What are the best job skills to include on your resume? Whichskill setwill help you get hired? Do you know the difference betweenhard skills and soft skills? How can you share your skills, expertise, and accomplishments with prospective employers?
As well as providing a history of your experience, your resume is the perfect place tohighlight your skills, strengths, and abilities.
Types of Skills to Include on a Resume
When you're adding skills to your resume or reviewing the skills required for a job you're interested in, there are two types of skills that are relevant.
- Soft skillsare the skills that apply to every job. These are your people skills—interpersonal skills, communication skills, and other qualities that enable you to be successful in the workplace.
- Hard skillsare the qualifications required to do the job. For example, computer skills, administrative skills, or customer service skills. Find out more about thedifference between hard and soft skills.
Note
An increasing number ofjobs require hybrid skills, which are a combination of soft and technical skills. Candidates with these skills are very competitive and can boost their earning power.
Best Job Skills to Put on Your Resume
Here are examples of the top skills employers look for when evaluating job applicants, as well as recommendations about the best skills you should put on your own unique resume to help you get hired.
Skills Listed By Type
Review these comprehensive lists that include both hard and soft skills for each category.
Thought Processes
Thought processes are the soft skills that enable you to think, reason, and problem solve. These are skills which are in high demand across all industry sections.
- Analytical
- Conceptual
- Creative Thinking
- Critical Thinking
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Logical Thinking
- Problem Solving
Administrative,Business, and Finance
Administrative, business, and finance skills keeps offices and businesses running efficiently and effectively at all types of companies, from small businesses to large corporations.
- Clerical
- Accounting
- Administrative
- Business Intelligence
- Business
- Business Storytelling
- Customer Service
- Finance
- Microsoft Office Skills
- Negotiations
- QuickBooks
Communication and Interpersonal
The ability to communicate, both verbally and in writing, is a job requirement for most positions. Employers seek applicants with the ability to communicate well with others, regardless of their role at the organization.
- Active Listening
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Editing
- Flexibility
- Interpersonal
- Listening
- Nonverbal Communication
- Presentation
- Public Speaking
- Social Skills
- Verbal Communication
- Writing
Leadership and Management
These are the skills that enable you to be an effective manager and lead a team or run a company.
- Decision Making
- Delegation
- Entrepreneurial
- Leadership
- Management
- Motivational
- Negotiation
- Strategic Planning
Personal Skills
Personal skills arethe attributes that uniquely qualify you as a candidate for a job. An individual's skill set is comprised of a variety of personal skills that they have acquired through education and employment.
- Interviewing
- Life Skills
- Multitasking
- Organizational
- Personal
- Social
- Time Management
Sales and Marketing
You'll need a variety of skills to be successful in a sales role, and you will need to be able to demonstrate those skills to prospective employers.
- Sales
- Digital Marketing
- Essential Sales Skills
- Marketing
- Persuasive
Teamwork
Teamwork skills, the ability to work as part of a team, are a requirement in almost every industry and job.
- Collaboration
- Conflict Management
- Conflict Resolution
- Team Building
- Teamwork
Technology
Employers seek candidates with strong technical skills, even when hiring for non-tech roles.
- Computer
- Information Technology
- Tech Skills Listed by Job
- Technical
General Skills
- Behavioral
- Consulting
- Employability
- General
- High School Student Skills
- Soft Skills
- Strengths(List of Examples)
- Transferable
Skills Listed By Job
As well as highlighting the general skills you'll need for most jobs, it's important to show employers that you have the job-specific skills required for success in the workplace.
Note
Review thislist of employment skills listed by jobfor information on the skills and attributes required for many different occupations.
Industry-Specific Skills
Your resume should also include industry-specific keywords. Click on these links for detailed information about in-demand skills in the health care, hospitality, digital media, legal, retail, and social media industry sectors.
Top In-Demand Skills
There are some skills that are applicable to almost every job and type of company. If you've got these general skills, you'll enhance your marketability. Review these lists of the most in-demand skills employers seek.
- Top 10 Communication Skills
- Top 10 Customer Service Skills
- Top 10 Information Technology (IT) Soft Skills
- Top 10 Leadership Skills
- Top 7 Professional Skills
- Top 7 Soft Skills
- Top 7 Skills Employers Seek in Job Applicants
- Best Skills for Remote Jobs
- General Skills for Resumes
Match Your Skills to the Job
Taking the time to make a match will show the hiring manager why you're qualified for a job and worth interviewing. Employers want to see that you have what it takes to succeed in the job. They’ll use the skills you list on your resume to rank your qualifications for the job against those of your competition.
Note
When youinclude skills on your resume,be specific. Show the employer that you have the skills they are seeking.
Thebetter a match you are for the job, the better chance you will have of being chosen for an interview. Depending on the job for which you're applying, there are some skills you don't need to include. Here's alist of skills you shouldn't put on your resume.
How to Include Skills on a Resume
For every role you apply to, tailor theskills section of your resumeso that the information includedmatches theskillsmentioned in the job description.
You can also weave in your skills in the experience section, as you describe the tasks and responsibilities of roles you've held in the past.
The “keyword” skills that you include in your resume and cover letters will help your job application materials get selected by theautomated parsing systemsemployers often use to select applicants to interview. You should also be prepared to mention your most relevant skills during job interviews.
Resume Example With Skills
This resume example focuses on the skills, competencies, and certifications that qualify the applicant for the job. Download the resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or read the example below.
Download the Word Template
Resume Example (Text Version)
Megan Applicant
123 Main Street
Boston, MA 02770
megan.applicant@email.com
123.456.7890
linkedin.com/in/joseph-applicant
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Innovative, detail-oriented Software Engineer offering 8 years’ experience developing exciting new programs and apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
CORE COMPETENCIES:
- Project Management
- Unit Testing / TDD Expertise
- Technical Specifications & Documentation
- Software Engineering Best Practices
- Source Code Design & Review
- Jenkins Continuous Integration
- Agile Scrum Team Methodologies
- Time Management
TECHNICAL PROFICIENCIES:
Platforms: UNIX, .NET, QT, Linux, Docker
Frameworks: MVC, MVVM, MVP
Languages:C#, C++, HTML, Java, Javascript, PHP, UNIX Shell Scripting
Tools: WPF, XAML, UWP, Cloud (AWS/Azure)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
RISING SUN TECHNOLOGIES, Renton, Washington
Software Engineer I & II, January 2018-Present
Skillfully contribute to all stages of product development lifecycles. Create code and automated test scripts, collaborating closely with team members to evaluate feasibility of new design approaches.
- Served as Java team lead for 2018 release of BinaryNEW 6.0.
- Utilized C++ and Java to design company’s award-winning “Geosearch” software and related apps.
- Instructed and coached new team members in Agile methodologies.
TECHNOLOGY INC., Seattle, Washington
Freelance Programmer, December 2012-December 2017
Developed and delivered website solutions by utilizing wide-ranging technologies and frameworks.
- Generated back-end programming using LAMP stack, Linux, CSS, JavaScript/Queryand MySQL.
- Created e-commerce sites integrated with PayPal and other payment gateway APIs.
EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS
Bachelor of Science (2012); GPA 3.75
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY, Malibu, California
Major: Computer Science
CERTIFICATIONS:
- Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD)
- Red Hat Certified JBoss Developer (RHCJD)
- Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Developer (CSD)
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