What are interpersonal skills and why are they important in the workplace?

Interpersonal skills, also known as

people skills, are related to the way you communicate and interact with people. When employers are hiring,
interpersonal skills are one of the top criteria used to evaluate candidates.
Why Employers Value Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills go by several names theyre also called people skills, in addition to employability skills.
The majority of careers require consistent, if not constant, interaction with other people. To do that successfully,
and thus to be employable, you need to have interpersonal skills.
Even if you excel at the technical aspects of your job, if youre a disaster to work with, your presence in the
office will not be well received. As a result, its important to emphasize your interpersonal skills in your cover
letter, resume, and in your job interviews.
How to Include Interpersonal Skills in Your Cover Letter and Resume
Youll want to reference your interpersonal skills in your cover letter. You might also be able to include them in
your resume, particularly if your resume features a summary at the top, or if your job description is formatted
with paragraphs, rather than bullet points.
This is because each interpersonal skill you reference should be connected to an anecdote, or example, of when
or how you used this skill.
(It's easier to do that in a paragraph rather than a bullet point.)
Still, a sentence like, My interpersonal skills include a great ability to motivate others, develop rapport with
coworkers, and resolve conflicts will fall flat. Instead, show how you used your skill. For example, I have a
very strong set of interpersonal skills.
For example, my ability to motivate the individuals I manage is demonstrated in how consistently I meet, and
beat, deadlines without burning out my team.
Keep in mind that interpersonal skills are very interdependent, meaning that in order to have strong negotiating
skills, you will also likely have great listening skills. Try to capture these relationships as they can be a way to
discuss two interpersonal skills with just one real-life example.
Which Interpersonal Skills to Include
Take a look at the interpersonal skills list below, and observe which words resonate with you. Youll of course
want to include your strongest skills - but dont fudge it. Remember, actions speak louder than words, and
youll want to be sure you successfully embody any characters you claim to have once youre actually
interacting with your interviewer.
In addition, you should also pay attention to which characters would be most useful in the specific job that you
are applying for. A job in sales, for example, might require communication skills, developing rapport and
persuasiveness. A human resources position, however, might be better-suited for an individual with
strong problem solving skills, an ability to inspire trust, motivational skills, and meditation skills.

Take a look at the job description for the position yourei applying to, and look out for the characteristics
theyre after - then use synonyms to describe your own abilities. Here's how to match your qualifications to a
job.
Interpersonal Skills List
Heres a list of interpersonal skills to use in resumes, cover letters and job interviews.
A-G
Active Listening
Behavioral
Caring
Collaboration
Comforting
Communication
Conflict Management
Conflict Resolution
Consulting
Constructive Criticism
 Counseling
Creative Thinking
Customer Service
Developing Rapport
Diplomacy
Diversity
Empathy
Encouraging
Flexibility
Group Facilitating
H-M
Helping Others
Humor
Inquiry
Inspiring Trust
Instructing
Interviewing
Leadership
Life Skills
Listening
Mediating
Mentoring
Motivation
N-S
Negotiating
Networking
Nonverbal Communication
Patience
Persuasive
Positive Reinforcement
Problem Solving
Public Speaking
Relationship Management
Respect
Responsibility
Sensitivity
Social
Sympathy
T-Z
Team Building
Teamwork
Tolerance
Verbal Communication