The skills section is one of the most important parts of your resume, showing recruiters whether you are a good fit for the job. How you list your skills and which ones you include in your resume can help you make a good impression on the recruiters and make you stand out from other applicants..
Whatever career path you choose, having a certain set of skills might improve your chances of landing the job. Therefore, identifying the most in-demand skills to put on a resume might help you stand out from the crowd.
So, let’s dive right in!
Key Takeaways
Avoid stuffing your resume with universal skills, instead, keep them relevant to the job you’re applying for.
It is important to optimize your skills section for applicant tracking systems (ATS).
A good resume should include both hard and soft skills, listed separately.
Add proficiency level for each hard skill.
Include transferable or universal skills on your resume if you’re changing careers, have gaps in your employment history, or lack relevant work experience.
Pursuing in-demand skills will help you advance your career.
Top 20 Universal Skills to Put on Your Resume
Even though you should tailor your skills section to the job you’re applying for, some skills are universal. Universal skills are largely soft skills needed in virtually every job out there.
Here are the top 20 universal skills to put on a resume:
Communication skills
Organizational skills
Time management skills
Attention to detail
Responsibility
Problem-solving skills
Ability to work independently
Ability to motivate others
Quick adaptability
Creativity
Learning skills
Stress management skills
Leadership skills
Interpersonal skills
Flexibility
Productivity
Conflict management skills
Active listening skills
Multitasking skills
Research skills
Even if they aren't required or specified in the job description, feel free to list any of these skills in your resume. However, avoid stuffing your resume with them. Mention them if you have extra space on your resume or if you can’t come up with any specialized, job-related skills.
What Makes the Skills Section in a Resume Important?
The skills section is one of the three essential resume sections, along with the work experience and education sections. In fact, your job application may succeed or fail depending on the skills you highlight and the way the skills section of your resume looks.
Why?
Because the skills you put on your resume can set you apart from the competition and help you get the job you want. After all, hiring managers and recruiters review hundreds of resumes every day. So if you are not mentioning relevant skills for the job, your resume can end up in the discard pile.
What’s more is that if you do mention the right set of skills, and the hiring manager decides to offer you the job, your initial salary might be directly influenced by the skills you have listed on your resume.
Another reason why it’s vital to highlight the right skills on your resume is applicant tracking systems (ATS). Most companies nowadays use ATS to speed up the hiring process. Applicant tracking systems can scan thousands of resumes for keywords, in order to sort and rank the resumes. They mostly scan for hard skills, and if they don’t find the relevant skills mentioned, your resume ends up getting discarded.
In other words, your job application may be rejected if you don’t list the required skills.
Resume Tip Each job you apply for will probably require a different set of skills. After carefully reading the job description for each position you are applying for, you should update the relevant skills you listed on your resume. A generic resume definitely won’t work in the world of ATS. |
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills
A good resume should include both soft and hard skills. But what is the difference between these two types of skills?
Hard skills are competencies unique to a job or industry. These are typically more technical skills that you can gain through formal education, professional development courses, or on-the-job training. Unlike soft skills, they are measurable.
You should know that hard skills are usually the attributes employers look for the most on your resume. Depending on the position you're applying for, they may be regarded as a prerequisite for proceeding further with a candidate.
Here are some of the most common examples of hard skills:
Accounting skills
Design skills
Language skills
Technical skills
Computer skills
Marketing skills
Coding skills
Copywriting skills
Soft skills, on the other hand, are traits and routines that describe how you work alone or with others. They are not specific to a particular role. Since soft skills are typically acquired through life and job experiences, no formal training is required to develop them.
Usually, soft skills used to be more important for some entry-level positions than hard skills.
Nowadays, however, soft skills have become extremely important. Ever since more and more companies started working remotely, skills that involve communication, adaptability, and time management have become essential.
Some of the most in-demand soft skills are:
Cooperation skills
Communication skills
Problem-solving skills
People skills
Adaptability
Responsibility
Organizational skills
Time management skills
How to List Skills on Your Resume the Right Way
Now that you know all about hard and soft skills, let’s find out what’s the best way to list them on your resume.
#1. Identify Your Skills
If you’re not sure what are some good skills to put on a resume, consider doing the following:
Think about the skills you use to complete your most common tasks. First, make a list of the daily, weekly, or monthly tasks you successfully complete. Then, make a list of skills required to execute each task.
Consider your achievements and awards. Have you ever received an award for being successful in a certain field or showing exceptional talent? If so, your skills most certainly helped you earn it. Think about the skills or talents you possess that helped you reach this level of success.
Ask former coworkers to give their opinion on your best skills. Other people can often point out strengths you might not be aware of. So speak with former coworkers you worked closely with.
Resume Tip Do not include skills you don’t possess on your resume. Sooner or later, someone will notice you weren’t honest. Also, if there’s a skill you’re still learning, don’t feel obligated to add it to your list of skills just because it's mentioned in the job ad. If the hiring manager brings up a skill you didn't include in your resume during the interview, you can explain that you’re working on it to improve for the role. |
#2. Only Put Skills Relevant to the Job on Your Resume
Keeping your resume skills relevant to the job you’re applying for is crucial. Even if you might have a range of different skills, only mention the ones that are relevant to the position.
It's important to keep your skills section concise and relevant because recruiters usually have a limited amount of time to evaluate resumes.
You can figure out which skills are relevant by reading the job listing. Job ads usually list a set of skills or requirements a good candidate should have, so start by reading the job description and marking any required skills that match your own.
Let’s take, for example, a job ad for a front-end web developer:
Job Summary Launch, maintain, and update a variety of websites Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure Optimize sites for scale and feasibility Work with a team of front end developers to create awesome websites Accurately replicating mockups into fully fledged websites Collaborate with content writers and designers Good decision-making abilities Minimum Qualifications: 2+ years of experience working with HTML and CSS 1+ year of experience converting design files into HTML and CSS Experience working with JavaScript and jQuery Advanced knowledge of responsive design, some experience implementing within a project or website Working knowledge of CSS frameworks, preferably Bootstrap Experience using version control tools like git 3+ years of experience working with Wordpress Experience working with project management software like Jira Preferred Qualifications: Experience with server side web development languages like PHP |
As you can see, we’ve highlighted all the relevant skills that are mentioned/required in the job listing. Now, all you have to do is extract those skills, and add them to your resume.
In the end, here’s what the list of tailored skills would look like:
Extracted Skills from the Job Listing Team-work Accuracy/ Attention to detail Decision making Timeliness Organization HTML CSS Javascript and JQuery Responsive Design Bootstrap GIT version control Wordpress PHP Jira |
By tailoring the skills on your resume to the job you’re applying for, you’ll accomplish two major goals:
Avoid being flagged by ATS that scan for relevant keywords.
Show the hiring managers that you’re a good fit for this particular position.
#3. List Soft and Hard Skills Separately
Separating soft and hard skills on your resume isn’t mandatory but helps to keep your resume looking well-organized. This will help the hiring managers skim through your resume effortlessly.
List your hard skills first, and then follow with soft skills. To save space, you can also put them side by side. In any case, we suggest using a bullet point for each skill.
So, your skills section should look something like this:
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
Social Media Photoshop Video editing | Creativity Time management Collaboration |
#4. Add Your Proficiency Level for Each Hard Skill
When listing skills on your resume, you should briefly describe your proficiency level by using the following terms:
Basic. Use it if you’ve only started to learn or haven't used the skill in practice.
Intermediate. This means you have used the skill in practice and rarely require assistance, and you’re aware that there’s still room to grow.
Advanced. You are very skilled and require no assistance. In fact, you can teach beginners how to grow their skills.
Expert. You are the go-to person if anyone has any questions because you've demonstrated over and over again that you are excellent at this skill.
As we mentioned briefly above, you should generally add proficiency levels only to your hard skills.
Just to give you an example, here’s how you would add proficiency levels to the skills we listed in the previous section:
Hard Skills HTML (Advanced) CSS (Advanced) Javascript and JQuery (Basic) Responsive Design (Advanced) Bootstrap (Intermediate) GIT version control (Basic) Wordpress (Advanced) PHP (Intermediate) Jira (Basic) |
#5. Let Your Work Experience Prove Your Skills
While many job applicants may highlight their skills in a separate section of their resume, it's also important to incorporate them into the descriptions of each of their past roles.
By adding more context and specific examples, you have the chance to boost your skills section and stand out from the crowd.
For example, if you highlight skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, project and time management, your work experience should look something like this:
Worked with a team of 30+ sales representatives and managers, while maintaining a 98.9% satisfaction rating.
Successfully managed 20 projects in 2021, completing all of them within the estimated deadlines.
#6. Highlight Your Skills in Your Resume Statement
A resume summary gives a brief overview of who you are and what you bring to the table. It is an elevator pitch that appears right below your name and contact details.
A good resume summary demonstrates why you’re a good fit for the job. It encourages recruiters to read the entire resume and learn more about you. This is why you should showcase your top skills and biggest achievements to date.
However, in order for your resume summary to truly stand out, you should also customize it to the company’s needs.
Here’s an example of a well-written resume statement:
Resume Statements With Skills Example Dedicated Marketing Manager with 10+ years of experience in digital marketing. Highly skilled in social media management, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Met 130% of the revenue target in a fast-paced IT company. Able to perform well in a team of 20+ people. |
What makes this resume statement a good addition to the resume?
Any hiring manager reading this, will instantly understand that the applicant has the right skill set for the job.
#7. Make Use of Universal Skills
Universal skills are useful if you have space left on your resume. As we already mentioned above, these types of skills are mostly soft skills that are relevant for almost every job out there.
Make sure not to overflow your resume with universal skills, and don’t include them in your resume if you possess a fair share of more advanced job-specific skills.
How to Effectively Put Transferable Skills on a Functional or Combination Resume
Transferable skills are abilities and talents that can be applied to a variety of different jobs and career paths. While some transferable skills are soft skills like communication and attention to detail, some are hard skills like coding and data analysis.
Listing transferable skills is a common practice in functional and combination resumes, which focus on your skills instead of work experience. In contrast, a chronological resume focuses on your work experience instead of skills, listing your previous roles in a reverse-chronological order.
Putting transferable skills on your resume is helpful when you’re changing careers, have gaps in your employment history, or lack relevant work experience. Although they are not directly relevant to the job you are applying for, transferable skills are still valuable.
For example, if you’re in the process of switching careers from a programmer who debugs thousands of lines of code to a technical content editor who ensures all published content is free of various types of mistakes, you can mention your ability to pay attention to detail (which is a transferable skill in this case).
Also, if you recently graduated from college, you can include writing, research, and similar skills on your resume. These transferable skills can be beneficial if you’re thinking of applying for various entry-level jobs.
250+ Most In-Demand Skills for Different Jobs
To advance your career and set yourself apart from other candidates, you should think about pursuing in-demand skills. Below, you can find some of the most in-demand skills that will allow you to remain a competitive job applicant.
21 Management Skills to Put on a Resume
A successful manager must possess the ideal balance of hard and soft skills.
The management skills listed below are essential for landing a managerial position.
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
People management Motivational skills Emotional intelligence Organizational skills Decision-making Time management Problem-solving Charisma | Business development Budgeting Strategic management Office management Public speaking Project management Negotiation Six Sigma techniques The McKinsey 7s Framework Porter’s Five Forces PESTEL Planning Proposal writing |
21 Sales Skills to Put on a Resume
Sales skills are a combination of both hard and soft skills that help a professional persuade customers to purchase certain products or services. A good sales representative should possess the following skills:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Persuasion Critical thinking Problem-solving Adaptability Communication Resilience Decisiveness Empathy | Negotiation Product knowledge Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Policy knowledge Client engagement Referral marketing Cold calling Salesforce Negotiation Lead generation Buyer engagement LinkedIn sales Pipedrive |
19 Customer Service Skills to Put on a Resume
Excellent customer service workers can significantly affect a company's financial performance. The following customer service skills contribute to increased sales and brand loyalty:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Communication Listening Self-control Problem-solving Empathy Patience | Product expertise Industry knowledge Point of Sale (POS) systems Writing Data entry Foreign languages CRM Zendesk Jira Servicedesk Freshdesk Talkdesk Crosselling Upselling |
11 Basic Computer Skills to Put on a Resume
In this day and age, it's hardly surprising that job applicants without basic computer skills have a hard time getting a job. The table below shows the most basic computer skills most employers are looking for:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
| Microsoft Office MS Excel MS PowerPoint MS Access SQL Operating systems Hardware management Typing Emailing Data entry Troubleshooting |
You’ll notice the list of soft skills for this section is empty. Well, that’s on purpose, because basic computer skills are hard skills by definition.
30 IT Skills to Put on a Resume
The IT industry offers a wide range of jobs, such as programming and database administration. IT professionals use both technical expertise and interpersonal skills to complete their tasks.
Here are 30 IT skills you can include on your resume:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Problem-solving Communication Teamwork Critical thinking Adaptability | Network and information security Network architecture Devops Cloud integration Debugging Project management Data science Machine learning Big data Workflow automation Cloud computing Coding User interface design Data analytics Computer hardware Computer architecture Internet security Encryption Troubleshooting Operating systems Linux Command Line Bash Software development C/C++ |
28 Marketing Skills to Put on a Resume
A marketing professional needs a combination of both hard and soft skills to flourish and grow in their field. It is also important to go beyond the fundamentals of conventional marketing as new technology advances more quickly than ever.
Here are some of the most in-demand marketing skills:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Communication Creative thinking Collaboration Curiosity Emotional intelligence Organization | Social media management Graphic design SEO tools Google Analytics Copywriting CMS tools Data analysis SEO/SEM Wordpress Web analytics Email marketing CRO and A/B Testing HTML & CSS Project/campaign management Social media and mobile marketing Paid social media advertisements Web scraping CRM Google Search Console Tableau Segment Sales |
30 Design Skills to Put on a Resume
In addition to having the technical know-how, designers need to be able to effectively communicate with clients and other team members. When preparing your resume, you should list a range of skills that demonstrate your capacity for success in different areas of design.
Here are some examples:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Creativity Attention to detail Presentation Teamwork Communication Time management Coordination Decision making | Adobe Creative Suite UX/UI Design Figma Design Canva Sketch Affinity HTML/CSS Color Theory Drawing Branding Social Media Image SEO Prototyping Adobe XD Sketching Print design Typography Logo creation Interactive media design 3d modeling Digital printing Ad creative design |
28 Web Development Skills to Put on a Resume
Finding a job is usually easy for web developers. However, getting a job at a prestigious corporation is not simple because you’re competing against hundreds of experienced developers. With so much competition, you need to highlight the right skills on your resume.
Consider the following ones:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Creativity Flexibility Approachability Teamwork Communication Organization Critical thinking | HTML CSS JavaScript Testing and debugging Basic graphic design GIT Version control NextJs React Angular Vercel Site Deployment Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) Responsive Design Principles Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Postman Headless CMS (Strapi, Sanity) Contentful Wordpress Jira Agile Development Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) |
26 Finance & Accounting Skills to Put on a Resume
The following skills—which include both hard and soft skills—are crucial for those working in a variety of financial professions, including accounting, investing, and finance management.
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Attention to detail Accuracy Problem-solving Communication Strategic thinking | Data Analysis STATA SPSS Accounting software Microsoft Excel General business knowledge Mathematics Cognos Analytics (IBM) Visual Basic Bookkeeping GAAP SAP ERP Invoice management Market analysis Risk management Google Sheets Machine Learning SQL Tableau Python Power BI |
23 Business Skills to Put on a Resume
Business professionals often deal with managerial and administrative duties, particularly those involving finances, customer service, finances, hiring, and marketing. It's crucial for them to possess a specific skill set to help them in their endeavors.
Here are some most in-demand skills a business professional should possess:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Problem-solving Communication Emotional intelligence Collaboration Leadership Time management Organization Adaptability Attention to detail Active listening | Finance Project management Logistics Negotiating Hiring Economics Data analysis Office management Business knowledge Microsoft Excel Salesforce SQL Google Analytics |
13 Healthcare-Related Skills to Put on a Resume
While many healthcare careers require the same skills, some require more specialized knowledge. The most in-demand skills you should consider including in your resume are:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Compassion Responsibility Attention to detail Organization Time management Patience | Record-keeping CPR Patient care Infection control Hospital protocol Nursing Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) |
21 Engineering Skills to Put on a Resume
A successful engineering career requires a broad range of skills regardless of the industry. The most typical soft and hard skills employers seek out are listed below:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Problem-solving Teamwork Adaptability Critical thinking Creativity Leadership Communication Organization | Prototyping Mechanics Mathematics Troubleshooting Robotics Quality control Computer science Arduino C/C++ Advanced physics System design Structural analysis Physical data modeling Compliance |
10 Transferable Skills to Put on a Resume
Transferable skills can be applied to a number of jobs and industries. When switching jobs or industries, emphasizing your transferrable talents is very important.
Here are the top 10 transferable skills that will look good on your resume:
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Communication Punctuality Collaboration Motivation Problem-solving | Public speaking Recruiting Budgeting Data entry Documenting procedures |
Skills To Put on a Resume FAQ
#1. What Are the Top Skills Recruiters Look For?
Recruiters are looking for skills that show your ability to fit into their corporate culture and deliver results. Some of the most in-demand skills recruiters look for are:
Communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Adaptability
Work ethic
Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
#2. What Are Good Skills to Add to a Resume?
Most employers are looking for candidates with a good mix of soft and hard skills. Therefore, it is important to include both in your resume.
Some good universal skills to add on your resume include:
Integrity
Leadership
Time-management
Organization
Teamwork
Emotional intelligence
Attention to detail
MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Project Management Tools (Jira, Clickup, Asana)
Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides)
#3. Where to Put Skills on a Resume?
You should list your skills in a dedicated skills section, so that the recruiters can see them straight away.
If you are using a reverse-chronological resume format, then you can include your skills either at the bottom of the resume, or in a separate column on the left-hand or right-hand side.
If you are using a functional resume format, you can include your skills section towards the top of the resume.
Also, you should incorporate your top skills into the resume summary and work experience sections.
