Qualities on CV: A Comprehensive Guide

Qualities: What are they?

Qualities are the natural personality traits and characteristics that make you the unique person you are. They are strengths that provide an indication of the way you work and the things you’re naturally good at.

Your qualities might suggest to employers how quickly you adapt to new tasks, how well you collaborate with colleagues and how suited you are to working under pressure. This helps recruiters and hiring managers to understand your personality and assess whether you’re right for a role, and how well you’re likely to complement the existing team.

Qualities on your CV are different to skills, but there is some linkage between them. Your personal qualities often align with your soft skills. For example, if creativity is one of your qualities, you’re likely to have strong problem-solving skills. If you’re naturally resilient, you’ll probably have adaptability, flexibility and the ability to handle stressful situations. Hard skills are more distinct from qualities, but your qualities can be indicative of your ability to develop hard skills. For example, determination might suggest to employers that you’ll be able to add complex new skills that require commitment and dedication to learn.

Why Your CV Should Highlight Specific Qualities

It’s important that your CV highlights specific personal qualities that help to define you as a candidate. Depending on the industry, it can be normal for there to be hundreds of applications for a single vacancy. Many candidates may share the same qualifications and experience as you. However, nobody else will share your unique personality and natural strengths. As such, it’s critical to make sure these shine through in your CV.

The qualities you list on your CV will also help the employer form an opinion on your likely fit for the role, so it’s important to align your qualities with the job description. If, for example, the role requires regular client contact, you’ll want to communicate your interpersonal skills. For more technical roles, you might want to highlight your attention to detail.

In the UK, employers are likely to look for several desirable personal qualities in their candidates. Cultural fit is a critical factor. Do your homework on the company and its organisational culture, and make sure the tone and content of your CV reflects this. Employers may also look out for characteristics such as adaptability and teamwork, so pay attention to these in your CV.

Top Qualities to Highlight in a CV

Here are some of the most desirable qualities to add to your CV:

Teamwork

Being a strong team player is one of the most valuable traits for a wide range of different jobs and industries. Most jobs require collaboration with other colleagues or clients, and if you can show you thrive in a team environment, you’re more likely to succeed with your application.

Essential for:

• Healthcare
• Education
• Corporate jobs

Communication

If you’re a natural communicator, you’re likely to fit into a team environment and be a reliable colleague. Communication is essential to the efficient running of any team, and to productivity levels. Communicating clearly and effectively within a team enables a smooth workflow where everyone knows what to expect from you, and what’s expected of them.

Adaptability and problem-solving

In the fast-moving world of work, adaptability is emerging as one of the most valuable characteristics for candidates to possess. If you can adapt to changing circumstances, respond to new ways of working or technological innovations and find ways to overcome new challenges that occur from external influences, you’re more likely to thrive.

Essential for:

• Fast-paced tech industries
• Finance sector
• Marketing

Leadership

Leadership qualities include the ability to organise and manage a team, but also to make key decisions and create a culture where employees feel valued and motivated. Many of these skills can be learned, but leadership qualities can also be inherent, based on your natural vision and your ability to communicate and build personal relationships.

Essential for:

• Senior management positions
• Project manager roles
• Human resources jobs

Attention to detail

Accuracy is important in every line of work, so if you can show you’re someone with a strong eye for detail and a meticulous nature, this can serve you well. Attention to detail is absolutely essential for any technical or scientific position, where any inaccuracies can have a profound impact on the outcomes of your work.

Essential for:

• Finance
• Law
• Engineering
• Software development
• Scientific or technical roles

Creativity

Creativity is not a quality everybody possesses, and if you have a creative mindset it can set you apart from other candidates. It refers to the ability to come up with new ideas and find innovative solutions to problems. If you’re naturally creative, you’re more likely to possess skills in communication, problem-solving, critical thinking and ideation, as well as writing, design and other creative pursuits.

Essential for:

• Marketing
• Design
• Software development
• Writing
• Architecture

Identifying the Right Qualities to Put on Your CV

Identifying the right qualities to put on your CV requires an understanding of the job description, plus an awareness of your own unique personal strengths and character traits. Here are a few tips for identifying the best qualities for your job applications:

• Review the job description: your first task is to review the job description and identify the type of candidate the employer is looking for. You may also wish to conduct some research on the company and its values, to understand if you fit the profile of candidate they’re seeking.
• Pay attention to feedback: receiving feedback can help you to understand your personal strengths. People you work with can often provide you with valuable insights on your qualities and style of working, that you can put to good use in your future applications.
• Review your career successes: consider your career to date, and the things that have gone particularly well. These can help you identify the skills that come naturally to you, and the working conditions under which you thrive.
• Think about what energises and motivates you: work that matches your personal qualities is more likely to energise and motivate you, while work that doesn’t suit your personality can feel like a struggle. Do ideas come naturally to you or are you more at home working on technical, structured work? Answering these types of questions can help you identify your best personal qualities.

How to Effectively Showcase Qualities on a CV

Follow these tips to showcase your personal qualities for maximum impact on your CV:

Listing qualities in your professional summary

Pick one or two key qualities to mention in this introductory paragraph to your CV. This can give the reader an immediate impression on your suitability as a candidate. Here are a few example sentences to showcase your qualities in your CV summary:

Highlighting qualities in your work experience section

Your work experience section should focus on your career achievements and showcase how you’ve used your skills to bring about success in previous roles. For every achievement you reference in your work experience section, relate back to one of your personal qualities and how it contributed to your success. Add evidence that shows how your qualities have added value for previous employers.

Emphasising qualities in your skills section

The skills section of your CV gives you a great chance to list some of your personal qualities, but remember, don’t just mention them here. Your qualities, and evidence of how you’ve used them, should run through your entire CV. Qualities probably sit best in your soft skills section. Use a CV format that gives you the space to expand on your qualities and skills, providing extra detail and context surrounding their impact on your career.

"The qualities you list on your CV will also help the employer form an opinion on your likely fit for the role, so it’s important to align your qualities with the job description."

Key Takeaways for Adding Qualities to Your CV

Your personal qualities and traits should shine through in your CV and show the reader exactly the type of employee you are, and precisely what your key strengths are. If you showcase your qualities effectively in your CV, readers should be able to spot your unique characteristics and understand what sets you apart from other candidates. Your CV presentation can showcase important qualities such as professionalism, attention to detail and creativity. CVwizard offers a wealth of tools and CV examples to help you create an eye-catching CV. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started.