I recently wrote a resume for an entry-level IT professional who had very little experience in computers except for what he had learned in school. He had few hands-on courses, no certifications and a mediocre GPA. His prospects for gaining a job interview were slim. Jumping to the end of the story, the resume I put together for him resulted in 3 calls from employers in the first 24 hours. So what magic did I perform? I stressed his attitude.

Ken had little academic or professional achievements but what he did have was attitude. In everything he did, he worked hard and strived to be the best. In a 3-month temporary assignment to support telecom customers, he was highly ranked for productivity and first-call resolution. In a school project, he finished in half of the allocated time. Interestingly enough, when he sent me his information, none of these facts appeared. It wasn’t until I probed in our telephone interview that this important information came out (oh, the importance of the 1-on-1 telephone interview).

Employers for IT professionals can find technical skill sets rather easily. It is often the soft skills that set an individual apart from the crowd. How well you interact with internal customers, your professionalism, productivity and ability to work independently are often more important than your ability tear down a computer. This is true for just about any profession. So if you are writing your resume, remember to stress the important soft skills and attitudes that separate great performers from the crowd.