Top 7 Strengths for Resume for Job Seekers in Tech

Picture this: you’re a puzzle piece, and the tech industry is the puzzle board. Your skills and work experience make you a perfect fit for numerous roles, but your unique personal strengths add the unique shape that completes the picture and those strengths should be included in a resume.

In the highly competitive tech industry where many people have the same technical skills, it’s critical that you highlight the unique qualities that make you an asset to a potential employer. That’s where strengths for resumes come in. Beyond hard and soft skills, strengths make you more than just a developer, a designer, or a project manager — they make you a key asset to a team.

Resume strengths vs. skills

“Technical skills are super important to include in your skills section and throughout the bullet points of your resume,” says Becca Kronenbitter, a certified professional resume writer and career mentor at Pathrise who has helped fellows find jobs at leading tech companies like Google, Meta, and Netflix. “But I think of strengths as more like character qualities.”

Essentially, strengths are the qualities and personal attributes that make you a strong candidate for a particular job or position. These are typically personal characteristics or core competencies that showcase your abilities and potential value to a recruiter or hiring manager.

Skills, on the other hand, are specific abilities or expertise you have acquired through training, education, or professional experience. The most common categories of skills include:

Technical skills: Abilities or knowledge needed to perform specific tasks, often related to technology, such as programming languages, data analysis tools, or project management software.
Transferable skills: Versatile skills that can be applied across various jobs and industries, such as leadership, communication, or problem-solving.
Hard skills: Quantifiable and teachable skills that you usually acquire through formal education or training, such as proficiency in a foreign language, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), or search engine optimization (SEO).
Soft skills: Interpersonal or people skills that relate to your attitude and your ability to work well with others, such as empathy, teamwork, and attention to detail.

How to find strengths for your resume

To determine the key strengths you need for specific roles, analyze job listings with tools like Jobscan and Jobalytics. These tools will then tell you how many times the job descriptions mention each strength.

“If you see a recurring word or phrase, it clearly matters a lot to the company,” explains Ben Hyland, a senior career mentor at Pathrise who has helped nearly 100 job seekers find more fulfilling roles in tech during the pandemic. “So definitely include it in your resume and make sure it’s visible in your LinkedIn profile.”

Top 7 resume strengths for job seekers in tech

Although it’s always better to tailor your personal strengths to the roles you’re applying for, sometimes it can be hard to figure out where to start. So we put together a list of strengths that are highly valued in the tech industry to inspire you.

1. Self-starter

Being a self-starter means having the initiative and drive to undertake tasks and solve problems without needing to be prompted. It’s about being proactive, taking the lead, and being able to work independently when necessary.

For tech roles, being a self-starter is especially valuable. It shows that you’re self-motivated, resourceful, and capable of taking ownership of your work in a busy environment. You don’t just wait for instructions but actively seek opportunities to contribute and make a difference. This is vital in a fast-paced industry like tech, where the ability to adapt and take initiative can significantly impact project outcomes.

Examples of how to include being a self-starter on your resume include:

Self-starting software developer passionate about learning new technologies and independently developing innovative solutions.
Demonstrated self-starter attitude by independently identifying a market need and leading the development of a new feature that increased user engagement by 28%.
Self-starting data analyst with a knack for independently diving into complex data sets to extract actionable insights.
Proactively conducted user research and usability testing to identify design improvements, resulting in a 25% increase in user satisfaction and engagement.
Initiated regular communication channels with stakeholders to proactively address potential risks and mitigate project delays, resulting in a 15% decrease in project timeline deviations.

2. Entrepreneurial mindset

Being entrepreneurial is the ability to see and seize opportunities for improvement and growth. It’s a mindset that values being open to learning, taking calculated risks, and being persistent in the face of challenges or setbacks — qualities that are particularly valuable in the tech industry, which thrives on innovation.

Having this strength on your resume says that you’re not just doing the bare minimum, but are proactively looking for ways to improve and add value. In the tech industry, prospective employers often look for entrepreneurial candidates because this strength can lead to new ideas, improved processes, and, ultimately, the growth and success of the company.

Here are some examples of how to mention an entrepreneurial mindset as one of your top strengths:

Product manager with a strong entrepreneurial mindset, adept at identifying market opportunities and driving product innovation.
Applied a growth mindset to leverage big data, driving a 24% increase in business insights and decision-making efficiency in 4 quarters.
Entrepreneurial software developer with a proven track record of driving innovative solutions and identifying opportunities for process improvement.
Applied an entrepreneurial approach to develop and execute a successful digital marketing strategy, resulting in a 40% increase in online sales.
Leveraged entrepreneurial mindset to identify and develop a new software feature, resulting in a 20% increase in user engagement and product differentiation in the market.

3. Adaptability

Adaptability is the ability to adjust your approach or actions in response to changing circumstances or environments. It means you’re flexible, open-minded, and effectively handling uncertainty or change.

The tech industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies, methodologies, and best practices always emerging. That’s why hiring managers value candidates who can adapt to these changes and continue to perform effectively. Plus, tech companies often face unexpected challenges and rapidly changing market conditions. If you’re an adaptable team member, you can help navigate these situations and ensure the company remains agile and competitive.

Below are some examples of how to include adaptability as a strength in your resume:

Adaptable software developer with a track record of quickly learning new programming languages and adapting to changing project requirements.
Led a cross-functional team in successfully pivoting project direction in response to market demands, boosting customer satisfaction by 22% and increasing revenue by 15% in 1 year.
Exhibited adaptability by swiftly learning new design software to meet project requirements, resulting in a 20% increase in design efficiency.
Quickly pivoted marketing strategy in response to industry trends, resulting in a 25% increase in lead generation.

4. Problem-solving

Problem-solving is the ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems effectively. It encompasses understanding the nature of a problem, developing a strategy to address it, and implementing it to find a solution.

Tech companies value candidates who can analyze situations, break down complex problems into manageable parts, and come up with innovative solutions. By showcasing your strength in problem-solving, you highlight your ability to contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and foster growth within a company.

Examples of how to describe problem-solving as one of your greatest strengths include:

Successfully resolved complex technical issues, utilizing analytical thinking and troubleshooting skills to minimize downtime and ensure smooth operations.
Tech project manager with strong problem-solving skills, adept at navigating project challenges to deliver on time and within budget.
Dedicated account manager with excellent problem-solving skills, known for effectively resolving client issues and building strong customer relationships.
Solved complex coding challenges, resulting in more efficient algorithms and a 20% reduction in processing time.
Solved customer retention issues by identifying and addressing product pain points, resulting in a 20% increase in customer retention.

5. Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information objectively and make reasoned judgments. It involves evaluating sources, distinguishing between rational and emotional arguments, and understanding logical connections between ideas.

The tech industry is constantly evolving, presenting new challenges and problems. That’s why potential employers want critical thinkers — they don’t passively accept information but instead actively engage with issues and make decisions based on careful analysis. Additionally, critical thinkers can identify opportunities for improvement and innovation within the company and help foster a culture of excellence.

Some examples of how to write about critical thinking as a resume strength include:

Employed critical thinking skills to analyze user feedback and iteratively improve design, resulting in a 21% increase in user satisfaction.
Seasoned product manager with a proven track record of utilizing critical thinking to analyze market trends, identify user needs, and drive data-informed product decisions.
Leveraged critical thinking to refactor legacy code, improving system performance by 35% and reducing bugs by 20%.
Analyzed market trends and customer needs, informing product roadmap decisions that resulted in a 15% increase in product adoption.

6. Cross-functional collaboration

Cross-functional collaboration refers to the ability to work with individuals from different areas within an organization to achieve a common goal. Beyond just teamwork, it requires understanding the bigger picture and communicating and collaborating effectively with people with different skills and responsibilities.

This strength is highly prized at tech companies where teams often tackle complex problems, like developing new software features or creating a new go-to-market motion, that requires input from different departments. Having this strength says that you’re not just focused on your own tasks or your own team. You understand the interconnectedness of different roles within a tech company and that you can work effectively with a diverse range of people to ensure projects succeed.

Here are some examples of how to include cross-functional collaboration as a strength on your resume:

Collaborated with UX/UI designers, QA testers, and product managers in a cross-functional team to develop and launch a mobile application that increased user engagement by 34%.
Innovative product manager skilled in bridging the gap between technical and non-technical teams, fostering cross-functional collaboration to drive product development and improve user experience.
Worked in a cross-functional team with sales, product, and engineering to develop and execute a marketing campaign that increased product adoption by 27%.
Fostered cross-functional collaboration by facilitating regular meetings and establishing clear communication channels, resulting in improved coordination and alignment among team members.

7. Communication

Last but certainly not least, communication is the ability to convey information effectively and efficiently. This encompasses active listening, expressing thoughts and ideas clearly, and building relationships.

Strong communication skills showcase your ability to collaborate effectively with team members, stakeholders, and clients. It demonstrates that you can articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical individuals, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Additionally, it highlights your proficiency in gathering and interpreting information accurately, which is essential for problem-solving and decision-making.

Below are some examples of how to mention communication as a strength in your resume:

Results-driven software developer skilled in communicating complex technical concepts to cross-functional teams, ensuring seamless collaboration and successful project delivery.
Managed project timelines and resources through clear and concise communication with stakeholders, resulting in on-time and within-budget project completion.
Presented design concepts and prototypes to clients and stakeholders, incorporating their feedback to deliver visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces.
Conducted user research and interviews to gather feedback, effectively communicating insights to guide product decisions and prioritize features.

Leverage resume strengths to supercharge your job search with Pathrise

When including strengths in your resume, think beyond your skills section. Highlight your most relevant strengths in your career summary and the bullet points of your work history and project experience sections. You can also mention them in a cover letter, email, or LinkedIn profile for extra consistency.

Remember, the job search doesn’t end with a stellar resume. It’s a journey, and like any journey, it’s always better when you’re not alone. At Pathrise, we provide personalized 1-on-1 career mentorship to help you land your dream job in tech. Our diverse industry tracks — from technical fields like product design and software engineering to non-technical roles in sales and customer success — let you work with seasoned mentors from top-tier tech companies who know the ins and outs of the hiring process.

Ready to learn proven strategies that will take your resume to the next level? Apply to Pathrise today!