This article will be explaining if collaboration is a resume skill and the other skills that contribute to it. We shall also briefly explain how you can convey collaboration or teamwork skills on a resume and other steps of the hiring process. In addition, we shall also be discussing why employers and recruiters look for collaborative skills in a prospective candidate.

Is collaboration a resume skill?

Yes, collaboration is a resume skill and a very important one if we have to be honest. Since organizations are developing and changing themselves into collaborative organizations, they are looking for employees who will demonstrate good collaborative practices in the workplace.

Collaborative skills include the ability to cooperate with team members, work ethic and communication skills in all mediums. When an employee is a great team-player, they will be able to get along with others better and also work towards accomplishing certain goals. Teamwork and collaboration contribute positively to individual productivity and efficiency.

List of collaborative skills

Collaboration does not only include one skill but a combination of many other skills. These skills include the following:

Active listening skills which help team members understand the message clearer and thus can lessen miscommunications and conflicts.
Decision-making skills since many fast decisions may need to be made in the organization with regards to projects as well as problem-solving
Adaptability skills that allow employees to be flexible enough to counter any kind of challenge or risk. Adaptability can also help organizations face new trends in the market with better perspectives and solutions.
Oral communication skills that can help employees convey the right messages to one another as well give suggestions and criticism.
Written communication skills since organizations communicate a lot using the written medium through emails, text messages, etc.
Creativity skills which allow organizations to create new products and designs to satisfy their customers while also targeting other consumer populations.
Respecting diversity which helps in making the work environment more positive and supportive, and also brings in various perspectives for a problem or issue.

How to convey collaboration skills on a resume?

Collaboration skills can be a part of your resume if you are looking for a job. Recruiters and employers are increasingly looking for employees who can be great team players and collaborate with others easily. To do this, you can mention various recognitions or awards you might have received in the past for teamwork or cooperation skills.

You can also mention collaboration, teamwork and communication as part of your skills section in the resume. You can also include other collaborative skills such as emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, negotiation abilities, conflict resolution skills, organizational and planning skills as well as project management skills.

It is also important to include real-life examples as proof of your collaborative skills. This will not only show the employer that you are aware of different collaboration skills but also that you know how to use them. These can be included as part of your work experience as well.

A job search can be challenging. If you want to reduce stress but stay effective, you can create a resume online with the help of Resume Builder. It offers you multiple templates and suggestions which makes creating a resume easy and quick.

How to demonstrate collaboration skills in the hiring process?

Collaboration skills can be mentioned in the resume, in order to get the attention of recruiters and future employers. Using keywords and terminologies like ‘teamwork’, ‘team player’ and ‘collaboration’ can help recruiting software pick your resume out from others. You can also list your achievements in teamwork as well as shortly narrate real-life examples.

You can also convey your collaboration skills in your cover letter. Since there is more room and freedom in a letter rather than a resume, you can create a better narrative of situations where you used your collaboration skills. You my mention the need for the collaboration, who were involved in the process, the problems you faced and how you achieved the goal.

During an interview process, you might be asked many behavioral type questions in order to test your collaborative skills. To ace this, you need to mention your past experiences in detail. It is also wise to give both positive and negative experiences in order to show transparency and honesty. However, you need to remember not to blame others and show accountability.

Why do employers and recruiters look for collaborative skills?

Employers and recruiters look for candidates who possess collaborative skills as organizations themselves are becoming highly collaborative in nature. Since teamwork and cooperation are the keys to success in companies, employers are also looking for employees who have great interpersonal skills and will be able to get along with others.

Collaboration skills not only helps employees work closely with each other, but also helps them work better with clients. This builds better client relations and encourages loyalty and commitment. Collaboration skills can be useful inside and outside the team. It encourages cross-functional collaboration and thus breaks down barriers like silos in the organization.

When employees practice effective collaboration skills, it leads to an improvement in the morale of the organization and also increases work productivity and efficiency. It increases employee engagement and participation in the work process, and encourages them to take on additional responsibilities. Some of the jobs that require great collaboration skills are:

Human resource management
Marketing department
Customer service jobs
Roles in the non-profit sector
Healthcare roles
Consulting jobs
Administration and management positions

Conclusion

This article has explained if collaboration is a resume skill and the other skills that contribute to it. We have also briefly explained how you can convey collaboration or teamwork skills on a resume and other steps of the hiring process. Lastly, we have also discussed why employers and recruiters look for collaborative skills in a prospective candidate.

Frequently asked questions: (Is collaboration a resume skill?)

What is a collaboration skill?

Collaboration skills refer to those that help in the process of collaboration. Collaboration itself refers to working with people in order to achieve a specific goal. Collaboration skills can include communication skills, interpersonal skills, negotiation skills, conflict-resolution skills, problem-solving abilities and high emotional intelligence.

What are the 7 employability skills?

The 7 skills that make an individual highly employable are discussed below. Possessing these skills can attract recruiters and employers since they assure the candidate is a team player and can work closely with others to complete a project. The 7 employability skills are:

Great communication abilities

Communication is highly essential in the workplace. Many organizations hold communication and collaboration as their keys to success. However, communication should not be restricted to oral skills alone. Employees should be well versed in verbal, non-verbal as well as written communication.

Teamwork skills

Teamwork skills are those that help employees work closely with each other. This is important as most tasks in an organization require individuals to cooperate and work together. When there is smooth teamwork, organizations can conduct their work processes efficiently and productively.

Self-starter skills

Employers are also looking for candidates who can be self-starters and can manage their own tasks. When employees show great self-management abilities, leaders can easily let go of the reins and be more trusting of their workers. This also encourages more autonomy for the employees. Self-starter skills are highly sought out for teams which have a laissez-faire leader.

Agile learning abilities

Learning is a life-long process and all employees need to develop the thirst for continuous learning. Learning also helps in team cohesion by bringing team members together. Since organizations are continuously developing and changing, they look for employees who can develop along with them, ensuring advantages for both the parties.

Critical thinking skills

Organizations might go through various challenges and problems. For this, they would need employees who can make quick and efficient decisions. They also require workers who can critically think and analyze an issue deeply, before coming up with a proper solution. Critical thinking skills also help in team collaboration.

Optimistic attitude

Being positive is important in an organization, especially when it is facing rough challenges and changes. Showing optimism allows team members to change their perspective and focus on the brighter side of things. In this way, team members can move on to the next step and come up with solutions instead of focusing on the problem.

High resilience

High resilience is required in every organization. When an employee shows great resilience, they can work with various teams and different projects. They can also be adaptable and flexible in challenging situations.

Is collaboration the same as cooperation?

Collaboration and cooperation are very similar terms and many times used interchangeably with each other. However, there are differences between the two. Cooperation requires many individuals to work in order to achieve a specific goal. Here, the individuals may have personal tasks and responsibilities. By doing these, they contribute to the goal achievement.

However, in collaboration, there is a closer bond between the team members. They each view the shared goal as their own and in this way they show high accountability and ownership. In collaboration, the team members seek support and guidance even for their individual tasks. This creates a high sense of inter-dependency allowing better team cohesion.

What interpersonal skills are required for collaborative working?

In order to implement collaboration effectively in a team, team members require certain interpersonal skills. These skills allow team members to interact well with each other, make decisions together and also provide honest feedback without hurting anybody’s feelings and creating conflicts. Some of the interpersonal skills required for collaboration are:

Mutual trust and respect between team members in the group
Great communication in the team through all modes, be it verbal, non-verbal and written forms of communication
Ability to lead the group, especially in times of crisis and trouble
Creativity and innovation skills that help the team build new products and designs, which in turn can be profitable for organizations
Problem-solving abilities that use critical thinking and deep analyzing in order to come up with solutions
Respect for diversity of various cultural backgrounds, ethnicities and religious backgrounds

If you like this post, please leave your questions and comments in the space below.

Citations

https://zety.com/blog/collaboration-skills

https://enhancv.com/resume-skills/collaborative/

https://www.resumecoach.com/teamwork-skills-on-your-resume-list-and-examples/

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/demonstrate-collaboration-in-the-workplace

https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/collaborate-synonym-resume

https://www.zippia.com/advice/collaboration-skills/

https://www.internships.com/career-advice/search/teamwork-skills

https://bladerunnerlhr.medium.com/8-proven-examples-to-put-teamwork-on-your-resume-fb79f918276a

How to demonstrate in your resume the one skill that turns up in 93% of job postings