their skills set and develop more soft skills, especially if they are taking leadership positions. They will have practical knowledge needed for the role as well as having the interpersonal skills to make them shine.

Important : Your best employees may not necessarily be those who can exhibit great skills in both areas. Of course, that will be a plus, but not all roles require both skill sets.

There are many hard and soft skills, so that we will list only a few.

Now that you know the difference between soft and hard skills, it’s time to analyze which ones need to be added to your organization. And what to do next?

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist

Ivan is a dedicated and versatile professional with over 12 years of experience in online marketing and a proven track record of turning challenges into opportunities. Ivan works diligently to improve internal processes and explore new possibilities for the company.

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Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: Definitions and 50+ Examples

Corey Bleich

🍿🍿 8 min. read

While hard skills are important, savvy companies know that excellent employees have another skill set that may be harder to cultivate: soft skills. Turns out, hard skills vs soft skills isn't an either/or proposition. It's a both/and package worth cultivating in potential and long-term employees alike.

What’s the difference between the two? Before you can write a job description or a resume, mentor team members, or design a learning program, it’s crucial to thoroughly understand the difference between hard skills and soft skills. This guide will get you started, and will contain long lists of examples to structure your job searching, training, and more.

🔍 What you’ll find in this post

• Soft skills vs. hard skills

What are soft skills?

• Soft skills examples

What are hard skills?

• Hard skills examples
• Training for hard and soft skills

What is the difference between hard skills vs. soft skills?

Hard skills are easy to measure and define, while soft skills are a bit more nebulous. Hard skills are those talents and abilities that can be measured. They are usually specific to a particular job, and they can be learned through schooling or on-the-job training. Soft skills are less defined skills that often apply not only to one specific job but are universal. Some recruiters or HR personnel might define these vaguely as “people skills.” Think of empathy, creativity, adaptability, and collaboration.

Hard skills are often those you list on a resumé or the areas in which you hold certifications. Soft skills are those that help you build longer-lasting coworker and customer relationships. The importance of hard skills vs. soft skills should not be underestimated.

Soft skills vs hard skills stats

Hard skills and soft skills are both important in the workplace, but they represent different types of abilities that someone can bring the table. Some statistics and insights on the importance of both hard and soft skills in the workplace include:

• Soft skills are highly valued by employers, with 93% of employers stating that soft skills are either an essential or very important factor in hiring decisions
• Employers are increasingly seeking employees with soft skills such as dependability, teamwork/collaboration, problem-solving, and flexibility
• According to LinkedIn's Most In-Demand Hard and Soft Skills , the top five hard skills in demand in 2023 were software development, SQL, finance, Python, and Java
• The top five soft skills in demand were management, communication, customer service, leadership, and sales.

While hard skills are important for performing specific responsibilities, soft skills are highly valued by employers and can have a significant impact on a person's ability to work effectively in a team, communicate with others, and adapt to new situations. As we’ll discuss later, it’s essential to develop and maintain a balance between the two types of skills to excel.

Soft skills are skills and abilities that are much harder to measure and a bit fuzzier to define. In general, these are interpersonal skills that help people get along with each other and communicate and collaborate effectively. They relate to how someone interacts with others, manages their time, and handles their emotions and actions.

Challenging to train explicitly, soft skills include things like character, ability to work on a team, and overall understanding of and participation in your company culture. Employees just entering the workforce or transitioning to a new career may struggle with soft skills, especially as they relate to fellow employees.

Reviewing different examples of soft skills can help you better understand this concept, too.

Watch on YouTube: "What are Soft Skills?"

What are the most common soft skills examples?

Soft skills are often interpersonal skills that can be difficult to train for. They can include the following examples:

Why are soft skills important to train for?

Of these skills, emotional intelligence is arguably the hardest to teach. This includes a person’s ability to empathize with others, regulate their own behavior, and develop self-awareness. Emotional intelligence also indicates a level of intrinsic motivation that contributes to a strong work ethic.

However, developing soft skills matters. A Carnegie Mellon Foundation study found that 75% of long-term job success depends on the level of soft skills employees had. Another LinkedIn study found that 57% of employers value soft skills more than hard skills when making new hire decisions.

Put simply, you can be a certified expert in your field, but that won’t matter much if you just can’t work with your fellow employees, customers, leadership, and others.

👉Learn more: Find our full guide on how to train employees on soft skills

Hard skills are much easier to quantify and measure. These are things that employees are specifically trained for, like a plumber who learns to fix a leaky faucet or a nurse learning to draw blood.

Through specific instruction, on-the-job training , and trial-and-error, hard skills form the backbone of the job.

Watch on YouTube: "What are Hard Skills?"

What are the most common hard skills examples?

For new employees with little practical experience or track record, hard skills can be measured in terms of test scores and recent degrees or certifications. Hard skills examples include:

But truly, this list of hard skills examples is as long as the number of different professions in the world!

Why are hard skills important to train for?

The importance of hard skills is that they establish the backbone of the services your business provides or the products it creates. You would not hire a heart surgeon without the hard skills to perform heart surgery, or someone to design a bridge who only had experience in retail. Hard skills training ensures that your employees are equipped to do good work in their field.

What’s the best approach to this type of training? The answer to that depends on your employees and what skills they need. Starting with a training needs analysis can help target specific hard skills, which can then help you decide which approach will work best.

You might consider eLearning options to train for some of these skills, especially mobile microlearning resources that are easy to reference back to. Some industries have also had great success with AR/VR learning , and others prefer to offer blended learning that includes both instructor-led and digital modules.

The goal is to offer hard skills training that is relevant, engaging, and supportive of the types of hard skills your employees need to do their job.

How to train for both hard skills and soft skills

Truly, the best way to train employees is not to pit soft skills vs. hard skills but to develop both in tandem. The good news is that many of the same tools used to train for hard skills can easily be modified to work on soft skills development.

This might be as simple as modifying training modules to be completed in teams, highlighting teambuilding and collaboration. You might also include time for reflection and refinement in each training session. This gives employees practice in analyzing what they did well and identifying their growing edges.

In addition to modifying your learning experiences to incorporate soft skills development, there are other ways to train employees for both hard and soft skills. One effective method is to use simulation-based training, which allows employees to practice both hard and soft skills in a safe and controlled environment. For example, if you're training employees in customer service, a simulation-based training program can provide realistic scenarios that allow them to practice both technical skills like using the company's CRM software and soft skills like empathy and active listening.

Another approach is to use coaching and mentoring to develop both hard and soft skills. Mentoring can provide employees with guidance and support to develop their soft skills, while coaching can help them improve their hard skills by providing feedback and guidance on specific tasks or projects.

Ultimately, the key to successfully training employees for both hard and soft skills is to take an integrated approach. By incorporating both hard and soft skills into your training program, you can develop well-rounded employees who can effectively navigate any challenges they may encounter in their jobs.

As you plan your training sessions for your new hires or long-term employees, don’t think hard skills vs. soft skills. EdgePoint Learning can help you find a training approach to both that works for what your employees need right now. Get in touch today to learn more .

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When it comes to career success, having a combination of soft and hard skills is essential. Hard skills refer to technical and specialized knowledge and abilities specific to a particular job or industry, such as programming, accounting, or data analysis. Soft skills , conversely, are non-technical skills essential for effective communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and leadership. The modern workforce requires diverse skills for individuals to thrive and achieve career success, including both discussed types. Although either is essential, they differ in nature, application, and how they are acquired. This article delves into the distinctions between soft and hard skills, their importance in the workplace, and how Learning Management Systems can help you develop and refine these abilities.

Defining soft and hard skills

Soft skills, also known as interpersonal or people skills, are non-technical abilities that enable individuals to interact effectively with others, solve problems, and adapt to different situations. These skills are often linked to emotional intelligence and personal traits, making them harder to quantify. On the other hand, hard skills are technical and job-specific abilities that can be easily measured and demonstrated. These skills are often acquired through formal education, training, and certification programs.

Importance of Soft Skills and Hard Skills

Both soft skills and hard skills play a crucial role in career success, as they complement each other and contribute to a well-rounded, versatile professional life. Soft skills help individuals communicate effectively, work collaboratively, and adapt to changing circumstances, making them valuable team players and leaders. While hard skills provide the technical foundation for individuals to perform their job functions competently, making them indispensable contributors to their organizations. Let’s look into both categories’ skills examples.  

The list of Soft Skills:

Communication : Effective communication is essential for building relationships, resolving conflicts, and conveying ideas. Communication skills evolve around active listening and verbal and non-verbal communication. Examples of soft communication skills include active listening, empathy, clarity, and diplomacy.

Leadership : Leadership skills are essential for inspiring and motivating others to achieve common goals. Being a good leader involves coaching, delegating, and motivating others.

Examples of soft leadership skills include decision-making, vision, and mentoring.

Problem-solving: Analyzing complex problems, identifying solutions, and implementing them is crucial for success in any job. Problem-solving skills involve critical thinking, analytical abilities, and decision-making. Examples of soft skills in problem-solving include creativity, critical thinking, adaptability, and resilience.

Time management: Managing time effectively and efficiently is essential for meeting deadlines, setting priorities, and achieving goals. To manage time successfully, you should focus on soft skills in time management, like prioritization, organization, planning, and multitasking.

Collaboration: Working effectively with others and fostering a team-oriented approach is essential for success. Examples of soft skills in collaboration include teamwork, conflict resolution, communication, and empathy.

The list of Hard Skills:

Technical knowledge: This includes specialized knowledge and abilities specific to a particular job or industry, such as programming languages, software tools, or engineering principles.

Analytical skills are the ability to collect, process, and interpret data to make informed decisions. Examples of hard skills in analytical skills include statistics, data analysis, and mathematical modeling, but also quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques, such as statistical modeling or spreadsheet management.

Project management: This includes the ability to plan, organize, and execute projects from start to finish, including budgeting, resource allocation, and risk management. Managing projects also requires using methodologies like Agile or Scrum, which can also be considered a skill. 

Sales: Sales skills include persuading and influencing others, building relationships, and closing deals. Examples of hard skills in sales include prospecting, lead generation, and negotiation.

Writing: Writing skills are essential for creating effective and persuasive communication, including reports, proposals, and marketing materials. Examples of hard skills in writing include grammar, style, and technical writing.

Marketing : Often perceived as a blend of both soft and hard skills, possesses several hard skill components that are technical, quantifiable, and job-specific. Some of the hard skills aspects of marketing include SEO, content creation , social media management, and marketing technology usage. 

Foreign language knowledge: Involves the acquisition of specific, measurable, and technical abilities related to understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in a language other than one’s native. This skill set is job-specific and can be taught through structured education and training programs.

The role of LMS in developing Soft Skills and Hard Skills

Learning Management Systems can be pivotal in helping individuals develop soft and hard skills through various features and capabilities. We have gathered several ways LMS can facilitate skill development , and here they are:

• Personalized Learning Paths : LMS can create tailored learning experiences based on individual needs, preferences, and career goals. It allows users to focus on developing specific soft or hard skills relevant to their personal and professional growth.
• Varied Learning Formats: LMS supports various learning formats, such as e-learning modules, webinars, video lessons, interactive simulations, and quizzes. This diverse content delivery method caters to different learning styles and preferences, offering a comprehensive approach to skill development.
• Collaboration and Interaction: LMS platforms often include features that promote collaboration and interaction, such as forums, group projects, and virtual classrooms. These tools help users build and refine their soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, by enabling them to engage with their peers and instructors in a structured learning environment.
• Access to Expertise: LMS platforms often provide access to expert instructors and curated content from industry professionals, allowing users to learn from experienced practitioners and develop industry-specific hard skills.
• Tracking and Assessment: LMS allows users to track their progress, set learning goals, and assess their skill development through quizzes, tests, and performance analytics. This feedback helps ensure continuous improvement and enables users to identify areas that require further development.
• Integration with External Resources: LMS platforms can often integrate with external tools and resources, such as video conferencing platforms, project management tools, or coding environments, enabling users to apply and practice their hard skills in real-world scenarios.
• Ongoing Skill Development: LMS platforms facilitate continuous learning by providing access to a vast library of learning resources, allowing users to keep their skills up to date and adapt to the ever-evolving professional landscape.

Boost your soft and hard skills effectively

Soft and hard skills are essential for career success, as they contribute to a well-rounded and adaptable professional. Individuals can maximize their potential and excel in their chosen careers by understanding the differences between these two skill types and leveraging Learning Management Systems to develop and refine them. While soft and hard skills are different, they are essential for career success. Soft skills help individuals work effectively with others, while hard skills provide the technical expertise necessary for a specific job or industry. LMS can help individuals develop both skills by providing online training and resources covering a wide range of topics, from communication and leadership to technical skills and project management. By investing in both skills categories development, individuals can build a well-rounded skill set to help them achieve their career goals and succeed in the workplace.

Do you want to learn more?

Related articles.

20+ Examples of Good Problem Solving Skills for Your CV

As seen in:

Problem-solving skills are a group of soft and hard skills that allow individuals to effectively identify, work on, and create effective solutions to problems. Efficient problem solvers possess hard research and analytical skills combined with soft thought-process and interpersonal skills.

That’s the problem-solving skills definition. The importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace won’t diminish, but putting them on your CV effectively can be a problem in itself. We’re here to solve it.

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Problem solving skills examples on a CV

Isaac Harrison

07953 904805

[email protected]

linkedin.com/in/isaac_harrison

Personal Statement

Conscientious Project Manager with 13+ years of experience delivering on-time and on-budget in the IT industry. Proven track record of solving roadblocks and scope creep to improve profitability of projects by 10%. Documented ability to oversee multiple projects at a time, with an average budget of £3m. Track record of managing a monthly spending budget of £1.2m. 

Work Experience

IT Project Manager

SoftNet, London

January 2015–Present

• Directed teams up to 40 employees: programmers, developers, analysts and testers.
• Proven track record of solving roadblocks and scope creep to improve profitability of projects by 10%.
• Managed 18+ projects at a time, with an average budget of £3m.
• Generated reports on project performance and implemented corrective actions, which improved the efficiency of all projects by an average of 5%.
• Implemented work organisation solutions to allow finalising 70% of projects up to two weeks ahead of schedule.
• Completed projects generating a total of £89m in revenue.

Project Manager

SoLite, London

February 2008–November 2014

• Led the migration of a desktop application with a range of 40k+ users, improving application speed by 20%.
• Increased profits up to 20% by identifying loyal customers and offering them personalized plans.
• Managed teams of 30+ employees during projects with a total value of £70m+.

2.1 B.Sc. Management, 2005–2008

University of London

• Business Strategy Knowledge
• Critical Thinking
• Project Budgeting
• Complex Strategic Planning 
• Adaptability

Certifications

• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) — PMI, August 2015
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) — PMI, May 2012
• Professional in Project Management (PPM) — PMI, June 2011
• French (fluent)

Examples of problem solving skills

Luckily for you, most problem-solving skills are transferable skills which you could have acquired already, and will be able to apply to many occupations. It may be the case that many successful decisions are made on gut instinct, but that’s not going to work on your CV.

You need proven and quantifiable problem-solving abilities to convince hiring managers that you’re the solution to their problems.

So let’s see the problem-solving skills examples that you could put on your CV:

1. Research

Without solid research and preparation, you could be focusing on the wrong issue. A consistent research method will ensure that you’re working on the right problem with the maximum knowledge and resources.

2. Data analysis

Data analysis doesn’t pertain just to IT skills . Analysing qualitative data, and knowing how to spot trends and patterns, is invaluable to the problem-solving process. Identify the cause, and you’ll be able to identify the solution.

3. Critical thinking

The most important example of problem-solving skills is critical thinking. Following a consistent, logical method from identifying the problem, through considering possible solutions, to finding a way to implement them, ties up all the other skills into one. 

4. Teamwork

Most of the time, problems are solved faster by more than one individual. Whether you’re commandeering the whole team to a solution, or just consulting your thought process with a co-worker, teamwork is important in being an efficient problem solver. 

5. Interpersonal skills

Working together on solving the problem, or implementing your solution, can be difficult if you lack the interpersonal skills to get along with your colleagues. The ability to tailor your approach to different personalities and get them all on the same track speeds everything up.

6. Communication 

Communication skills ensure that once the decision is made, you present your solution in a clear, understandable, and consistent manner. The right tone and presentation can inspire your colleagues to implement the solution—or convince your superiors that it’s the right one. 

7. Creativity

Going off-script can be massively beneficial, like it was for Martin Luther King Jr. with his improvised ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. The ability to think outside the box, or take a calculated risk when it’s needed is rare, and therefore worth its weight in gold.

8. Organisational skills

Organising your problem-solving process, as well as the process of implementation once the solution is agreed, is crucial. There is no use in having the best solution if the implementation process gets muddled and messy. 

9. Reporting

When you make important business decisions, you’ll need to report them and justify them to colleagues and superiors. Presenting the problem, data, thought process and solution clearly is essential if you want to be taken seriously and engage others.

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder .

How to demonstrate problem solving skills on your CV

Now that you have some idea of examples of problem-solving skills, it’s time to discuss how to write that CV! The CV structure might differ some between industries, but the main components are generally the same.

1. Start with your CV personal statement

The CV personal statement adorns the top of every CV and solves the problem of a recruiter quickly and absent-mindedly looking at your application. It’s also known as the CV summary and allows the recruiter to instantly see what you’re about in a few quick lines.

Problem solving skills in the CV summary

2. write an experience section full of problem solving skills.

The most important component is definitely the work experience section . Here’s where the bulk of your problem-solving skills should be, since this is where you can write the most. With these CV tips , you’ll get it right every time.

• Scan the job posting for the skills they need, and put most work in on those.
• List all the different skills, and try to write a bullet point for each. You won’t get all of them, some will end up in the bin, but that’s fine.
• Start as many bullet points as possible with action verbs .
• Quantify with numbers, justify with high-impact accomplishment statements .
• Five plus bullet points for the most recent position, three or less for the older ones.

Job description with problem solving skills

• Implemented work organisation solutions to allow us to finalize 70% of projects up to two weeks ahead of schedule.

3. Solve your education section

Write down your degree or highest level of education. If you have more than a couple of years of experience, that’s it.

When writing a student CV , you have to get more value out of your CV education section , and talk about some extracurricular activities or relevant modules that show examples of problem-solving skills.

Problem solving skills in the education section

2.1 B.Sc. Management , 2005–2008

Relevant Modules:   Logic, The Scientific Method  

Extracurricular activities:

Treasurer of the Business Society:   Reviewed the budget and made decisions that led to 25% increased membership, and 17% reduction in costs.

4. Add a skills section

To get some value out of your CV skills section , try the following:

• Either add a short list of additional skills that you haven’t discussed yet, or use this space to reiterate some important points.
• Balance soft skills and hard skills. 
• Two skills with a couple lines of justification could be more memorable than a laundry list of five skills with no explanation.

Problem solving skills in the skills section

• Decision-making:   By applying observation, analysis and problem solving skills, I was able to reduce costs on all projects by an average of 7%.
• Active Listening:  By listening to the team’s feedback and requests, I undertook solving their roadblocks and problems and in effect reduced the staff turnover to zero in my teams, as well as increasing efficiency.

5. Include additional sections

Writing a perfect CV requires an informed approach to additional sections, only listing relevant facts that demonstrate your problem-solving skills. It’s done this way:

• Languages, Certificates and Awards should have their own separate sections.
• Provide details about issuers of certificates or awards.
• Ensure that the CV hobbies and interests section adds to your general problem-solver profile, instead of being generic or uninteresting.

Problem solving skills in the extra sections

What else to remember when including problem solving skills on your cv.

If you want to learn a logical and scientific approach to problem solving, MindTools has a completely free series of 45 articles on approaches, processes and tools for problem solving . It’s the best resource we could find, with 10-15 minute reads per module, allowing you to take it step by step.

Make sure to write a cover letter . That gives you approximately 350 words to elaborate just what problems you have faced, took on, and solved in your previous positions. It’s valuable space that your CV cannot provide.

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

If you’re still struggling to demonstrate problem-solving skills, or you just need some advice on how to include problem-solving skills examples in your CV, then let us know in the comments section. We’re here to help.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines . It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.

About the author

Since 2005, the LiveCareer Team has been helping job seekers advance their careers. In our in-depth guides, we share insider tips and the most effective CV and cover letter writing techniques so that you can beat recruiters in the hiring game and land your next job fast. Also, make sure to check out our state-of-the-art CV and cover letter builder—professional, intuitive, and fully in line with modern HR standards. Trusted by 10 million users worldwide.

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• Career Advice

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills: List of Examples for Your Resume

Hard skills vs soft skills – you want to apply for your dream job and you don’t know the difference? Read our article to find out how to impress the recruiter with your skills!

As seen in:

Hard skills vs soft skills—which are better for your resume?

Hard skills are job-specific. Nobody’s born with them. Three hard skills examples are coding, budgeting, and mixing drinks. Soft skills prove you’d be a great fit anywhere. They’re part of your personality, but you can also learn them. Three soft skills examples are interpersonal skills, communication, and leadership.

And you’ll need to show the right mix of both to get hired.

This guide will show you:

• The difference between hard skills vs soft skills.
• Lists of both types of skills employers want most.
• Why to pick slightly different soft and hard skills for each job you apply to.
• How to show hard vs soft skills on a resume to get hired faster.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .

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Sample resume made with our builder— See more resume samples here .

Looking for guides about adding different skills on your resume? See:

• Language Skills
• Transferrable Skills
• Microsoft Office Skills
• Employability Skills
• Multitasking Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Administrative Skills

Now - 

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills: What’s the Difference?

What’s the difference between hard vs soft skills?

Employers want both. But which is which, and which ones matter most?

See these quick facts on both types of skills:

What Are Soft Skills?

Soft skills definition: We define soft skills as abilities not unique to any job. Are you a great communicator? Do you collaborate with others like Steve Rogers? Those are softer skills.

For example:

• Communication Skills
• Management Skills

But—you can’t just say you’ve got them and expect the phone to jangle. Scroll down to find out how to pick the perfect ones for a resume, and how to prove them so employers drool a little.

Give this guide a read if it's the  soft skills that you're after: Soft Skills: Definition, List & 50+ Examples for Your Resume

What Are Hard Skills?

Hard skills   are teachable abilities or skill sets that are easily measurable. We define hard skills as the technical abilities that fit the job. Normally, you can acquire hard skills in the classroom, in an online course, through books and other materials, or on the job.

If you’re in retail, that means closing cash drawers or restocking shelves. In tech? Your list of hard skills for resumes might have Java coding or network configuration.

Hard skills examples for accountants are asset management and account analysis. Hard professional skills for nurses are patient education and phlebotomy.

A prime example of hard skills for desk jockeys are computer skills .

You’d think hard skills matter most.

You’d be wrong.

The truth is that demand for soft skills has been growing since at least 1980 .

Another study, by LinkedIn, actually suggests that 57% of employers value soft skills more than hard skills.

If you want to learn more about how to put  hard skills on a resume for greatest impact, see this guide: Hard Skills for Resumes: Lists of Best Examples

What’s the Difference Between Soft Skills vs Hard Skills?

Hard skills are teachable and measurable abilities, such as writing, reading, math or ability to use computer programs. By contrast, soft skills are the traits that make you a good employee, such as etiquette, communication and listening, getting along with other people. 

Need more help? See these examples of hard skills and soft skills in the workplace:

Soft Skills Examples

• Interpersonal Skills
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Problem Solving

Hard Skills Examples

• Gathering Software Requirements
• Forklift Operation
• Marketing Skills
• Financial Modeling
• Shelf Stocking

What Do Employers Look For?

Employers look for proof you’ve got the right hard and soft skills. The throng of unwashed applicants says, “I’m hard-working, energetic, and a great communicator.”

That’s like a soft drink can that says, “Tastes Great!” It means nothing. You need to pick the exact resume skills the employer wants, then prove them. I’ll show how in a bit.

Use Both Hard and Soft Skills to Grab the Interview

Prove your soft skills list, and I’ll believe you can learn almost any hard skill. Prove your list of hard skills for resumes, and I’ll know you can already do the job.

The trick is knowing which skills I value most, then showing achievements on your resume that prove them.

Pro Tip: Do all these skills to list on resumes sound too complex? They’re really not. Let me show you how easy it is to pick the right few next.

The right hard and soft skills on your resume can make employers crave you like bacon-wrapped anything. See our guide: 99 Professional Skills to Include in a Resume (Best List of Examples for All Types of Jobs)

Soft Skills List and How to Pick the Ones Employers Want

What do employers want?

You could put any of the soft skills below on a resume.

But which ones will get you hired?

The top ten soft skills in bold are the most important. That’s based on studies by LinkedIn and ICIMS .

Don’t pick soft skills for a resume from a generic list.

I’ll show what to do instead below this list of skills.

List of Soft Skills

How to pick the right soft skills to get hired.

Will you get the job if you stuff your resume with all 28 skills in the list above? Or even the top 10 soft skills?

Anyone can do that.

But you can pick the few the hiring manager needs and snag the interview.

Look at the job ad. Here’s an example job description from LinkedIn, changed slightly:

Examples of Soft Skills in a Job Description

Accountant wanted. Good written and verbal communication , bookkeeping, and data entry skills. Must be dependable and have a strong work ethic . Will perform accounting functions...

Eureka! You don’t have to ask me for a list of soft skills to put on resumes.

The employer just told you what to say.

List those qualities and you’re halfway to paycheck land.

To go all the way, offer proof that makes the hiring manager say, “Wow.”

I’ll show how in a bit.

Pro Tip: Don’t just ape the list of skills for resumes in the job ad. If you’ve got a couple extra skills they’ll love, by all means, add ‘em.

Want to write a resume that makes employers stutter when they call you? See our guide: How to Write a Resume that Gets You the Job: Writing Guide

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building a  professional resume template here for free .

When you’re done, our online resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

How to List the Right Hard Skills to Get Hired

Which hard professional skills should you show on your resume?

There are about 30 soft skills—total.

There are thousands of hard skills.

I could list the top 10 hard skills, but they’re all in the tech world because software engineers are in high demand. It’s better to find the top 10 hard skills for your career.

First, find the skills for resumes that match your field.

We’ve got sample resume & guide combos for almost every job. Each guide has a resume hard skills list.

But don’t stop there.

Most applicants list too many resume skills. That’s actually a good thing, because it makes it easier for you to beat them.

Find the Right Hard Skills Like This

Zero in on the short hard skills list the hiring manager wants.

Examples of hard skills?

Our software engineer resume guide lists 18 hard skills for resumes. They’re skills like data structures, security, coding, open source, Java, SQL, and Python.

If you put all 18 on your resume, you’ll get laughed out of the conference room.

But check out this example job description:

Hard Skills Examples in a Job Description

The perfect candidate for this job will have experience with Objective-C and Swift, plus strong iOS mobile development knowledge with Cocoa Touch and similar frameworks.

Well there’s your list of hard skills for a resume.

You don’t write a resume with a massive hard skills list, then machine-gun it out to every job offer you see.

You write a resume template, then tailor it to fit each job you apply to. Add just the list of hard skills the employer wants, plus a couple more.

Just like with soft skills, don’t just list your resume skills.

Prove them. I’ll show how next.

Pro Tip: Don’t have the right hard skills for resumes to get the job? Online classes are plentiful and often short. Even a Lynda class can look great on a resume.

Ready to customize your resume to make hiring managers gawk like tennis fans? See our guide: How to Customize Your General Resume to a Specific Job

How to Show Soft and Hard Skills to Get the Job

You saw above how to pick the right list of hard skills vs soft skills.

Now learn to prove your skills for resumes so recruiters mob you like Black Friday.

How to Prove Your Skills on a Resume

Can you really prove resume skills on a sheet of paper?

Yes, you can.

That is, you can prove them enough to get the interview. Enough to make the hiring manager say, “Let’s find out in person.”

With achievements.

Pretend the job ad says, “We want a graphic designer skilled in (1) communication, (2) teamwork, (3) ecommerce, and (4) online layout .

First, add a list of soft skills and hard skills for resumes.

But to get the job, do this with your resume bullet points :

Examples of Soft Skills and Hard Skills on a Resume

• (2)  Collaborated and  (1)  communicated daily with a marketing team of 15 people. Gave monthly progress presentations to the team.
• Facilitated team meetings for a project that increased revenue for  (3)  ecommerce clients 15%.
• Contributed to a customer site that  (3)  won a 2017 Shopify Ecommerce Design Award.
• (2)  Collaborated on 30 projects to create images and  (4)  layouts for online content.

Whap. You just proved your skills for resume use. If the manager doesn’t double-take, his head was poorly designed.

Pro Tip: Notice how each bullet point above shows a benefit with numbers? Use percentages, dollar figures, and other metrics to show the power of your resume skills.

Want your resume to make employers worry you didn’t get their email? See our guide: Achievements & Awards to Put on Your Resume

Synonyms for Common Skills

The secret?

Don’t look for synonyms to any of the words below.

Please don’t say on a resume, “I’m likable,” or, “I’m highly skilled.”

Prove it instead.

“Wrote 1.5 million words of published articles in 2017” works better than a thousand synonyms for hard working.

But if you must, here’s a list of synonyms for common skills:

• Synonyms for Hard-Working: Dedicated, diligent. (The most prized of all the skills for resumes.)
• Personable Synonyms: Affable, amiable, easygoing, likable, great interpersonal soft skills
• Time Management Synonyms: Good at scheduling own work, fast, efficient
• Synonym for Patience: Composure, tolerance, restraint
• Synonym for People Skills: interpersonal skills, EQ, emotional intelligence
• Dependability Synonyms: Loyalty, trustworthiness
• Teachable Synonyms: Fast learner, active learner, quick study
• Opposite of Technical: Creative
• Synonym for Qualified: Certified, accomplished, capable, licensed, competent
• Highly Skilled Synonyms: Adept, able, proficient
• Proficient Synonym: Accomplished, gifted, talented

Again, hunting synonyms for skills for resumes is barking up the wrong decision tree.

Show measurable accomplishments.

Pro Tip: Use one personable synonym or teachable synonym at the beginning of your resume summary . Otherwise, give the fancy adjectives a pass.

Use spicy resume words to keep employers reading like Stephen King dreamed up your resume. See our guide: 240 Resume Action Words & Power Words to Make Your Resume Shine

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Here’s a recap of hard skills vs soft skills for resumes:

• Soft skills are traits that make you a good worker. They’re things like work ethic, organization, communication, collaboration, and leadership.
• Hard skills are abilities you learn in school or on the job. They’re things like C# programming, marketing campaign management, and financial forecasting.
• Employers want a mix of hard skills vs soft skills on your resume. Find the ones they value most in the job ad.
• Don’t just list skills on a resume. Prove them with measurable achievements in your bullet points.

Do you still have questions on the difference between hard and soft skills? Not sure how to show soft and hard skills on a resume? Give us a shout in the comments! We’d be happy to reply.

About Zety’s Editorial Process

This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines . We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

• http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/ddeming/files/deming_socialskills_aug16.pdf
• https://www.icims.com/hiring-insights/for-employers/ebook-the-soft-skills-job-seekers-need-now

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