In today’s market, millennials sometimes get a bad rap from more experienced professionals.  Perhaps the most common complaint that hiring managers make about this generation is that they lack the skills to really succeed in a work environment.  For example, Fast Company released a list of skills that are reported as the most deficient among new graduates.  Because of this perception, even qualified millennials may have difficulties breaking this stereotype.  However, there are simple ways to allude to the fact that you possess these skills even before you meet with a hiring manager.  When writing your resume, you can use specific action words with concrete examples to prove that you have the skill set that an employer needs.  Here are the top five in-demand soft skills for millennials and how you can showcase those abilities on your resume, without resorting to buzzwords:

Critical thinking/problem-solving

While you may be completely qualified to perform a job well, managers want to be sure that when a problem arises, you know how to handle the situation and work toward a solution.  In order to show a hiring manager that you possess these skills, you’ll need to prove that you can think on your feet.  Here are some verbs to apply to your own past experience:

• Resolved
• Identified
• Found
• Handled

Attention to detail

When hiring, an employer is most likely looking for someone who is somewhat self-sufficient.  If a manager’s subordinate has attention to detail, they can worry less about something falling through the cracks.  Here are some words you can use to show that you won’t let a mistake fly:

• Organized
• Diligently
• Audited
• Consistent

Communication

While communication may seem like the most obvious skill, it appears to be the most lacking among recent graduates.  Hopefully, your cover letter can assist in portraying your ability to communicate, but you can also add specific words to your resume to do the same.  Here are a few words to show that you know how to communicate in the workplace:

• Negotiated
• Corresponded
• Consulted
• Collaborated
• Liaised

Ownership

Many managers have noticed that millennials may be reluctant to take responsibility for their successes and failures.  For some of your past experiences, it may be easier to communicate those in the interview process.  However, you can still show that you’re proud of the work you’ve done through your resume.  To show that you can take ownership of your work, use these verbs:

• Created
• Authored
• Contributed

Leadership

Of course, managers are looking for employees that can stay at the organization for a long time and eventually move into leadership roles themselves.  As a result, they want to identify leadership skills, even if it isn’t needed for the current position.  To show that you can command respect and get results from a team, use these words:

• Trained
• Advised
• Directed