What are "adaptability" and "flexibility"
During your last job search, did you see the following requirement (or something similar): "Adapt to change and lead change"?
And you started revising and revising your resume. Reconsider and overanalyze whether your experience shows how you deal with change...
Benjamin Franklin once said, "Change is the only constant in life. The ability to adapt to these changes will determine your success in life.”
With that in mind, we'll show you how to best showcase your 'adaptability' and 'flexibility' skills on your resume.
Beide Soft Skills sind sich sehr ähnlich und werden in Stellenausschreibungen oft synonym verwendet.
“Adaptability” are qualities that help you adapt to changes in situations faced with new (and/or unexpected) factors, conditions, environments, circumstances, or obstacles.
"Flexibility" is also the ability to adapt one's behavior and actions to changes. But beyond that, it defines the willpower to adapt your mindset to the new and unknown.
This sentence may be a bit trite, but it still reflects our reality. For the past two years, we've adapted to the "new normal" every day - from the way we live to the way we work.
And the main result of this constant adaptation is how we develop our cognitive and learning skills, which are also essential for the workplace.
Without giving too much away, let's look at a few more reasons why your adaptability and flexibility are worth mentioning.
Why recruiters want “adaptability” and “flexibility” on their resume
Customization and flexibility skills aren't just things you need to "check off your list" and be done with. You show recruiters that you will be successful in the role.
From the start of a new position you should be able to adapt easily to new systems, surroundings and colleagues.
Of course, this responsibility lies on both sides, but your ability to be flexible can make it easier for you to settle into your new job.
Customizable skills show recruiters are a dependable and diverse professional; a great team player and employee.
Being adaptable means you can navigate uncharted waters and are not afraid to face the unknown. And you are always able to deliver – no matter what the circumstances.
Looking to the future, adaptable employees are early adopters of new ideas.
In order to survive in the modern economy, companies must implement new technologies.
Employees who show adaptability integrate easily into their work environment.
Continue to shape the corporate culture and tackle the first wave of innovation.
Her career exemplifies a desire for growth and advancement.
Simply put, from the moment these employees step into the office, they are ready to take on any challenge to achieve their goals.
And if you're still wondering which of your skills are great examples of flexibility, look no further.
What skills, activities, and accomplishments help you highlight your “adaptability” and “flexibility”?
We have compiled the 3 most popular qualities that define you as an adaptable and flexible professional.
Of course, you shouldn't just limit yourself to these 3, but use them as a framework for your experiment:
- awareness and openness- Both skills are more associated with demonstrating a certain mindset. They portray a person who is aware of and understands his surroundings. And when a particular problem arises, they can seek new solutions from a variety of sources with an open mind.
- Creative and strategic thinking- what do you think about experimenting and improvising? Creative and strategic thinkers can offer a fresh perspective on a specific topic. But they also think about the future—the impact of their actions on the bottom line, the signature, or the big picture.
- Conflict Resolution Skills- Being able to engage in a polite discussion or debate with your colleagues shows adaptability. Remember to show impartiality - that you respect the opinions of others in the event of a conflict. Focus on what can be done rather than unnecessary drama.
How to demonstrate “adaptability” and “flexibility” on your resume:
- Describe how you handled unplanned changes to your work environment—whether it was communicating unprecedented problems to clients or being the first to explore a new tool;
- In your daily work, another good example would be how you have adjusted your workflow to prioritize unplanned events;
- Think of situations where you chaired meetings with your team (and/or clients) to gather everyone's feedback, opinions and ideas in an impartial and positive environment;
- Instances where you offered innovative thinking to a specific problem - this had a positive and measurable impact;
- Even your attitude towards failure can be well described - where you made a mistake but stood up and offered new solutions.
As you've seen so far, demonstrating your adaptability and flexibility is all about showing how you think.
They help you to be successful in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. And guide you to see change as an opportunity and not a threat to your work.
If you rely on a good thesaurus to write your resume instead of showing what you can do, you're not going to get anywhere too quickly.
Because not all of us can be “dynamic, adaptable, flexible, and adaptable individuals.”
Eventually that sandcastle you built will disappear.
That's why you need to build it with more durable "materials" - in this case, evidence and examples.
To further improve your adaptability and flexibility in your CV, we have prepared some snippets for you.
They describe how to properly showcase those particular skills (or should we say mindset) as part of your career.
Example 1: Demonstrate "adaptability" and "flexibility" in the experience area
Professional status: Project Manager, applying for the position of Senior Project Manager
experience
project manager
IBM
London, United Kingdom
Budget, coordinate and develop other confidential projects with a focus on scope, cost and key deliverables.
Risk assessment: coordinated response actions with other areas to identify and manage potential risks.
Prioritization and strategy for necessary change requests, which are then communicated to customers and key stakeholders.
Ways for further automation discovered and their implementation coordinated.
RIGHT
The project manager's CV shows that his role included both ongoing responsibility (day-to-day management) and increasing responsibility. The impact they created was measurable at their primary focus.
Think of similar risk assessments or system upgrade requirements that you had to implement. They reveal their expertise in an unprecedented environment. Excellent examples would be situations where you needed to communicate necessary adjustments or changes to other departments and/or customers.
Every early implementation situation (of software or processes) shows a flexible mindset.
Example 2: Demonstrate “Adaptability” and “Flexibility” in the Resume Summary section.
Job status: Crisis communications specialist with 3 years of experience managing PR campaigns
summary
Planned and managed media campaigns to help clients better communicate their message and convert negative media attention into positive opportunities.
RIGHT
Any situation where you need to announce “unusual” or “unique” (to put it mildly) events requires flexibility.
In the case of the crisis communication specialist, they always made the best of every situation and played the customer's trump card in front of the media. Regardless of the circumstances and events, they knew how to plan ahead and make that positive impact.
Example 3: Demonstrate your “Adaptability” and “Flexibility” in your performance sections
Occupation: Elementary school teacher applying for the position of Head of School
successes
Lesson plan designed to reflect student interests
I have adapted the national curriculum to be more understandable and fun for my students. Implemented activities to better suit the learning habits and behavior of each student.
Weekly initiative for students to discuss school
I have created a weekly platform where my students discuss various topics. From cafeteria food politics to books to read in 2021.
Helped colleagues learn how to use Zoom
When we had to start teaching virtually, many employees had a hard time getting used to Zoom. So I quickly organized some seminars where I showed how to use Zoom and test different functions. In fact, it became our weekly update meeting.
RIGHT
“Key Accomplishments” for each role can allow you to further emphasize your flexibility skills through your resume.
Notice the pattern in the role of this elementary school teacher? They have constantly evolved their responsibilities to better serve students' interests while creating a better learning experience for everyone.
Example 4: Demonstrate “adaptability” and “flexibility” in other sections of your resume
Did you ever have the opportunity to spend a year abroad during your studies (as part of an Erasmus program or similar)? If so, you can add this to your education section and share more about your experience.
Briefly state one of the following points:
- How you dealt with language barriers and communication challenges;
- Getting used to the new environment;
- Meeting new people and making friends—impacts they had on your faith and mindset.
This would further show that you can adapt to any scenario both personally and professionally.
“Adaptability” and “Flexibility”: key points for your CV
- It is best to represent your adaptability and flexibility skills through your experiences highlighting scenarios where you have had to deal with change;
- Showing these skills can be an indicator not only of your professionalism, but also of your character, your ability to thrive and grow in any environment.
- Being the first to try new things in the workplace - be it your processes, systems or tools - can be another great tip for your ever-evolving interpersonal skills.
About this report:
The data reflects the analysis performed by Enhancv.com on more than 1 million resume profiles and samples over the last 2 years.
Although these skills are the most common on resumes, you should only use them for inspiration and tailor your resume to the job at hand.
FAQs
How do you say you are flexible and adaptable on a resume? ›
The best way to show you're flexible is to write varied accomplishments (i.e. which shows you dipped your feet in a lot of different things), and through listing different job titles (i.e. through a promotion, which shows you had varied leadership responsibilities too).
How would you describe adaptability skills and flexibility? ›Adaptability refers to a change in behavior or acclimation to a new type of situation and can involve comprehensive changes. Flexibility usually refers to a person giving more or less in the same situation without changing the components or altering their overall approach or behavior.
How would you describe your adaptability skills? ›Adaptability is a soft skill that means you easily adjust to changing circumstances. An adaptable person in the workplace can keep up with moving priorities, projects, clients, and technology. They're skilled at dealing with changes at work, whether process updates or their work environment.
What are some examples of adaptability and flexibility? ›- Working part-time whilst studying, perhaps taking on last-minute shifts.
- Year abroad or independent travel abroad.
- Taking on different roles and responsibilities.
- Combining study with personal commitments.
- Moving from home to university.
Examples of adaptability in the workplace include being willing to adjust your plans in response to shifting strategic company priorities, new roles and responsibilities, new systems and technologies, process improvements and policy changes.
How do you describe flexibility at work? ›Workplace flexibility embraces the idea that employees can be productive no matter when or where they perform their work. Rather than enforcing a rigid workplace environment or schedule, workplace flexibility acknowledges individual needs and supports better work-life balance and employee well-being.
How does one demonstrate adaptability and flexibility at work? ›If you want to demonstrate adaptability and flexibility at work, one of the best strategies is to take on new responsibilities. Think about tasks that are different from your usual role, and volunteer to take them on. This shows that you're willing to adapt to new roles and responsibilities.
How do you say adaptability as a strength? ›Show that you can adapt to working with others to be successful. Example: "Since I understand that everyone has a different working style, I find it important to be able to adjust my working style when I am collaborating with others. When working by myself, I find that I am quite logical and detail-oriented.
What are 3 examples of flexibility? ›- stretching.
- yoga.
- tai chi.
- pilates.
- Give an example of a time when you were trying to meet a deadline and you were interrupted and did not make the deadline. ...
- Give an example of a time when you had to quickly change project priorities. ...
- Recount a time when you accommodated someone beyond your comfort level, though you didn't have to.
How do I say I am flexible professionally? ›
I'm flexible and available just about any time you need me to work. I am simply looking forward to joining the team and helping whenever I am most needed. Why It Works: You could use this answer, or something similar, with full-time, part-time, or shift work.
Which is the best description for flexibility? ›Flexibility is the ability of a joint or series of joints to move through an unrestricted, pain free range of motion.
How do you describe yourself as flexible? ›Try to portray your confidence and adaptability by showing how well you can adjust to changes. To answer, think of a change you experienced that was out of your control and the steps you took to adjust. Example: "I adjust to changes by stepping back and taking a moment to create a plan.
Can you give an example of a time you have demonstrated adaptability? ›Deal with unpredictable conditions (e.g. when a team member quits) Adjust to changing circumstances (e.g. when clients modify their requirements) Help their coworkers embrace change (e.g. when they have to comply with a new company policy) Take on new tasks (e.g. when their job requirements increase)
What can I say instead of adaptable? ›Some common synonyms of adaptable are ductile, malleable, plastic, pliable, and pliant. While all these words mean "susceptible of being modified in form or nature," adaptable implies the capability of being easily modified to suit other conditions, needs, or uses.
How do you describe being flexible in your job? ›Flexibility in the workplace means being able to quickly adapt to new circumstances as they arise. An employee who is flexible can change their plans to navigate or overcome unanticipated obstacles.
What is adaptability strength in resume? ›- Problem-solving skills. Problem-solving skills are one of the most sought-after adaptability skills. ...
- Creative thinking. ...
- Conflict resolution. ...
- Organization. ...
- Resilience. ...
- Receptive to feedback. ...
- Ability to learn quickly. ...
- Adding adaptability skills in your resume summary.
Some common synonyms of flexible are elastic, resilient, springy, and supple. While all these words mean "able to endure strain without being permanently injured," flexible applies to something which may or may not be resilient or elastic but which can be bent or folded without breaking.
How do you answer flexibility as a strength? ›My greatest strength is my flexibility. I have learned that work conditions change from day to day and throughout the day, as well, no matter where I have worked in the past. I also have realized that certain projects require individual attention and others involve a teamwork approach.
How would you describe flexibility in your own words? ›The word “flexibility” technically means the ability to bend without breaking. However, people often use it to describe the ability to adjust to changes in your life without creating stress or drama. Being flexible in life means that you can change your plans and adapt to new situations easily.