What are Interpersonal Skills—Definition & Top 10 Examples

You've likely heard about hard and soft skills during your job search. But what are those often-mentioned interpersonal skills? Interpersonal skills, categorized as soft skills, are qualities sought by employers. Why?

Because employers recognized that beyond technical expertise, employees need to collaborate effectively. Imagine a software engineer with numerous technical skills but no ability to work with others. To secure your ideal job, understand interpersonal skills and put them in your application.

In this article: 

• What are interpersonal skills and how to develop them.
• Why are interpersonal skills so important?
• Examples of interpersonal skills.

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Want to learn more about skills and qualifications for a job or internship? Check out these articles:

• Administrative Skills
• Communication Skills
• Computer Skills
• Conceptual Skills
• Conflict Resolution Skills
• Creative Thinking Skills
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Management Skills
• Marketing Skills
• Technical Skills

Now, let’s talk more about what interpersonal skills are and which ones to include when writing a resume.

Interpersonal Skills Resume Example

1. Interpersonal Skills—Definition and Importance

Interpersonal skills are skills that help us to establish or maintain relationships with other people. They allow us to interact, communicate, and collaborate with others. These skills are also helpful in personal development and achieving professional success.

In short, interpersonal skills help people to communicate effectively, which in essence means being able to network, and succeeding in life, both professionally and personally. 

Surely you've heard that people who are friendly and open are more confident, which helps them gain recognition. Actually, studies show that a person’s confidence has a strong influence on how their competence is perceived. However, not everyone finds it easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger.

Fortunately, it’s possible to learn these skills and develop them in a way that will help you in the workplace.

Interpersonal skills vs. intrapersonal skills

Interpersonal skills and intrapersonal skills sound almost the same, and they very often get confused. So what’s the difference between them?

Intrapersonal communication can be defined as communication with one's self, and that may include self-talk, as well as acts of imagination and visualization. It’s kind of like a conversation that takes place in your own head, while interpersonal communication is all about communicating and interacting with others.

So, as an example, intrapersonal skills may include abilities like: stress management, assertiveness and productivity, while interpersonal skills demonstrate how well you negotiate or whether you can actively listen to others.

2. Interpersonal Skills—Examples for Your Resume

Interpersonal skills are a very important part of assessing professional competence, but their only drawback is that they are difficult to measure. To make it easier, let’s look at some examples of interpersonal skills: 

Examples of Interpersonal Skills

• Teamwork 
• Negotiation 
• Conflict resolution
• Task delegation
• Good judgment
• Motivating skills 
• Management
• Mentoring
• Persuasion
• Empathy
• Emotional intelligence
• Communication skills
• Active listening
• Networking
• Relationship building
• Inclusiveness
• Patience with others
• Problem-solving skills

These competences help us maintain good and healthy relationships with other people, not only professional but also private. And more often than not, the above-mentioned skills can be found in job advertisements, as they are one of the most important parts of success in performing tasks in a workplace.

That’s why, when writing a resume or a cover letter for a job application, it’s important to make it known that you are, in fact, a people-person.

3. Top Interpersonal Skills in the Workplace

Workplaces are spaces where people from different backgrounds work together and communicate to get things done. These may be co-workers, supervisors, subordinates, as well as customers, subcontractors and clients. 

Communication between these people is inevitable. That’s why interpersonal skills are essential to perform duties more efficiently and successfully.

Establishing contacts (e.g. with prospect clients), the ability to negotiate (with managers, subcontractors), the freedom to work in a team, or the ability to resolve conflicts—these are just some examples of skills that may be necessary when taking on specific positions:

1. Conflict Resolution

Most employers expect employees to be independent thinkers and problem solvers. They value people who have an ease of decision-making and can effectively solve and respond to complicated situations. 

2. Leadership Skills

Leadership and team management skills are a very important part of every manager or team leader's job. Regardless of whether you’re working in a production hall or a large corporation, effective cooperation between subordinates is important, as it consequently translates into company results.

3. Teamwork

Aah! The absolute core of interpersonal skills. In most professions and industries, people must work in teams. It's practically hard to imagine a position where you wouldn't have to work with anyone. Even if you don't work directly with your colleagues, you may have to work with a manager or a client. Therefore, the ability to work in a team is one of the most sought-after skills.

4. Emotional intelligence

Teamwork especially requires good management of one's emotions. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and understand one's own feelings and the feelings of others. An emotionally intelligent person knows how to react to them confidently and appropriately. 

5. Teamwork

The ability to work in a group is one of the most important soft skills. If you want to work effectively in a team, you should, among other things, know how to actively listen to the expectations of your colleagues and constructively solve problems and conflicts.

6. Conflict resolution

Challenge, trouble, obstacle or conflict—there are dozens of synonyms for the word "problem". Life is full of them, so dealing with them is a key skill for all successful people.

7. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to sense other people's emotions. It allows us to put ourselves in their shoes, to understand them. It’s not just about compassion, because empathy makes us understand the needs of the other person, thus being able to meet them.

8. Networking

Career advancement in the business world is dependent on, among other things, the ability to build relationships. Without networking with other people, you won't be able to take certain steps and even if you usually manage alone, sometimes that's just not the case. Establishing and maintaining business relationships results in invaluable opportunities.

9. Persuasion

Persuasion is a process aimed at changing a person's (or a group's) attitude or behavior toward some event, or idea. Being convincing when presenting a project, get a new job or just getting a point across is essential for professional development. 

10. Public Speaking

While often considered a distinct skill, public speaking is deeply intertwined with several key interpersonal skills. Public speaking is not merely about addressing large audiences but a multifaceted skill that encompasses effective communication, trust-building, empathy, conflict resolution, leadership, and personal growth. It's a skill that transcends professions and significantly impacts our personal and professional lives.

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4. How to Put Interpersonal Skills on a Resume

Showing interpersonal skills on a resume is critical. They prove that you can collaborate with others well, and everyone needs to know how to do it in order to conquer the business world.

Just below, you will learn how to write a resume in a way that clearly demonstrates you have strong interpersonal skills. 

1. Start With a Compelling Resume Profile

Right below your resume header, which includes your details and contact information, write an attention-grabbing professional profile. It’s the first thing a hiring manager will read, so make it sound fresh and juicy.

Here’s an example:

Interpersonal Skills in the Resume Summary

Highly dedicated and responsible marketing professional with 4+ years of experience developing and managing web presence, including Facebook account and other social media business accounts such as Google and Yelp. Ranked in top 5% among peers for new business acquisition. Responsible for $750K of existing account revenue.

While this example resume summary doesn’t directly talk about interpersonal skills, it implies that:

• You have great communication skills, because you know how to acquire new customers.
• You work well with a team in order to reach company goals. 

2. Write a Strong Work Experience Section

You can work interpersonal skills into your resume work experience section. But remember, they’ll look much more impactful if you find a way to quantify them. Like this:

Digital Marketing Strategist

Yorbu, Houston, TX

Sept 2019–Aug 2021

• Collaborated with editorial and consumer marketing teams to create unique, revenue-generating advertising campaigns that included: social media, newsletters, web content.
• Constructed a strategy through a written report for future use
• Analyzed and monitored web presence through Google Analytics.
• Managed the creation and implementation of a marketing campaign for a $250K client, which increased organic traffic by 28% in 3 months and about 41% in a six-month period.

Expert Hint: Make sure to use specific keywords from the job advertisement. They will target your resume to a specific job opening.

3. Use Your Education Section to Highlight Your Interpersonal Skills

If you’re writing a resume with no professional experience, make use of your academic experience to show off your interpersonal skills. 

You can add some extra details, such as extracurricular activities or relevant coursework, that will prove that you are qualified and have excellent interpersonal skills.

Here’s a resume education section example:

Interpersonal Skills in the Resume Education Section

BA in Digital Journalism and Media

Penn State University

2017

• Relevant Coursework: Principles of SEO and Optimization, Web Analytics, Building Your Brand and Website Foundation, Online Advertising, Copywriting I, II, II and IV
• Other activities: Helped plan monthly workshops to support female students in conflict resolution

Expert Hint: If you’re writing an entry-level resume, put your education section above your work history section and remember to always use the reverse-chronological resume order.

4. Highlight Your Skills Section

This is where you can really show off your interpersonal skills by actually NAMING THEM!

Your skills section is one of the most important parts of your resume, as it gives the employer the information they’re looking for. 

Interpersonal Skills in the Skills Section

Hard Skills

• SEO
• Google Analytics, Google Search Console
• WordPress
• Semrush
• Copywriting 

Soft Skills

• Listening skills
• Empathy
• Cooperation
• Excellent communication
• Flexibility

5. Spice Up Your Resume With Additional Sections

The last part of your resume layout should consist of bonus sections with any additional relevant information about you, like: certifications on your resume, foreign languages, hobbies & interests, or volunteer work. 

This type of information could be especially valuable in showing off your interpersonal skills:

Interpersonal Skills in the Extra Sections

Certifications

• Google Analytics Certification

Languages

• French—fluent

Remember to also show off your interpersonal skill in a cover letter. If you learn how to write a cover letter properly, it will be easy.

4. How to Improve Interpersonal Skills

At work, you will need to closely collaborate with other people—where it is essential to build great relationships with your team, customers, suppliers, shareholders, investors and others involved.

Some people are better at it than others. But the good news is, you don't have to be an extrovert or a "people person" to have good interpersonal skills. You can develop them just like your other skills, and you can get started right away with these tips.

1. Practice Empathy

Get a more complete perspective on things by putting yourself in other people's shoes. This will help you develop empathy towards others, which is a big step in finding solutions that will appeal to all parties involved.

2. Look For Ways to Increase Your Confidence

Confidence is a powerful asset when it comes to interpersonal relationships. A healthy balance between trust and humility makes you look more self-reliant. If you don't feel comfortable, the person you are talking to will also be uncomfortable. Plus, feeling confident even allows you to be better at negotiation, conflict resolution, and giving constructive criticism.

3. Acknowledge Others’ Expertise

One of the best ways to build trust at work is to let your colleagues know that you value their expertise. Ask them for help with projects and tasks that are not your strengths.

4. Cultivate a Positive Attitude

Learn to be positive by reminding yourself of the good things in your life and work every day. If you have personal troubles, put them aside until the end of your workday. If you're stressed out about a work issue, look for the positives and take advantage of it.

5. Be Open to Criticism

If you want to know how other people feel when you interact with them, ask them about it. It's as simple as saying, “Hey, I'm really trying to improve my interpersonal skills. What did you think of me when we first met? How do you feel when we interact? Do you think I am a good listener? Is there anything I could do to improve myself?” Most importantly, listen openly to these comments and use them to develop your skills. 

6. Learn to Control Your Emotions

Your workplace is not the place to be overly emotional. Whether you are extremely irritated, severely depressed, or very happy, take a deep breath and moderate your emotions. At all times, be calm and be patient when speaking.

7. Maintain Your Relationships

Connect with your college friends and former colleagues on social media or by email; from time to time, try to meet with them in person. It shows them that you still value your relationships with them—and it can go a long way in advancing your career.

8. Learn How to Resolve Conflicts

Chances are you will need to resolve a conflict at some point. Active listening and problem-solving are helpful in this regard, as you will need to objectively listen to all parties and find a solution that benefits all parties involved.

9. Practice Assertiveness

Being assertive is about confidently expressing your needs and opinions in a fair, honest and calm manner, while taking into account the needs and opinions of others. People are more likely to like and respect you if you communicate assertively rather than passively or aggressively.

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Key Points

• To be successful, you need to be able to demonstrate a wide array of skills to convince the hiring manager that you are the right fit for the job.
• Applicants are usually quick to highlight their qualifications, training, and technical experience, while interpersonal and behavioral skills are of equal interest to recruiters. Make sure to include them on your resume to prove that you have the right set of qualifications for the job.

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.