Key strengths are talents, character traits, and knowledge that are particularly relevant to a given role. These are often listed on resumes and self-assessments for performance reviews. The term “key strengths” refers to specific talents that make an individual especially valuable to their employer. As such, specific abilities like “consensus building” are used instead of more general and vague skills like “communication.”
Key strengths can be both hard and soft skills, and may include things like technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, leadership, adaptability, communication, and teamwork. Identifying and highlighting your key strengths can help you stand out from other job applicants and demonstrate to potential employers why you are a good fit for the role.
The following are common key strengths.
| Ability to Execute | Achieving Budget |
| Analytical Skills | Attention to Detail |
| Building Morale | Building Rapport |
| Business Acumen | Business Know-how |
| Candor | Clearing Issues |
| Closing Sales | Commitment |
| Consensus Building | Constructive Approach |
| Cost Reduction | Customer Satisfaction |
| Customer-oriented | Dealing with Ambiguity |
| Developing Trust | Diligence |
| Exceeding Expectations | Executive Presence |
| Fast Turnaround Time | Flexibility |
| Generating Revenue | Growing Business |
| Industry Know-how | Management |
| Managing Time | Meeting Deadlines |
| Operational Leadership | Positive |
| Problem Resolution | Product Knowledge |
| Productivity | Providing Transparency |
| Public Speaking | Relationship Building |
| Reliability | Resilient |
| Responsiveness | Self-Direction |
| Self-Learner | Stakeholder Management |
| Technical Acumen | Technical Depth |
| Technical Know-how | Technical Leadership |
| Visibility | Work Quality |
| Work Throughput | Work-Ethic |
