They make up your inner world, but are you making the most of them?

Chances are, you've heard of intrapersonal skills, but do you know what they are? People often confuse this term for a strikingly similar one. However, we're here to clear things up. In this guide, we'll look at intrapersonal skills, their meaning, how you can improve them, and ways to incorporate them into your CV.

What are intrapersonal skills?

Intrapersonal skills often get mistaken for interpersonal skills. But there's a massive difference:

  • Interpersonal skills are people skills – they define how you get along with other people. Especially valuable in any modern workplace, these skills include reflective listening, working productively within a team, and collaboration. 

  • Intrapersonal skills, with the prefix “intra” meaning “on the inside” or “within,” encompass the traits you have within yourself that help you manage your emotions and cope with any challenges or obstacles that come your way. They involve being aware of your strengths, weaknesses, and the impact your actions and ideas have on others. 

Examples of intrapersonal skills

Looking for some intrapersonal skill examples? 

Our brains are fascinating entities and how we use them can make such a difference to how we live our lives and interact with others. If you're aware of your own skills, you can use them to your, and others', advantage. Check out our list of essential intrapersonal skills below:

1. Strong sense of self 

You've probably come across colleagues brimming with confidence, no matter what the situation. But do they possess inner confidence? People with genuine inner confidence have that quiet self-belief that stems from being comfortable in their own skin. Having a true sense of who you are and what you stand for allows you to navigate challenges professionally and with integrity.

2. Self-awareness 

The ability to perceive and understand what makes you you, including your values, personality, and beliefs, self-awareness enables you to communicate more effectively, make better decisions, and build stronger working relationships.

3. Self-regulation

This is especially relevant in the workplace. You want to project passion, but you also need to curtail over-emotional responses as they can cloud your judgement. When you're stressed, you need to have complete control over how you react to your surroundings.

4. Self-esteem 

How much do you value and appreciate yourself? Self-esteem refers to the intrinsic value you assign to yourself. Enabling you to take on challenges and seize opportunities, it reflects how you perceive your worthiness, regardless of external circumstances or situations.

5. Openness to change

Being flexible and accommodating in a team environment fosters a more trusting, open-minded culture. Having the strength of character to admit when you're wrong, for instance, not only leads to personal growth but also encourages others to be transparent and be innovative without fear of judgement.

6. Resilience 

Being able to recover quickly from setbacks, and learn from them, is vital in many workplace scenarios. It helps maintain productivity and team cohesion even in the face of challenges.

7. Resourcefulness

Focusing on how to optimise what you have will inspire creativity and help you to generate innovative ideas.

Tips to improve your intrapersonal skills

For the lucky ones, a high standard of intrapersonal skills comes naturally. But if it doesn't, there are ways in which to improve and sharpen those skills. Even though intrapersonal skills are all about self-perception, you can start improving.

Let's take a look at how you can improve your interpersonal skills now: 

Ask for (honest) feedback

Asking others how they see you is a brave move. Having an honest conversation with a work colleague might throw up some difficult things to hear, but it can be beneficial as it could lead to improved self-perception and a whole new way of approaching tasks.   

Focus on your self-care

Being kind to yourself is crucial to wellbeing, so don't beat yourself up about small failures – we all make mistakes – but focus on the things you're doing well. One of the ways that you can improve your inner self-esteem and confidence is to focus on your self-care.

Set goals each day

Goal-setting can really help to focus the mind. Start with small, easily attainable goals, so that each time you achieve one you'll be motivated to drive forward for the next. When you achieve things, you will naturally start to become happier. This can bolster your intrapersonal skills. 

Start forming habits

Develop healthy habits by taking time out every day to concentrate on achieving your goals. It takes about two months for new habits to form, so stick with it and see what you can achieve. 

Get your feelings in check

Do you not have control over your emotions? Keeping a diary to track your feelings, thoughts, and emotions can chart your progress and growth over time. This small step could make a big difference in how you feel.

Organise your time better

Improve time management by prioritising tasks and setting a schedule of when to do each one. However, don't fall into the trap of doing all the more enjoyable tasks first! It's best to tackle the more complex ones earlier on, interspersed with easier ones.

How to include intrapersonal skills on your CV

Including both interpersonal skills and intrapersonal skills in your CV can elevate your application to a new level. But where should you include them? Let's take a look: 

Summary 

You should start at the top of the page. Within the professional summary of your CV, use words such as “confident,” “resourceful,” and “resilient” to make an impact.

Skills section

Underneath, create a section called “Key Skills” or “Skills Matrix.” Here, you can list keywords and phrases, such as “change management,” that really stand out, so that the recruiter or hiring manager can immediately see your strengths.

Work experience

You can also weave your intrapersonal assets throughout the career summary, while relating them to your responsibilities and achievements. Wherever possible, add results-based points that highlight how your intrapersonal skills led to positive outcomes.

Highlight your intrapersonal skills

Including the right intrapersonal skills on your CV can make a major difference to your next application. It's a simple way to set yourself apart from the crowd. Why not start thinking about your intrapersonal strengths and consider how best to showcase them today?

Identifying what to include in your CV can be so overwhelming, making it difficult to know where to start. Let the professionals at TopCV guide you – begin with a free CV review and take the first step towards success.

This article was originally written by Elizabeth Openshaw and has been updated by Charlotte Grainger.

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