What 4 Software Skills to Include On Your Resume & In Your Next Job Interview?

If you’ve been asleep in a cave somewhere, you probably don’t know that the world has gone very digital and very connected. This isn’t to say that you have to be an expert at Twitter, YouTube, Facebook or Instagram, but it is to say that you really can’t get away from a computer and you really can’t get away from having to deal with data in some way.

Today’s tools of necessity.

Oftentimes, when people are working on their resume, or cover letter, or even just job profile on a website like Linked in, it can be very easy to forget to put software skills and technological ability on these resources. So, let me help you out by giving you four big categories of software skills you do need to communicate on your resume and during an interview or your overall job hunt. Here we go.

Skill 1 — The MS Or Microsoft Office Suite

Yes, I know it’s obvious. Yes, I know you probably use it every day. But guess what? You need to communicate that you use it every day and that you’re pretty good at it and I’m talking about the whole thing, depending on what you do. Of course, Office, Excel, Power point, Outlook; those are the ones you just have to have and put on there and at least adequately familiar with.

I’m not talking 2003 or 2000 or 2001, any of the old ones. I’m not talking 2010, 2013, whatever to come. Maybe you can’t afford that stuff or get that stuff right away but if you’re still at a company, check their software home usage program. Chances are you can get their entire suite of the latest software for less than ten or twenty bucks.

There are some jobs that also require you to be advanced at things like Share Point or One Note or Access or Project or Visio. These are other things that are sometimes included with the entire suite that it can be pretty easy for you to get a couple tutorials down pat and have a basic understanding of the skill or you’re well on your way to proving that you’re at least decently capable with that part of the MS Suite.

Skill 2 — Typing Proficiency

Maybe this doesn’t matter for everyone, and you probably don’t want to put your words per minute on your resume, but the fact that you’re able to put a resume, an email, a cover letter and a social profile together is proof enough that you can make yourself get things done and prove your way around these tools.

Now, of course, if it does in fact require a certain amount of speed or rate of content generation, then sure communicate that on there. But just make sure the things that you present and create, at least have some level of quality that proves you can move and make yourself a way around a computer, ok?

Skill 3 — Web Based Solutions

Now this is, yes you know how to use Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, whatever, but it’s also things like Microsoft Share Point or Documentum and those other web based solutions that a lot of tools and resources are going to.

It may be tough to have this experience with these tools unless the company’s pretty agile in adopting these pretty huge changes in the way they do business but if you do have any of these experiences, absolutely include them in your resume and during the interviewing. It’s where technology and companies are going and if you’re not on the train, get on it.

Skill 4 — Data Analysis And Manipulation

Not a lot of people have this skill. Not a lot of people know the importance of it. But your ability to take the sea of information, apply a tool to it like Microsoft Excel or Access or any sequel database or interfaces is huge when it comes to finding patterns or golden nuggets to prove that things are either going well or aren’t going well.

Now, this isn’t something you can just pick up in a day and completely understand but if you have, for instance, a ton of records that involve sales or noncomformances or issues, customer complaints, these are the things that can be quantified in some fashion.

Big data analysis can be studied to come up with golden nuggets that make sense and can change processes for the better. Having this general understanding and communicating that you’re able to see these things and manipulate data to find these things is huge.

Show Them Software & Hardware Matter to You

The four main technology and software skills that you just experienced really will help you when it comes to forming your resume and communicating in an interview during your next job hunt. If you’ll make sure that you completely communicate how well you operate the Microsoft Office Suite, how well you can type and effectively communicate these tools, how versed you are with web based solutions, and how great you are with data analysis, you will be well on your way to proving you are a great candidate.

Keep these things in mind, start growing the things that you’re not comfortable with and you will be ready for that next step up in your career development.