How to Add Leadership Skills to a Resume: Evolving Your Career

Demonstrating your leadership skills on your resume in today’s competitive job market can make or break achieving your goal. There is more to leadership than manager roles. Leadership is a versatile skill that applies to several positions and companies. Whether your goal is a promotion, transitioning into a new field, or looking to enhance your professional resume, showcasing your leadership skills can help you stand out from other candidates. Follow this guide on how to add leadership skills to a resume and learn how to add leadership experience to LinkedIn to help you achieve your goals and evolve your career. 

Understanding What Leadership Means

Before creating a leadership resume, it is important to understand what leadership entails. Leadership is about being able to influence and guide others while being able to make decisions for the company. Some leadership qualities for a resume can be things such as problem-solving, team building, communication, and adaptability. Knowing what leadership means and will require is imperative. Always be educated on what you apply for so you can give the best answers in an interview and provide a tailored resume that showcases your best qualities. 

Listing Your Leadership Experiences

    Giving examples of how you have shown leadership qualities is important when creating a leadership resume. Knowing how to add leadership skills to a resume and being able to list experiences that provide evidence on your skills can help set you out against competitors. Here are some examples of how you may want to describe leadership skills on a resume. 

    • Formal Vs Informal Leadership Roles: Positions you may had past experience in such as a team leader or project manager can be classified as formal leadership roles. Instances didn’t have a formal leadership title but you took initiative is classified as informal leadership. Think of examples like mentoring colleagues or leading a project.
    • Volunteer Work: Leading a project for a non-profit organization is another example you can put on your resume. Not only does it show good leadership skills, it also shows other great qualities like selflessness and teamwork. 

    Amplifying Your Achievements

    Amplifying your achievements and emphasizing them helps these skills stand out.  Instead of saying you “led a project” say, “ I led a team of individuals to complete a project ahead of schedule which resulted in us saving time and money.”  Showing your accomplishments is important but highlighting them and elaborating will show your abilities in leadership even more so. 

    How to Describe Leadership Skills On A Resume and Leadership Qualities to Add

    Incorporating leadership qualities for a resume is crucial. knowing how to describe leadership skills on a resume can benefit you in reaching your goal in leadership. Here are some examples of skills that show leadership that you should add to your resume.

    • Problem-solving
    • Communication
    • Adaptability
    • Team worker
    • Marketing
    • Presentation Competency
    • Research Expertise
    • Computer skills

    Including Leadership Skills in Several Sections of Resume

    Instead of keeping your leadership roles and skills strictly in one section, it is best if you include them in other areas as well. Focus on creating a leadership resume. This means not only highlighting your achievements and putting several leadership skills on your resume but also having your resume as a whole reflect the roles you want to achieve. Knowing how to add leadership skills to a resume in different sections and areas is important when wanting to stand out and showcase your features. Here are some ways you can include leadership qualities for resume. 

    • Experience: Including a detailed section on your roles in leadership and achievements can help show the areas of leadership that you excel in. Think of this as proof of your listed leadership skills. 
    • Leadership Skills: Including specific skills that demonstrate leadership makes you stand out. Creating a list of skills that benefit leadership roles is crucial for a leadership resume.
    • Education: If you have education that is relevant to leadership roles or training list and highlight them in this section. Examples you may want to include can be leadership workshops or project management. 
    • Summary Statement: Showcasing a powerful leadership summary will help you stand out. Adding a time frame and explanation of your leadership roles in this section is important. 

    Tailoring Your Leadership Skills to The Job

    Every company is unique. Each role requires a different set of skills and aspects of leadership. Tailoring your resume to align with the job description can help you achieve the goal of evolving your career. Carefully read and look over the job description to see what skills you need to emphasize and match which qualifications for the best possible results. Knowing how to add leadership skills to a resume that is tailored to the job you hope for can increase your chances tremendously. 

    How To Add Leadership Experience to LinkedIn

    LinkedIn is used by employers all over. Creating a profile that showcases your leadership resume can help companies seek you out. On your LinkedIn profile, there are sections in which you can add, change, or remove any important job information like past experiences and skills. Knowing how to add leadership skills to a resume on LinkedIn is crucial. Creating a LinkedIn profile is just as important as creating your personal resume. Just like on a resume, you want to highlight and showcase your leadership roles, skills, and achievements while tailoring to the role you are looking for. 

    Get Help With Your Leadership Resume

    Creating a leadership resume is more than just knowing how to add leadership skills to a resume. Showcasing your success and what you have achieved is crucial when building your resume. By understanding the meaning of leadership, emphasizing your experiences, and tailoring your resume to the company you desire, you will be able to effectively create a resume that will help you stand out. Capstone understands the stress of perfecting your resume. Whether you need assistance with your resume or LinkedIn profile we have you covered. Here at Capstone, we offer several services that can assist you with creating a resume that will land you your dream leadership role.