What are skills?
Skills generally indicate what a candidate can do, rather than what they have merely studied. While skills can be learned, they do not necessarily require formal qualifications or an educational setting. CV skills can be divided into two sub-categories: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills – sometimes referred to as technical skills – require specific knowledge and experience in performing a particular task. These skills are generally acquired through a combination of educational study and repeated practice. The hard skills you seek in a candidate will vary depending on the industry and the demands of the role you are recruiting for. Below are a few examples of commonly sought-after hard skills for different types of corporate roles:
- Familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
- Research skills
- Coding skills, including various programming languages
- Data analysis
- Creating reports, making decks and delivering presentations
- Knowledge of laws and regulations pertaining to the relevant industry and how to apply them
- Management skills, like team leadership and project management
- Budgeting, accounting or financial analysis
- Marketing skills, including familiarity with digital marketing tools, SEO and social media management
- Familiarity with sales strategies and customer relationship management (CRM) software
Soft skills are the intangible qualities related to interpersonal attributes. They may be developed through experience and relate to how employees interact with colleagues, clients, superiors or stakeholders. Soft skills are typically transferable across industries, and there can be significant overlap between sectors. Below are some common soft skills to look out for when recruiting:
- Communication skills, including verbal and written communication
- Mentoring and leadership skills
- Problem-solving, which may include analytical skills and critical thinking
- Negotiation and conflict-resolution
- Time management and organisational skills
- Teamwork
Related: The argument for using a skills-based job description
What are qualifications?
Qualifications are the formal and informal educational accomplishments acquired by a candidate. They are earned through studying, and/or practical work experience and usually involve tests and exams to validate knowledge and skills. For positions that are largely unskilled or fall outside of the corporate world, qualifications might include school-level achievements like GCSEs, AS-levels and A-levels, Higher National Certificates and Diplomas (HNCs and HNDs), NVQs (and their Scottish equivalent, SVQs), technical diplomas and certifications. Structured work experience like apprenticeships can also be considered qualifications. For corporate or highly skilled positions, candidates are expected to possess university-level qualifications such as bachelor’s or master’s degrees, either from a UK institution or an international equivalent. When a relevant degree is a requirement for a position, candidates can stand out with additional qualifications, like certifications or significant work experience, which may indicate a high level of dedication and passion for the field.
What are abilities?
The word ‘abilities’ is often used interchangeably with ‘skills’, but there is a subtle difference. While skills are specific competencies a person has developed through education, training or experience, abilities are the innate qualities they possess. Abilities can be honed and enhanced over time, but the aptitude is there to begin with. To simplify further, you can remember that skills are developed, and abilities are natural talents. Here are a few examples of abilities that apply to the working world.
- Cognitive abilities: The capacity to learn, recall information, make good decisions, and exercise sound judgment
- Adaptability: The ability to adjust effectively to new situations or changes, often thriving under pressure or in less structured environments
- Empathy: The interpersonal ability to form strong relationships, treating colleagues and clients with respect and kindness
- Physical abilities: Qualities like strength, stamina, and fine motor skills
- Resilience: Resilient employees tend to recover quickly from setbacks and may be more likely to embrace workplace challenges
How to filter CVs for skills, qualifications and abilities
If there are specific skills, qualifications or abilities required for the role, it can be more effective to filter applications first, before reading further. If your company has an HR department, they are typically tasked with the first stages of recruitment, filtering CVs to decide which candidates can proceed to the next stage. They may do this by skimming the first page of each CV to spot certain keywords pertaining to the role’s requirements. If you do not have an HR department, you can do this yourself. When there is a large number of applicants, business owners or a company’s HR department increasingly turn to automation to simplify the task. The most common programs used are known as Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). An applicant tracking system is software that uses AI or ‘robot crawlers’ to scan CVs for specific keywords or phrases that the user has specified. This can significantly reduce the number of CVs that you or your HR department need to look through. However, ATS is not failproof. Great candidates could be overlooked if they use slightly different phrasing, have a CV with a creative design that imbeds key competencies within images or even use a font that is not fully compatible with the software.
Related: How to read a CV
Evaluating knowledge and proficiencies on CVs
Once you have filtered your applications and are left with a small selection of candidates, who meet the required qualifications, have similar levels of experience and possess most of the skills and abilities you are seeking, how can you decide which candidates to invite to an interview? Here are a few tips to help you identify standout candidates:
- Prioritise key skills and abilities: Ensure you are clear on which skills and abilities are most important for the role and which can be developed through training or mentoring.
- Request professional references: Reach out to the candidates for references and prepare specific questions about the candidates’ proficiency in the key skills and abilities you have prioritised.
- Evaluate certifications: While certifications can validate a candidate’s skills and commitment, not all are equally valuable. If several candidates have similar certifications, research the depth of each course, the areas covered and the evaluation process.
- Look for subtle CV clues: Candidates who have been rapidly promoted, took on diverse projects requiring broad skills, or contributed to company life through mentoring, committee work or representing the company at events may be standout choices.
- Consider an additional task: If you’re still undecided, consider asking candidates to complete a short automated video interview or a skills test they can submit online. This can help provide further insights into their suitability.
How to make up a skills gap
Before you start writing your job advert, you might consider whether any current employees could be a good fit for the new role. If they have shown abilities like adaptability and quick learning and have a set of transferable skills, it may be easier to train them to take on new tasks and duties than to hire an outside candidate who does not know your company. If you proceed with hiring an external candidate, aim to be adaptable about them meeting every skill or ability on your list. A candidate who has the aptitude for the role and excellent interpersonal abilities may be an employee worth investing in. You can often mould new recruits through training and mentorship. Alternatively, a candidate who does not have the required qualification may be a perfect fit for a different opening at your company or even a future role.
Related: Why leaders need to close the digital skills gap
Identifying the right candidate requires understanding the distinctions between qualifications, skills and abilities. By filtering CVs for key attributes and maintaining a flexible approach, you can streamline your recruitment process and pinpoint the most suitable candidates to move forward to the interview stage.
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