Skills vocabulary
This list will help you:
- understand what recruiters are looking for in job advertisements
- identify your own skills
- talk or write about your skills, achievements and responsibilities with a wide selection of interesting adjectives and action verbs
| Main skills and qualities employers look for | This means you can | Adjectives and nouns that describe people with these skills | Verbs you can use to write or talk about these skills |
| communication skills (oral and written) |
|
accurate articulate communicative expressive persuasive |
address articulate author communicate compose consult contact convince correspond draft edit explain express formulate influence interpret negotiate outline persuade present promote propose respond |
| interpersonal skills |
|
troubleshooter supportive |
counsel encourage guide listen mediate motivate resolve negotiate perceive (feelings, emotions) support
|
| teamwork skills |
|
team player enthusiastic supportive co-operative constructive motivated |
aid assist collaborate contribute co-operate participate (in) represent stand in (for) support take part (in) |
| organisation, management and leadership skills |
|
assertive creative detailed thinker goal-oriented leading managerial methodical multitasking (well-)organised responsible results-oriented |
administer appoint arrange assign attend to details authorise brainstorm chair (meetings, discussions) consolidate co-ordinate decide (on) define delegate develop direct encourage establish execute follow through (on) follow up (on) handle (details or questions) implement (decisions) judge lead manage (other people) meet (goals, deadlines) monitor motivate multitask obtain order organise oversee plan prepare prioritise share run (meetings) schedule streamline supervise verify work together work collaboratively |
| initiative |
|
dynamic independent pro-active quick learner quick thinker self-accountable self-aware self-managing self-motivated self-starter spontaneous |
decide (for yourself) found initiate manage (your own time) prioritise seize (opportunities) take (the initiative) think on your feet work on your own |
| adaptability |
|
adaptable adjustable flexible mobile open-minded willing (to adapt) |
accept adapt (to) adjust (to) change learn relocate |
| analytical, research and planning skills |
|
accurate analytical resourceful thoughtful |
appraise analyse calculate check clarify classify collate compare compile define (needs and goals) detect determine develop diagnose evaluate examine extract (information) explore forecast identify (problems) gather (information) imagine alternatives inspect interpret investigate keep record (of) predict process research retrieve information set goals solve (problems) test |
| numeric, computer and technical skills |
|
innovative numerate number-literate computer-literate |
adapt adjust (figures) apply budget calculate collate compile (statistics) compute construct design engineer implement install operate produce program repair simulate upgrade utilise transmit |