What Personal Qualities for CV and Attributes to Include

Personal qualities for CV are more important than ever. In today’s job market, your CV needs to do more than just list your experience. Employers are increasingly looking beyond degrees and job titles — they want to know what kind of person you are. That’s where personal qualities and attributes come in.

While skills show what you can do, personal qualities reveal how you approach your work, interact with others, and deal with challenges. This is especially important when employers are assessing your professional strengths alongside qualifications. Whether you're a school leaver or an experienced professional, highlighting the right personal qualities on your CV can set you apart from candidates with similar qualifications. Understanding the difference between what are personal skills and what are professional skills can help you frame your CV more effectively.

Quick Overview
Your CV is more than just a list of jobs and qualifications — it’s a reflection of who you are. In today’s job market, showcasing personal qualities like reliability, adaptability, and empathy can give you a real edge.

You’ll learn why personal traits matter, how to identify your own, and how to present them clearly across your CV — from your personal statement to your skills section.
✅ Understand the difference between personal qualities, skills, and attributes.
✅ Discover the top traits UK employers value most.
✅ Learn how to reflect your qualities using real-life examples (not clichés).
✅ Get practical tips for integrating them naturally throughout your CV.

Whether you're a school leaver or a seasoned professional, this guide helps your CV stand out — genuinely and professionally.

In this blog, you’ll learn which personal qualities and attributes employers value most, how to identify your own, and how to present them effectively on your CV. We’ll also include a useful list of skills and qualities to help guide your writing. Whether you’re applying for your first job or trying to make a career shift, these insights will help your CV stand out — genuinely and confidently.

Understanding Personal Qualities and Why They Matter

Highlighting the right personal qualities for CV helps showcase who you are beyond your skills and experience.

What Are Personal Qualities?

Personal qualities are the traits that define how you behave and react in different situations. They include things like patience, honesty, flexibility, and confidence. Unlike technical or professional skills, personal qualities are often shaped by your upbringing, environment, and life experiences.

You may have also heard of personal “attributes” or “soft skills.” While these terms often overlap, they aren’t always the same:

• Skills are abilities you’ve learned — like using Excel or speaking Spanish.
  
• Attributes are characteristics that define how you typically behave — like being detail-oriented or calm under pressure.
  
• Qualities are your innate traits — like kindness, empathy, or integrity.
  

Think of it like this: A skill shows what you can do, an attribute shows how you do it, and a quality shows who you are.

Including the right personal qualities for your CV helps employers understand not just your capabilities, but also your character and how you’re likely to fit into a team.

Why Employers Value Personal Qualities

It’s one thing to be able to complete a task. But it’s your approach — your work ethic, your attitude, and your ability to work with others — that determines how well you do it.

Personal skills and qualities influence:

• Team collaboration: A reliable, empathetic team member is far more valuable than one who’s difficult to work with, even if they’re highly skilled.
  
• Customer satisfaction: Attributes like patience, attentiveness, and emotional intelligence directly impact how well you handle customer service.
  
• Leadership potential: Confidence, integrity, and initiative signal someone who may grow into a leadership role.
  
• Adaptability: In changing environments, qualities like resilience and positivity make it easier for teams to cope.
  

Employers know they can train you in specific job tasks — the professional skills. However, personal qualities are more challenging to teach. So when they find them, they hold onto them.

Qualities vs Skills vs Attributes: The Key Differences

Let’s look at a simple example:

Imagine a candidate applying for a customer service role.

• Their skill might be: handling customer queries using a CRM system.
  
• Their attribute might be: being organised and methodical in resolving complaints.
  
• Their quality might be: being naturally calm and empathetic when dealing with upset customers.
  

Together, these show a well-rounded candidate with the right skills and qualities to thrive in the role. They are capable, reliable, and emotionally intelligent — exactly the type of person many employers are looking for.

Understanding the difference between skills, attributes, and personal qualities can help you write a more balanced and compelling CV. It allows you to highlight both your professional skills and your personal skills effectively.

How Personal Qualities Influence Hiring Decisions

You might be surprised how often employers favour a candidate with strong personal qualities over someone with more technical experience.

Why? Because they’re hiring a person — not just a CV. A great attitude and a willingness to learn can often outweigh a lack of experience. This is especially true for entry-level or customer-facing roles, where recruiters often say:

“Hire for attitude. Train for skill.”

In fact, some UK recruiters now use personality assessments to measure qualities like leadership, resilience, and motivation. But even before that stage, your CV should reflect the kind of person you are.

The way you write your personal statement, describe your experience, and choose your language can all signal the kind of colleague you’ll be. Including personal skills examples — such as communication, adaptability, or integrity — adds strength to your application.

Top 15 Personal Qualities and Attributes for CVs (With Examples)

You don’t need to list all your personal qualities on a CV. Instead, focus on a select few that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Below are 15 of the most sought-after personal qualities for CV writing in the UK job market — along with tips on how to showcase them effectively. These are excellent examples of skills and qualities that employers value across industries.

1. Reliability

Employers need to know they can count on you — to show up, meet deadlines, and follow through on your tasks. This is one of the most essential CV personal skills, especially in roles where consistency matters.

How to demonstrate it on your CV:

“Consistently met coursework deadlines and maintained 100% attendance record throughout university.”

2. Adaptability

In fast-changing environments — such as tech, healthcare, or retail — your ability to adjust is crucial. Including adaptability among your skills and qualities CV can show you're ready to handle evolving challenges.

Example statement:

“Quickly adapted to remote learning and collaborated online during the pandemic, maintaining top academic performance.”

3. Integrity

This is about doing the right thing, even when no one’s watching. Employers trust people with integrity to handle sensitive tasks and client information — a valuable trait in any list of skills and qualities for a CV.

How to show it on your CV:

“Entrusted with managing confidential client files during summer internship at a legal firm.”

4. Initiative

Taking initiative shows that you’re proactive and solution-oriented — two qualities that employers admire greatly. It’s a standout example when listing CV skills and qualities for leadership or project-based roles.

Example:

“Identified a gap in our team’s presentation process and suggested a new template that improved efficiency.”

5. Resilience

Whether it’s bouncing back from setbacks or keeping calm during stressful periods, resilience is vital. This is one of the more underrated CV personal skills that demonstrates emotional strength and professionalism.

On your CV:

“Balanced part-time job with full-time studies, developing strong resilience and time management.”

6. Empathy

This quality shines in customer service, leadership, and healthcare — any role where understanding others matters. It's one of the most human-centred personal qualities for CV writing and valued across sectors.

Example:

“Supported peers through university mentoring scheme, offering guidance and emotional support.”

7. Time Management

This goes beyond just meeting deadlines — it shows you know how to prioritise and work efficiently. A great example to include when listing your skills and qualities for a CV, especially for fast-paced roles.

CV Example:

“Effectively managed multiple coursework deadlines and a voluntary tutoring role alongside part-time work.”

8. Attention to Detail

If you’re applying for roles in finance, administration, research, or anything data-driven, this is key. This is one of the top professional skills for CV use in analytical or accuracy-focused roles.

Example:

“Compiled detailed monthly reports as part of a university project, with 100% accuracy in data entries.”

9. Creativity

Creativity isn’t just for designers — it’s also about problem-solving and thinking differently. It’s a valuable entry among both personal and professional skills across industries.

On your CV:

“Designed innovative social media campaigns during internship, boosting page engagement by 35%.”

10. Work Ethic

A strong work ethic means you’re dependable, committed, and motivated — traits that employers always value. It’s one of the core personal skills and qualities that speaks volumes in any role.

Example:

“Volunteered for additional shifts during peak trading periods while maintaining academic performance.”

11. Patience

Patience is especially important in teaching, customer support, and any roles that involve conflict resolution. It’s one of those personal qualities for CV inclusion that reflects emotional maturity.

CV Example:

“Handled customer complaints calmly and effectively during weekend shifts at a busy supermarket.”

12. Confidence

Confidence helps you express ideas clearly and engage with clients, managers, and peers. This is among the more standout skills and attributes examples for roles requiring public speaking or collaboration.

Example Statement:

“Presented marketing project findings to a panel of judges at university showcase event.”

13. Accountability

Owning your actions — good or bad — is a leadership trait in disguise. It shows you take responsibility seriously and is a great addition to your professional skills for CV.

CV Tip:

“Led team project and took responsibility for final edits; ensured submission met all quality standards.”

14. Emotional Intelligence

This quality combines self-awareness, empathy, and relationship management — ideal for roles requiring teamwork or leadership. A vital part of your personal skills and qualities list.

Example:

“Facilitated communication in group projects by recognising and resolving conflicts sensitively.”

15. Positivity

A can-do attitude boosts morale and makes you a joy to work with. Whether in personal resumes or job-specific CVs, positivity leaves a lasting impression.

CV Statement:

“Known for maintaining a positive attitude under pressure, particularly during busy retail shifts.”

By integrating these personal qualities for CV writing — especially under your personal profile, work experience, or voluntary work — you give employers a much clearer idea of who you are beyond your job title or degree. Combining personal and professional skills helps ensure your application stands out. Be sure to tailor your CV to reflect these skills and attributes examples based on the specific job you’re applying for.

How to Identify and Describe Your Personal Qualities

It’s one thing to know which personal qualities employers want. But how do you identify the qualities you truly have? And how can you express them authentically on your CV without sounding generic or overconfident?

This section walks you through self-assessment techniques and practical advice for articulating your strengths in a way that feels honest and convincing. It will help you recognise your personal qualities for CV writing, and how to present them effectively.

Self-Assessment Strategies

Discover how to identify and showcase your personal qualities for CV success with confidence and clarity.

1. Reflect on Past Experiences

Think back to your academic life, part-time jobs, volunteering, or personal challenges. When did you succeed, and what qualities helped you succeed?

• Did you stay calm under pressure during exams? That’s resilience — a great personal attribute for a job.
  
• Did you help organise events? That’s organisation, leadership, and initiative — excellent examples of professional skills.
  
• Did friends or teammates always rely on you? That shows reliability and trustworthiness — key personal qualities for CV impact.
  

Write down real situations and the personal attributes for CV purposes that helped you succeed. These can also serve as an example of skills of a person in real-life contexts.

2. Ask for Feedback

Sometimes, others see our qualities more clearly than we do.

• Ask friends, former colleagues, mentors, or tutors: “What do you think are my top strengths?”
  
• Look through old performance reviews, recommendation letters, or peer feedback — especially if you’re an experienced job seeker.
  

Often, consistent comments like “always dependable” or “great with people” reveal core personal attributes for a job and support the development of a personalised list of professional skills to include on your CV.

3. Use Personality Tools (With Caution)

Free personality tests like the 16 Personalities (MBTI) or Big Five can give you a vocabulary to start identifying traits. But don’t rely solely on them — they're just one lens.

Instead, use the results to reflect and confirm what you already know about yourself. Focus on traits that genuinely show up in your day-to-day life. These tools can be helpful starting points when drafting your personal qualities for CV or identifying personal attributes for CV sections.

Tying Qualities to Real Experiences

Once you've identified some personal qualities, the next step is to make them believable and relatable. That means backing them up with short, concrete examples — not just listing traits. This is where you turn abstract traits into clear examples of professional skills.

The STAR method works particularly well here:

• Situation: What was happening?
  
• Task: What needed to be done?
  
• Action: What did you do?
  
• Result: What was the outcome?
  

Example:

“When our part-time team leader quit unexpectedly (S), I volunteered to step in and coordinate weekend staffing (T). I organised shift schedules, handled cash registers, and supported junior staff (A). We kept operations running smoothly, and the manager praised my initiative and reliability (R).”

From this one example, you’ve demonstrated reliability, initiative, leadership, and resilience — all powerful personal attributes for CV writing and highly sought-after in a list of professional skills.

That’s the key: show, don’t just tell. Your CV should reflect more than just job duties — it should demonstrate the example of skills of a person through actions and outcomes.

Using Language that Sounds Natural

The mistake many CVs make is relying on vague or overused phrases like:

• “Excellent communication skills”
  
• “Hard worker”
  
• “Team player”
  
• “Go-getter”
  

These statements don’t mean much without context. You don’t want to sound like you’re copying from a template or using generic terms from a typical personal skills list.

Instead:
Replace “excellent communicator” with:

“Regularly presented project updates to senior tutors and peers in weekly seminars.”

Replace “team player” with:

“Collaborated with a team of five to launch a charity fundraiser that exceeded its £1,000 target.”

The more specific and vivid you are, the more memorable you become. This approach highlights your personal qualities for CV and transforms vague claims into concrete examples of your personal skill.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Listing Every Positive Trait You Can Think Of:
   Don’t try to impress by listing 10 random qualities. It comes off as unfocused or insincere. Choose 3–5 qualities that are both true to you and relevant to the job. Focus on key professional skills for resume success.
   
2. Copy-Pasting from Online Lists:
   Recruiters can spot a copy-paste job a mile away. Don’t just lift phrases like “enthusiastic self-starter” or “goal-oriented team player” without evidence. Tailor your personal skills CV carefully.
   
3. Overusing Buzzwords:
   Words like “driven,” “passionate,” and “innovative” only work if they’re followed by examples. Otherwise, they sound empty.
   
4. Lying or Exaggerating:
   This might seem obvious, but it’s worth repeating: Don’t fake a personality you don’t have. Even if it gets you an interview, it won’t serve you well once you're on the job.
   

This guidance will help you present your personal qualities for CV authentically and professionally, ensuring your CV stands out for all the right reasons.

Where and How to Showcase Personal Qualities on Your CV

Now that you’ve identified your strongest personal qualities for CV and backed them up with real examples, the final step is integrating them into your CV in the right places.
You want these traits to appear naturally and strategically, so they complement your qualifications and help you stand out without sounding forced or repetitive.

1. Personal Statement (CV Summary)

The personal statement or summary at the top of your CV is one of the best places to highlight key personal qualities for CV — especially those that relate directly to the job you’re applying for. This section serves as a quick introduction to your character and capabilities, reflecting a solid list of personal skills.

Example (for a school leaver applying for a retail job):
“Motivated and dependable school leaver with strong communication skills and a natural flair for customer service. Known for staying calm under pressure and working well with others. Looking to contribute to a fast-paced retail team while developing new skills.”
This tells the employer that you’re not only capable but also the type of person they’d want on their team, demonstrating key professionalism skills.

2. Experience Section

Don’t just list job duties in your work history — show how you carried them out. That’s where your good personal skills come through.

Weak example:
“Worked at a call centre handling customer queries.”

Stronger version:
“Handled high call volumes in a fast-paced environment while maintaining professionalism, empathy, and attention to detail. Praised for resolving difficult complaints calmly and effectively.”

This version reflects personal qualities like patience, emotional intelligence, and resilience — all without listing them directly. This is an effective way to showcase examples of personal skills in context.

3. Achievements or Voluntary Experience

If you have achievements from school, university, or voluntary roles, this is a great area to show character traits like leadership, initiative, or creativity. Such examples often make your CV more persuasive than just listing qualities.

Example:
“Led a team of five students to organise a university fundraising event, raising £2,300 for a local charity. Managed communications, delegated tasks, and ensured smooth delivery on the day.”
Here, you demonstrate qualities like leadership, teamwork, and accountability — which appear on many professional skills lists.

4. Skills Section

Traditionally, this is where people list hard skills like “Microsoft Excel” or “Data Analysis.” But you can also include a few well-chosen soft skills or personal qualities for CV, as long as they’re backed up elsewhere in the CV.

Example Skills Section:

• Analytical thinking
  
• Empathy and communication
  
• Time management
  
• Reliability and accountability
  
• Adaptability in high-pressure environments
  

This approach gives recruiters quick insight into your character without overloading the section. It’s important to understand what is professional skills and how they combine both technical and interpersonal abilities.

5. Cover Letter

Your cover letter is your chance to bring your CV to life. Use it to narrate a short story that shows your personal qualities for CV in action — ideally tailored to the job description.

If the job advert asks for a “self-starter with strong attention to detail,” your cover letter might say:
“In my previous internship, I took the initiative to create a client feedback tracker that helped identify service gaps. I enjoy taking ownership of tasks and ensuring accuracy at every step.”

Notice how the qualities are woven naturally into the story, giving concrete examples of personal skills that make you stand out.

If you need help creating a personal skills definition section or further tailoring your CV with both personal skills CV and professional skills for resume keywords, just let me know!

Final Thoughts: Be Honest, Be Specific, Be You

The best CVs don’t just list what you’ve done — they give employers a glimpse into who you are. That’s where personal qualities for CV and attributes come in.

To recap:

• Identify your qualities through self-reflection, feedback, and examples.
  
• Support them with real-life situations using the STAR method.
  
• Tailor your presentation to match each role, using language that’s natural and precise.
  
• Avoid empty clichés — be specific and show, don’t just tell.
  

No matter your experience level, a well-written CV showcasing genuine personal qualities and skills can make a powerful impression. It shows that you’re not only capable but also a great fit for the team, the role, and the company’s culture.

So take the time to reflect, craft, and polish — and let your personality skills and skills and personal attributes shine through. This is the key to highlighting the right qualities for resume success.