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When we talk about resumes, the focus is usually on hard skills—technical abilities, certifications, and job-specific knowledge. But in today’s competitive job market, soft skills are just as critical, if not more so. Unfortunately, many candidates overlook them, fitting only the bare essentials into a one-page resume. If that sounds familiar, you might be missing an opportunity to stand out in a crowded field. Let’s explore why soft skills deserve more attention, how AI-driven hiring is changing the landscape, and how a post-COVID shift in the workforce has made these professional abilities more valuable than ever. Soft Skills: The Human Side of the Resume Soft skills refer to personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively with others in the workplace. These include communication, adaptability, emotional intelligence, time management, and problem-solving, to name a few. Unlike hard skills, which are usually quantifiable, soft skills are about how you work rather than what you know—making them harder to showcase in a resume. Here’s the truth: Employers want both. It’s one thing to know how to run a SQL query, but it’s another to think critically about how this information will help to solve a customer problem, clearly explain your findings to non-technical internal and external customers, manage this project (along with your other tasks) under an extremely tight deadline, and effectively resolve some internal team conflicts that arose during the project. You might feel limited by the structure of a typical one-page resume, but that doesn't mean your soft skills should be left out. Consider using your summary or bullet points under each job to illustrate soft skill application. For example: “Collaborated cross-functionally with marketing and design teams to launch a product three weeks ahead of schedule.” That sentence implies teamwork, time management, and initiative—all soft skills—while still keeping the bullet concise and relevant. Why Formatting and AI Matter Now here’s where it gets trickier. Increasingly, companies are using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) or AI-powered screening tools to sort through resumes before a human ever sees them. These tools scan resumes for keywords, experience, and formatting structure. If your resume isn’t formatted correctly or doesn’t include the right keyword phrases (including those related to soft skills), you may never make it past the first round. That’s why a well-crafted resume that highlights both hard and soft skills with clean formatting and appropriate terminology is so important. This is particularly crucial for utilizing the Michigan Career Portal. Similar to many ATS, the Career Portal will pull keywords from your resume to match you with open jobs. Try uploading your resume to the career portal and see which soft skills it pulls from your resume. If you do not see many show up in your skills assessment, consider revising your resume to include additional soft skills. (Pro tip: Need help deciding which soft skills to emphasize? Read the job postings of 5-7 jobs you are interested in to see what soft skills they are most interested in.) Why Does This Matter? Following the COVID-19 pandemic, employers have been reporting a lack of soft skills in the emerging workforce. There is a lot of concern about new workers not showing up on time, struggling to collaborate in group settings, and being unable to have professional conversations. Companies value these skills because they help you better integrate into the company culture and enable you to more effectively contribute to the organization's goals and success. If you can demonstrate these soft skills in your resume, you can demonstrate your value to a potential employer. Take Action: Showcase the Whole You So, what can you do right now? Audit your resume: Go through it and check where you can naturally incorporate soft skills into your descriptions. Don’t just say, “led a team,” say “led a cross-functional team of five to meet project goals ahead of schedule.” Use your cover letter wisely: This is a great place to talk about your adaptability, leadership, or resilience in the face of challenges. Practice what you preach: Make sure your LinkedIn profile, personal branding, and interview responses back up what’s on your resume. Employers want consistency. Get feedback: Whether it's from a mentor, peer, or career coach, an outside perspective can help you refine how you present your soft skills. Final Thoughts In today’s job market, showcasing your soft skills isn’t just preferred—it’s expected. As hiring becomes more tech-driven and competitive, your ability to stand out relies on presenting a full picture of who you are, not just what you know. Take the time to flesh out your skills, tailor your resume, and show potential employers that you’re not just qualified—you’re ready to thrive. Cameron Maddock was born and raised in Michigan and is a rising junior at the University of Michigan studying economics and public policy. As a student assistant with the Talent Solutions team at Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Cameron's projects focused on making the Michigan Career Portal more accessible for students, and helping to develop Michigan’s talent pipeline.

A great way to identify career opportunities and improve your job prospects in the West Michigan region is to build a strong network by getting involved in some of the many industry and business associations across the region. You’ll have the opportunity to develop new skills, connect with other professionals in your industry, learn more about the community, and keep your finger on the pulse of upcoming job prospects across the region. The West Michigan region includes 13 counties: Kent, Montcalm, Ionia, Barry, Allegan, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Newaygo, Mecosta, and Oceola. The five largest cities in the region are: Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon, Wyoming, and Kentwood. These are also where the greatest number of open jobs exist. It is the second-largest region in the state for both the number of employers and open job opportunities. Grand Rapids is listed as the number one city to grow your career on LinkedIn’s Cities on the Rise list. And as the largest city in the West Michigan region, there are a variety of great opportunities to get connected. However, the entire West Michigan region offers a multitude of organizations interested in helping you to build your network and develop your professional community. Here’s a list of 46 organizations to help you get started building your network in the West Michigan and Grand Rapids region: Young Professional Organizations: Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Michigan Young Professionals Association for Corporate Growth Next Gen Holland/Zeeland Young Professionals Junior Chamber International (JCI) Muskegon Muskegon Young Black Professionals The Grand Rapids Junior Chamber United Way Emerging Leaders Young Nonprofit Professionals of Grand Rapids Young Presidents Organization (YPO) West Michigan Young Professionals of Grand Rapids Development and Networking for Specific Roles/Groups American Institute of Architects (AIA) Grand Rapids American Marketing Association West Michigan Association for Accountants and Finance Professional in Business – Grand Rapids Chapter Association for Fund Raising Professionals West Michigan Chapter Grand Rapids Bar Association Grand Rapids Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association Grand Rapids Python Users Meetup Group Grand Rapids Web Development Meetup (GRWebDev) Inforum West Michigan Institute of Internal Auditors – West Michigan International Facility Management Association – West Michigan Chapter International Institute of Business Analytics – West Michigan LinkedUp Grand Rapids Muskegon Rotary Club Software GR West Michigan AI Lab West Michigan Public Relations Society Women in Manufacturing – Western Michigan Industry Associations: Precision Metalforming Association West Michigan Technology Council of West Michigan The Economic Club of Grand Rapids The Manufacturers Council of West Michigan Entrepreneur/Startups/Small Business: Grand Rapids Chamber OutPro GROW Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women Latina Network of West Michigan SpringGR The Mitten Project West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce West Michigan SmartZones Muskegon SmartZone Spartan Innovations Start Garden Grand Rapids SURGE Holland SmartZone Alumni Associations: Ferris State University Alumni Grand Valley State University Alumni Hope College Alumni Association Davenport University Alumni  Author:  Rachel Gray  is Executive Director of  Hello West Michigan  in  Grand Rapids , where she promotes West Michigan as a great place to live and work. She helps educate employers and prospective relocatees about the region. Hello West Michigan runs  West Michigan Intern Connect , a summer engagement program and the largest gathering of interns in the state every June. The organization’s other resources include the  Weekly Resume Pack Program , informational resources, a  Job Board  and a community onboarding program for executives, Rapid Roots . Rachel is a native Michigander. She is an alumna of Aquinas College and interned at Celebration! Cinema.

Career fairs are a fabulous way to meet employers in person. With the right preparation, you can demonstrate to an employer just how effective your skills and abilities are. Career fairs, however, can be pretty scary for jobseekers who don’t know what to expect. If someone has never attended a career fair before, this can cause uncertainty and worry. The truth is though, career fairs do not have to be scary. They are a great way to learn about new organizations, increase connections, and explore diverse industries and careers. So how does someone effectively prepare for a career fair? Do Your Research It is vital for you to do your “homework” and conduct research on the list of organizations that are going to be at the fair. You should take the time to target the organizations you want to speak with. Employers can tell when a jobseeker has conducted research on their company, and it makes you look well-prepared and informed. Conducting research will also allow you to have a valuable conversation with the employer. Check the company website, browse open positions, learn about mission and values, and better understand the services provided or the clients/industries that the company serves. Think about a list of topics for discussion. Some examples: academic or professional projects you have worked on, how the mission and value of the company aligns with your interests, and how previous work experience can fit open roles at the company. Lock Down Your Elevator Pitch An Elevator Pitch is key when you are introducing yourself to an employer. An Elevator Pitch is a 20-second introduction that gives the employer more detail about you. For a student this includes your name, academic major and degree, graduation date, (brief) comment regarding previous work experience, and what you are looking for at this career fair. Check out an example below: “Hello. My name is Tiffany Shamoon, a Chemistry major here at XYZ University. I am graduating in December of 2025 and looking to secure a full-time position. I have a passion for pharmaceutical research and upon research of your organization, I learned that this is one of the main areas your team focuses on. Currently, I work as a Lab Assistant for the university and have the privilege of working alongside faculty to research topics A, B, and C. It’s great to have the chance to meet you today!” As we all know, practice makes perfect! Students and jobseekers alike are encouraged to attend a future career fair to practice your elevator pitch out loud. Several times! You may even record the Elevator Pitch and play it back. This will allow you to listen to your communication skills and adjust anything that will make the pitch sound better. Better yet, try to find a friend or family member that you can practice the pitch with. Remember: an elevator pitch will change depending on the company and industry that you are speaking with. Send Thank You Emails Lastly, thank you emails are a small yet impactful gesture! You should be sending thank you emails the same day that the career fair took place. I tell my students to make notes of the conversation they had with each employer. Write down what stood out to you or just a couple things that made the conversation valuable. When a student or jobseeker sends a thank you note to an employer, they can add these comments. Sending thank you notes shows your appreciation for the time the company took out of their schedule to visit your campus and meet with you or participate in a community career fair.  Remember that companies/organizations are probably recruiting at several different colleges and universities as well as across geographies. This means that they are meeting with hundreds of different potential candidates. Sending a thank you note will help set you apart.  These three tips are important to make sure you make the most of your time at a career fair and will make the best impression on recruiters. Schedule your time ahead of the event to prepare, and after to follow up, and you will create a great impression that can move your resume to the top of the applicant list. Tiffany Shamoon was born and raised in Michigan. She has been employed at Lawrence Technological University (LTU) for the last 3.5 years as a Career Services Advisor. Tiffany focuses on equipping students with the tools and strategies they need to thrive in a competitive job market. This includes resume reviews, cover letter reviews, career fair prep, mock interview practice, and more. Tiffany also collaborates with employers from a diverse range of industries to help build brand awareness on campus and increase the recruitment pipeline for LTU students.