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Team Leader skills for your resume and career

Updated June 25, 2024
8 min read
Quoted Experts
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.,
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Team Leader Example Skills

Team leaders need a range of hard skills to excel in their roles. These include proficiency in office procedures, ensuring safety, and consistently meeting and exceeding sales goals. Inventory control is also a crucial skill, particularly in food service and retail industries where it involves working with POS systems and food safety practices. As Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D., Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher Education at Bethel University, puts it, "Many hard/technical skills are incredibly context-specific, so importance varies by role and/or industry. But for educational leaders, generally applicable skills might be related to teaching and learning constructs, finance and budgeting, and basic legal issues awareness."

Soft skills are equally important for team leaders. They need to provide excellent customer service while attending to the needs and concerns of their team. Conflict resolution skills are also vital, as team leaders will likely need to deal with a fair amount of conflict. As Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D. notes, "Employers want to hire a hard worker, determined, responsible, trustworthy, and strong work ethic. And employers want to hire someone who others want to work with, someone who is collaborative, thoughtful, or in Ingnation or Jesuit language, someone who is for and with others."

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical team leader skills. We ranked the top skills for team leaders based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 26.5% of team leader resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a team leader needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 team leader skills for your resume and career

1. Customer Service

Customer service is the act of helping and supporting customers before, during, and after a purchase. Team leaders use customer service by monitoring their team's interactions with customers, creating programs to improve productivity and customer satisfaction, and providing training on customer service procedures. They also focus on maintaining a consistent customer base through excellent service and attention.

Here's how team leaders use customer service:
  • Provide safety, security and inventory control leadership while maintaining a focus on providing exceptional customer service.
  • Maintained satisfactory service levels by continually monitoring Customer Service Analysts on the operations floor.

2. Ladders

Ladders are tools used to reach high places. Team leaders use ladders to perform tasks like dry cleaning metal frames, installing data racks, and maintaining electrical wiring equipment. They also use ladders to climb to elevated roof surfaces and set up decorations for events.

Here's how team leaders use ladders:
  • Used 10 to 12 foot ladders to dry clean/sanitize metal frames behind drywall.
  • Climb ladders frequently and work on elevated roof surfaces.

3. Patients

Patients are individuals receiving medical care or treatment. Team leaders use patients in their job by promoting continuity of care, communicating their status to other caregivers, and coordinating with them regarding benefits to provide accurate medical services on time. They also verify insurance eligibility and benefits for patients, administer medication, and provide telephone advice and triage using hospital-approved protocols. They create educational materials for patients and assist them with payment arrangements.

Here's how team leaders use patients:
  • Promoted continuity of care by accurately and completely communicating to other caregivers the status of patients for which to provide.
  • Prepared clinical charts for new and existing patients, contacted insurance companies for verification of member eligibility and benefits.

4. Sales Floor

The sales floor is an area in a retail store where customers can browse and purchase products. Team leaders use the sales floor to supervise their team, ensure sufficient coverage, and manage daily operations. They also direct events on the sales floor to maximize sales and customer satisfaction. They process merchandise to be floor-ready, train new employees, and assist with customer inquiries.

Here's how team leaders use sales floor:
  • Supervised five different departments to assured sufficient sales floor coverage.
  • Direct Merchandise Team in fulfillment picking, and in the placement of merchandise on the sales floor to ensure floor readiness.

5. PET

PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography. Team leaders use PET in various ways, such as assisting customers with their specialty pet needs, ordering products for pet departments, developing new business initiatives for pet stores, and even creating reports using PET software. They also use it to provide pet care services, like grooming and adoption.

Here's how team leaders use pet:
  • Assisted customers with their specialty pet needs, including their housing, diet, and health related information.
  • Used computer based ordering system to order product for the Garden, Floral, and Pet Departments.

6. Safety Procedures

Safety procedures are practices and rules designed to prevent or reduce risks or accidents. Team leaders use safety procedures by training employees on equipment operation, conducting safety inspections, and ensuring adherence to safety regulations. They also develop and implement new procedures to reduce the risk of occupational injuries and maintain a safe operating environment.

Here's how team leaders use safety procedures:
  • Analyzed, revised and initiated comprehensive security/safety procedures; to protect employees and company assets from internal and external sources.
  • Conduct and manage informational team meetings to review safety procedures and standard operating procedures for task completeness within time constraints.

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7. Asphalt

Asphalt is a thick, sticky liquid or semi-liquid form of petroleum used for paving roads and highways. Team leaders use asphalt in various ways, such as maintaining building exteriors, repairing roads, and performing quality control. They also operate equipment for applying asphalt to parking lots and road beds, and estimate projects involving asphalt paving and seal coating.

Here's how team leaders use asphalt:
  • Provide Maintenance Services on commercial properties, including porter trash, maintain building exteriors (painting) and asphalt repair.
  • Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, or perform general cleanup.

8. HR

HR, or Human Resources, is the department that manages a company's workforce. Team leaders use HR in various ways, such as supervising team members, developing HR programs, providing information on HR-related matters, and processing HR documents like time sheets and termination papers. They also partner with HR to manage projects, integrate company data and processes, and identify and qualify potential candidates.

Here's how team leaders use hr:
  • Supervised, developed and supported six cross-functional team members in realizing the organizational mission of delivering strategic integrated HR consulting.
  • Supervised team of HR representatives and coordinated the delivery of generalist human resources programs and services.

9. Product Knowledge

Product knowledge is the understanding of the details and features of a product or service. Team leaders use this knowledge to guide their customers in making informed purchasing decisions. They provide information, answer questions, and make recommendations to build trust and confidence with their clients. For example, they might explain the benefits of a particular product or help customers compare different options.

Here's how team leaders use product knowledge:
  • Managed multiple departments ensuring pricing accuracy, maintaining inventory levels, displaying product knowledge and effectively teaching others about the products.
  • Fostered ongoing business relationships by enhancing customer product knowledge and empowering them to make informed decisions resulting in product purchases.

10. Customer Complaints

Customer complaints are issues raised by customers about a product or service. Team leaders use customer complaints to improve customer service. They analyze customer complaints, investigate and resolve them, and take feedback to improve sales and customer relations. They handle escalated complaints, offer solutions and ensure customer satisfaction.

Here's how team leaders use customer complaints:
  • Prepare sales and customer relations by analyzing sales information, identifying and investigating customer complaints and service suggestions.
  • Assisted in resolving customer complaints, ensured accuracy of purchase transactions, and performed inventory control.

11. Payroll

Payroll is the process of calculating and distributing payments to employees. Team leaders use payroll to manage employee compensation, including benefits and taxes. They analyze and prepare payroll documentation, monitor payroll activity, and reconcile payroll-related accounts. They also use payroll to manage performance, including evaluating staff and documenting reviews.

Here's how team leaders use payroll:
  • Analyzed and organized office operations from operation of payroll, information management/filing systems, requisitions of supplies and other clerical services.
  • Entered vacation hours and monitored hours worked daily to assure correct payroll information resulting in improved morale.

12. Process Improvement

Process improvement is the act of recognizing areas where a process can be enhanced and implementing changes to make it more efficient. Team leaders use process improvement by identifying opportunities for cost savings, streamlining operations, and enhancing productivity. They do this by encouraging employee involvement, researching industry trends, and developing pilot projects to test new approaches. Team leaders also train staff on new systems and procedures, manage process improvement initiatives, and participate in engineering teams to develop and implement changes.

Here's how team leaders use process improvement:
  • Prepared process improvement plans for streamlining effectiveness of the department; researched industry trends and improvements to increase productivity and quality.
  • Developed pilot projects and champion challenger initiatives to illustrate the enhanced customer experience and cost benefit of implementing proposed process improvements.

13. POS

POS, or Point of Sale, is a system used to process transactions and manage inventory. Team leaders use POS to validate security features, troubleshoot issues, and train new employees. They also use it to manage inventory, handle customer payments, and analyze sales data. For instance, a team leader might use POS to identify trends and reduce obsolete products. They might also use it to supervise staff and ensure that customer service and company policies are followed.

Here's how team leaders use pos:
  • Validated security features and employees payroll information within POS.
  • Trouble shoot POS systems/printers/terminals/PCs/phone systems.

14. Quality Standards

Quality standards are a set of guidelines that ensure a certain level of excellence in a product or service. Team leaders use these standards to monitor and evaluate their team's work. They develop and implement testing, provide detailed documentation, and track any deviations from these standards. They also ensure their team meets productivity and schedule requirements and provide feedback to achieve desired quality standards.

Here's how team leaders use quality standards:
  • Developed implemented and monitored UAT testing and test cases ensuring quality standards are adhered and timely project delivery.
  • Hired as a seasonal customer services representative, advanced to permanent position for exceeding productivity and quality standards.

15. Leadership

Leadership is the act of guiding and directing others towards a common goal. Team leaders use leadership in various ways, such as interacting with clients and leadership to optimize efficiency and accuracy, setting business direction and strategy, and providing supervision to teams. They also demonstrate leadership skills when interacting with customers and employees to deliver quality results.

Here's how team leaders use leadership:
  • Interacted with clients individually and with leadership in an effort to organize inventory processes and optimize efficiency and accuracy.
  • Provided leadership to pricing and signage team that executed weekly merchandising and marketing plans to provide exceptional customer experiences.
top-skills

What skills help Team Leaders find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on Team Leader resumes?

Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.

Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher Education, Bethel University

The skills that "stand out" on an educational leader's resume are those that synergize into a coherent story. So not necessarily the skills that are self-identified and listed under a "skills" heading, but those that are evidenced through outcomes achieved appointments/promotions, or other demonstrated successes. For example, in an educational institution, being elected to a chair or moderator position within a senate structure might indicate characteristics of diplomacy, advocacy, collaboration, and wisdom. The resume reader can imagine how those attributes might translate to a new employment space, with much more confidence than if those same characteristics were merely listed as skills. So first, on a resume, prioritize representing your skills through a story, experience, and evidence (rather than self-described adjectives) in a way that reflects your unique narrative.

Now, regarding the specific skills. Some of the skills desired in an educational leader change, based on the institutional context, the previous leader, unique internal or external challenges, etc. However, I would suggest two interminable and foundational skills that will always stand out on a resume and differentiate the applicant: working hard and working with others. Employers want to hire a hard worker, determined, responsible, trustworthy, and strong work ethic. And employers want to hire someone who others want to work with, someone who is collaborative, thoughtful, or in Ingnation or Jesuit language, someone who is for and with others.

Those two skills form a foundation for professional success.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Team Leaders?

Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.

Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher Education, Bethel University

Many hard/technical skills are incredibly context-specific, so importance varies by role and/or industry. But for educational leaders, generally applicable skills might be related to teaching and learning constructs, finance and budgeting, and basic legal issues awareness. Perhaps familiarity with specific content management systems or learning management systems, but again, this use varies by institution.

List of team leader skills to add to your resume

Team Leader Skills

The most important skills for a team leader resume and required skills for a team leader to have include:

  • Customer Service
  • Ladders
  • Patients
  • Sales Floor
  • PET
  • Safety Procedures
  • Asphalt
  • HR
  • Product Knowledge
  • Customer Complaints
  • Payroll
  • Process Improvement
  • POS
  • Quality Standards
  • Leadership
  • Safety Standards
  • Windows
  • Food Preparation
  • Inventory Control
  • PowerPoint
  • Professional Development
  • Corrective Action
  • ISO
  • Troubleshoot
  • Performance Reviews
  • Takeaways
  • Direct Reports
  • Performance Evaluations
  • SQL Server
  • KPI
  • Medicare
  • Customer Orders
  • Forks
  • Customer Issues
  • Medicaid
  • Excellent Guest
  • Excellent Negotiation
  • Groceries
  • JavaScript
  • SLA
  • Develop Long Term
  • Exceptional Guest
  • HTML
  • Unix
  • Customer Inquiries
  • Test Cases
  • Alertness
  • XML
  • Bank Deposits

Updated June 25, 2024

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.