personal skills for resume

100 Good Skills to Put on a Resume [Complete Guide]

Jeff Gillis 0 Comments

By Jeff Gillis

Updated 6/4/2022.

When you’re adding skills to a resume, you don’t just want to focus on what you’re good at. Instead, relevancy has to be part of the equation. After all, every job you’re trying to land requires a very specific skill set, one that you need to show that you have.

Choosing the skills to put on a resume when you’re applying to a role isn’t something you should do haphazardly. Instead, you want to use the job description, company mission, and company values as a guide, creating a sense of alignment.

Additionally, it never hurts to have a handy list of skills by your side, making it easier to explore your options. So, if you’re on the hunt for good skills to put on a resume, here’s what you need to know.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

There are two basic types of skillsets that a job seeker can have and include on their resume: hard skills or soft skills.

Hard skills are the skills or abilities for a resume that are easily quantifiable…that can be learned through classroom work, apprenticeships, or other forms of learning. These include things like operating tools, computer programming, speaking foreign languages, or different kinds of technical prowess.

Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify and are often grouped together by what we know as “people skills.” Some examples of soft skills include communication, relationship building, self-awareness, and patience.

Which Skills Are More Important?

The debate rages on about which of these two types of skills is more important.

According to executive consultant and Forbes contributor Naz Beheshti , “…There is an ongoing debate about the relative importance of soft and hard skills that imply a competition between the two. However, they are both necessary and complementary to one another.”

On the one hand, job seekers with proficiency in a specific hard skill may get hired more quickly. Many employers want to hire people that can deliver value with fewer resources (ex., the need for training, etc.), making hard skills their priority.

However, we are also seeing that many hiring managers are choosing to hire candidates with highly developed soft skills.

In the end, as Indeed puts it, “soft skills are necessary to create a positive and functional work environment.” Plus, hiring managers feel that they can always train the candidate in the hard skill that is required to complete the job, but soft skills are often skills that cannot necessarily be taught.

So, what does this mean for you? Mainly that you can’t simply just pick one or the other and cross your fingers. Instead, the best strategy is to take a balanced approach and make sure that your resume contains both hard and soft skills.

How Do You Choose the Skills to List on a Resume?

Here’s the deal; there’s a good chance you know what you’re good at in a professional sense. Often, you can use your experience, duties, training, and education as a guide, giving you a strong foundation. Then, it’s about diving a bit deeper, looking at traits that could help you stand out, and comparing it all to the job description.

By using a simple process, you can make progress faster. Here’s a quick way to get started.

1. Make a List of the Skills You Know You Have

As mentioned above, the easiest way to get a grip on your current skills is to reflect on your academic and professional experiences. Consider the tasks you’ve taken on, the training you’ve completed, and the courses you had in school. In most cases, that’ll give you some solid ideas about your hard skills.

After that, it’s time for soft skills. Here, you want to think of traits or capabilities that help you engage with others and navigate professional relationships. Often, these are reflections of your personality, so use that as a jumping-off point.

2. “Mine” the Job Descriptions for Must-Have Skills

The next step is to take a look at the job description for the position you are applying for and make a list of the required skills it includes. Then, compare it to your capabilities. Are any of the skills on both of the lists you just created? If so, these are must-haves for your resume.

Now, notice if there are any skills on the job description that you don’t have. If there aren’t any, great!

But if there are…don’t panic. There are things you can do, which we’ll dig into shortly.

If you’re dealing with a vague job description, you aren’t stuck either. Here is a link to a ton of job descriptions that can give you an idea of the skills needed.

3. Tailor Your Skills to the Company/Position

As you may have read in our other blog articles, it is always very important to “tailor” your resume to the company and position you want to land. For an in-depth look into how to make that happen, check out our Tailoring Method article.

If you want a quick overview, the idea is to focus on capabilities the company wants to find. Every job requires a unique skill set, and you want to show you have it. As a result, it is absolutely essential that skills from the job description make an appearance on your resume.

However, you also want to dig deeper. Spend some more time researching the company, including going through all of their various web properties, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

Why? Because they will leave clues about the types of people they hire. That gives you more ideas about the best skills to put on a resume to land a job there, particularly when it comes to soft skills you may not find in a job description.

100 Resume Skills Examples

If you’re struggling with coming up with a list of skills based on your past experience, it can be easier if you have existing resume skills lists to work with. You don’t have to think up every possible skill; you can simply review the list and find the matches.

Here is a list of resume skills examples, divided into hard skills and soft skills, that you can use when applying for a job.

Hard Skills for a Resume

Advanced Bookkeeping
Appointment Setting
Automotive Repair
Cold Calling
Computer Programming
Conversion Testing
Copywriting
Customer Engagement
Customer Service
Data Analysis
Digital Marketing
Electrical Engineering
Environmental Cleanup
Forklift Operating
Graphic Design
Heavy Machinery Operation
Installation
Landscaping
Mathematics
Medical Coding
Paid Online Traffic
Patient Care
Photo Editing
Picking and Packing
Project Management
Schedule Management
Search Engine Optimization
Server Maintenance
Social Media
Spanish Fluency
Statistical Analysis
Systems Analysis
Technical Support
Telecommunications Systems
Travel Booking
Video Editing
Website Design
Word Processing

Soft Skills for a Resume

Accountability
Active Listening
Adaptability
Brainstorming
Business Etiquette
Collaboration
Communication
Conflict Resolution
Contextualizing
Critical Thinking
Decision Making
Emotional Intelligence
Flexibility
Goal-Setting
Handling Pressure
Influencing
Insightfulness
Interpreting
Negotiation
Open-Mindedness
Organization
Prioritization
Problem Solving
Relationship Building
Reliability
Resource Management
Responsibility
Self-Confidence
Strategical Thinking
Strong Work Ethic
Time Management

What If I Don’t Have the Required Skill?

Whether you need to possess a specific skill depends on the job and the skill in question. Usually, here’s where you have to be honest with yourself. If the skills required are part of the core competencies of doing the job, you may want to reconsider your application.

For example, if a golf course posts a job posting for a golf pro, you probably shouldn’t apply if you’ve never swung a golf club.

However, you will come across situations where what you bring to the table is close. In this case, moving forward might be okay.

You need to be able to demonstrate, using examples from your past, that you are capable of doing the required skill, even if you haven’t specially done it. So, go over your work history with a fine-tooth comb and try to come up with a few examples of you doing something in the right ballpark.

They are going to ask about it in your interview, so don’t think you can just wing it, and everything will be fine.

Also, many job descriptions have “nice-to-have” skills on the list. If you happen to possess them, great. But if not, don’t assume you shouldn’t apply if you have the must-have skills. In the end, those capabilities aren’t outright requirements, so don’t screen yourself out based on them.

How To List Skills on a Resume

There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to deciding where to put (or how to list) the skills on your resume.

According to our friends over at online resume-builder Zety.com , “…skills are so very, very important that they should show up all over your resume. Not just in the resume skills section.” In other words, it is imperative that there are elements of your skills throughout your resume, including your resume objective/summary and experience sections.

In addition, there isn’t one right answer for where to include your skill section because that depends on the industry, company, and position you’re trying to land. For example, for a job where technical competencies are of the utmost importance, it is often beneficial to list the skills closer to the top of the resume, right underneath the resume objective or resume summary statement.

However, if through your research you determine that the hiring manager will put more weight into your experience, you may want to lead with your experience. Then, put the skills section further down your resume.

At the end of the day, the selection of the skills themselves is the most important thing. After all, most hiring managers will easily find your skill section regardless of where it is on your resume.

What About Skills for My Job Application?

When you’re looking for skills to put on a job application, you do have to treat it a little differently than skills for a resume. Usually, you’re working with a finite amount of space on an application, not just in an overall sense but in each applicable section.

Since that’s the case, you need to lean heavily on the job description. Look for any capabilities that are listed as must-haves or that are repeated through the job ad. Then, make sure those skills are featured prominently in several areas, including in work history descriptions and skills areas.

If you have to answer essay questions, discuss those skills there, too, whenever possible. Use any other relevant capability as a supplement, treating it as supporting information instead of the primary point you’re sharing.

However, if an essay question asks about a skill that’s not in the job description, feel free to dig in a bit. It’s a capability that’s clearly on the hiring manager’s mind, so touch on it occasionally to show you shine in that area.

Putting It All Together

If you were wondering, “What are some good skills to put on a resume?” you should now have a solid answer. The most important thing to remember is to select skills that are relevant to the position you are interviewing for and, more important than that, skills that your company puts a tremendous amount of value in.

Once you get your skills straightened out, you should make sure that the rest of your resume is congruent with the skills you just selected, namely, that your experience shows that you both used those skills in a work environment and developed the skill with on-the-job tasks.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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101 Essential Skills to Put on a Resume in 2024 [For Most Jobs]

Listing skills on your resume is fairly easy.

Listing the right skills in the right way is a little bit trickier.

Are you mentioning the right skills for the job, or are you boring the HR manager with irrelevant information?

The hiring manager for the software development team couldn’t care less about your expertise in marketing. What they’re dying to know, though, is your skill level in Python and how you get along with the team.

In this guide, we’re going to walk you through the process of putting skills on your resume from start to finish. We’ll explain how to identify the right skills and how to list them in a way that catches the hiring manager’s attention!

Here’s what you’re going to learn:

Hard Skills Vs Soft Skills - What’s the Difference?

Why Should You List Your Skills on a Resume?
8 Best Skills to Put on a Resume
How to List Skills on a Resume
120+ Skills to Put on Your Resume (For 10+ Fields)

New to resume-making? Give our resumes 101 video a watch before diving into the article!

Skills are divided into hard skills and soft skills .

To create an effective job application, catch the hiring manager’s attention, and land your next job, you should mention both hard and soft skills in your resume.

But what exactly is the difference?

Hard skills involve the technical knowledge or know-how one can gain through experience, training, or education. For example:

Machinery skills. E.g., operating a road roller, pallet-stalker, forklift, etc.
Software skills. Depending on the field, you need to know how to use different software, such as the Adobe Creative Suite for graphic designers or the Ableton Live Suite if you’re a DJ.
Tools. Say you’re a digital marketer . You’ll need to know how to use tools like Stethoscope, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and the sorts.
Multilingualism. The more customers you can communicate with, the more valuable you are as an employee. Some sought-after languages today include German, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic.
Computer skills . If you’re a web developer, your hard skills will likely include coding languages such as Python, C++, etc. Even if you’re not though, most jobs will require that you have at least some basic computer knowledge in MS Office and G-Suite, emailing and presentations, etc.
Techniques. E.g. frequency analysis, Crystallization.
Mathematics. Many professions, such as accounting and finance, require mathematical skills.
Data analysis. Businesses are always looking for professionals who can gather and analyze data for various stakeholders, which makes data analysis a very in-demand hard skill.

…and just about any field-specific skill. While hard skills are essential to complete tasks in about any job, they’re also teachable and easily measurable.

Soft skills , on the other hand, are attributes and habits that describe how you work individually or with others. They are typically not job-specific but rather transferable skills that indirectly help you adapt to the work environment and company culture.

Some examples of the most in-demand soft skills include:

Communication
Problem-solving
Organization
Adaptability

Like hard skills, you can also learn how to develop soft skills, although it’s significantly harder.

While you can acquire computer skills through a technical course, you’ll need to work much harder to develop, say, your communication skills.

In the workplace, for example, you’d need to practice active listening , learn how to notice nonverbal cues, and practice your oral communication skills as much as possible.

What’s the Difference Between Hard Skills and Soft Skills

Here are the two main differences between hard skills and soft skills:

How you obtain them. You can obtain hard skills through work experience , education, training, and certification. Soft skills, on the other hand, can be gained through life experience, both on and off work.
How you use them. You apply hard skills directly to the job, whereas soft skills come into play indirectly and may often complement your hard skills. For example, you may be a communicative marketer or an office manager with great leadership qualities.

Why Should You List Skills on Your Resume?

The skills section is one of the 3 most important resume sections , with the other two being work experience and education sections.

If written correctly, the skills section looks something like this:

By now, you’re probably thinking “ how hard can this be, right? All I have to do is list all my skills and call it a day! ”

Well, not exactly. The process of putting skills on your resume is a bit more nuanced than that, and we’re going to tell you why.

Most companies nowadays use Applicant Tracking Systems to help them go through the hundreds and thousands of resumes they receive every day.

This software scans your resume for keywords relevant to the job you’re applying for, and if it doesn’t find them, the software automatically rejects the resume.

Say, for example, the job you’re applying to requires an Expert level in Java. If you haven’t mentioned Java as a skill on your resume, your resume can automatically get discarded.

In fact, 70%+ of resumes are rejected at this stage, never having even been seen by an HR professional.

And, even if the company doesn’t use an ATS, there’s a good chance that the HR manager is going to skim through your resume looking for the right skill set.

So, whether you’re doing this for the ATS or the HR, it’s important to mention the right skills .

Below, we’re going to explain just how to do this in the best way possible.

But first, let’s cover some of the best skills to mention in any resume, regardless of your profession.

8 Best Skills to Put on a Resume

Every profession requires some role-specific hard skills if you want to do it properly. An accountant, for example, needs to know math to do their job right, just like a photographer needs to know how to use photo editing software like Photoshop.

In most cases, it’s easy to identify such skills and understand whether you’re qualified enough for the job.

The right soft skills for a job may be harder to point out, but they’re just as essential in today’s job market - 93% of employers say “ soft skills play a critical role in their decision about whom they want to hire. ”

To give you an example, if you’re a project manager, you will need to have excellent organizational skills in addition to your project management skills. Or, if you’re a developer, you need to also be an apt problem solver.

You can find lists of field-related, relevant soft and hard skills later in the article, but for now, here are the top soft and hard skills valued by hiring managers in most professions :

#1. Communication skills

There are very few, if any, jobs out there that don’t require at least some level of communication skills.

Whether you’re a writer who needs to communicate a message to your readers, a marketing specialist who needs to communicate an advertising campaign to your client, or an office worker who must communicate with a colleague to complete a task, communication skills are vital.

Communication is a multi-faceted skill that includes several skills, such as:

Oral and written communication
Non-verbal communication
Active Listening
Presentation
Public-speaking
Negotiation

#2. Computer skills

By 2016, over 70% of US jobs required medium-to-high-level digital skills.

This means that computer and technical skills are priceless assets even if your job isn’t centered around technology. As such, computer skills are almost always a great addition to any resume.

Here are some valuable computer skills for every professional:

Office suites (MS Office, iWork)
Social media
Database management
Web (Internet savviness, basic HTML, CMS)
Troubleshooting
Equipment installation and configuration
Fast Typing

#3. Management skills

Management skills are usually associated with management positions, but in reality, that’s not usually the case. Any type of professional can benefit from strong management skills.

In a nutshell, management skills involve being able to effectively handle people, resources, and processes, including your time, plans, projects, and so on.

Here are some of the most in-demand management skills:

People management
Project management
Time management
Risk management
Action planning
Conflict Resolution

#4. Problem-solving skills

Problem-solving means you’re able to identify problems successfully, find the root cause behind them, and come up with creative solutions.

Considering there isn’t a single job where you won’t face problems in one way or another, problem-solving skills are a great asset to have. When it comes to managerial, professional, and technical positions , problem-solving skills are essential.

Problem-solving is a set of skills that includes:

Research skills
Analytical skills
Critical thinking
Decision-making skills
Attention to detail

#5. Organizational skills

Organizational skills are a set of soft skills that help you keep track of information, materials, and even your time in such a way that you can tackle short and long-term tasks efficiently.

Organizational skills are among the top skills recruiters are looking for in 2022, primarily because they help employees be more productive, save companies time and money, and facilitate a more positive work environment.

Here is what organizational skills consist of:

Physical organization
Prioritization
Goal setting

#6. Leadership skills

Leadership includes both the ability to manage and inspire others. Managers are not always great leaders, but leaders almost always make good managers.

People who’re good at leading are emotionally intelligent, good communicators, and natural-born influencers. They can motivate others to reach their full potential and work together towards common goals. This makes leadership another great skill to have for many professions out there.

Some important soft skills related to leadership include:

Relationship-building
Strategic thinking

#7. Customer service skills

A big part of jobs out there involve dealing with customers.

From customer support representatives to cashiers, customer service skills are a great asset to have in 2024. Particularly, that’s because it encompasses a number of other valuable skills, such as:

Persuasion skills
Product knowledge

#8. Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills refer to how well you can understand and get along with other people.

It goes without saying that they’re extremely useful for team-oriented or customer-facing roles, as a big chunk of the work involves communicating with other people.

Such skills, however, are also useful for roles where you don’t get to interact as much with people.

Take, for example, writers. To be a really good writer, you need to be able to:

Understand and communicate with your audience
Collaborate with your publishing team
Understand what people are like

Just like most other transferable skills on our list, interpersonal skills are multi-faceted. Here is what they consist of:

How to List Skills on a Resume (And Stand Out)

Now that you have a clear understanding of how important skills are - and how some are more relevant than others - let’s talk about how you should list them on your resume.

There are several things you need to do to stand out:

#1. Tailor Your Skills to the Job

Relevance is key; the customer service skills you acquired working as a server during college won’t come in too handy when you start work as, say, a data analyst .

So, the first thing you should remember is to only list skills that are useful for the job you are applying for . To find out what these skills are, you should scan the job listing.

Job ads usually list a set of requirements or skills they expect a good candidate to have. Make sure you don’t leave any of those out on your resume.

For example, imagine you are applying for a line cook position in a restaurant:

“Here at ‘ABCD’ we are committed to creating a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests . Our French restaurant is looking for a professional line cook for the summer season to work directly under the supervision of our chef. Responsibilities include prepping and cleaning food, creating and cooking meals, and cleaning up the working area . Impeccable attention to detail in food cooking and presentation is needed.”

The underlined bits in this job description are the role’s responsibilities. By paying a closer look, you can understand that ABCD is looking for someone who:

Is committed to excellence and is highly professional
Works well under supervision, and with others
Can prep, clean, and cook food
Pays great attention to detail in cooking and presentation

Based on this, some of the skills you should definitely mention in your resume can include teamwork, attention to detail, communication, food prepping, and culinary skills.

As a given, you wouldn’t mention anything that isn’t directly related to the job. As a line cook, you’re not going to be using a lot of tech, so you wouldn’t include your computer skills in your resume (even though such skills are relevant for a ton of other jobs).

#2. Create a Skills Section

Once you’ve identified all the right skills to add to your resume, create a “Skills” section to list them under. This way, the hiring manager will be able to check whether you have the right skills more easily and the ATS software won’t disqualify your resume.

Here’s what you should remember while making this section:

Be specific. “Verbal and written communication” sounds significantly better than “communication.”
Sort your skills by relevance. Order your skills based on how critical they are for the role. More important skills go on top, and the nice-to-have ones go on the bottom.
Don’t lie or exaggerate. It goes without saying that you should never, ever, lie about your skills. The employer will know you lied the moment you have to work on a task that requires that very skill.

#3. Match Each Skill With Your Proficiency Level

For each skill that you list on your resume, use the competencies proficiency scale to show your proficiency level:

Beginner. You are just starting to learn or have not practiced the skill through experience (usually fresh graduates that only understand concepts through theories or classroom experience).
Intermediate. You have applied the skill in practice, and require assistance with it on rare or special occasions. You still have room to grow.
Advanced. You know your stuff! You don’t need help with the skill anymore. You can also teach beginners how to use it.
Expert. You are a recognized authority on this skill, the go-to person if anyone has any questions. You have consistently proved to be excellent in this skill. You could even write a whole book about it!

#4. Back-Up Your Skills in Other Resume Sections

Listing your skills in a separate section will only get you so far. After all, everyone else is also doing exactly the same thing.

To take your resume from good to great, you want your most critical skills to “pop” from the get-go and to prove to the hiring manager that you actually possess them.

Here is where the resume summary and work experience sections come in.

The resume summary is a short, 2-3 sentence-long summary of your resume that, done right, shows hiring managers your strongest points as a candidate the moment they lay eyes on your resume.

Positioned right under your contact information section , this is the first place where you can mention that you possess one or two of the most role-critical skills listed in the job description.

Here’s how the resume summary of the line cook example we mentioned above would look in practice:

Detail-oriented line cook with over 5 years of experience prepping and cooking over 200 Mediterranean cuisine recipes. Collaborative professional who puts the needs of the team first. In my last position, was able to help the chef handle rush hour work of over 100 tables with 100% accuracy and approval rate from our customers.

Once you’ve grabbed the hiring manager’s attention by including your top skills on your resume summary, it’s time to prove that you have them .

The best way to do that? List some accomplishments in your work experience section and explain how utilizing a particular skill helped you achieve them.

Here’s how that would look like in practice:

Prepped and helped cook food for over 500 customers in the past two years, receiving high praise and positive recommendations for the restaurant continuously.
Helped restaurant to receive positive reviews for 3 years in a row from Gastronomica magazine for attention to detail and food aesthetics and presentation.

#5. Put Transferable Skills to Use

If you’re an entry-level candidate or if you’re switching careers , you should definitely put transferable skills to use. Transferable skills are not directly related to the job you are applying to but are still useful, as well as relevant to most jobs.

Let’s say, for example, that you’re going for a career change from sales to copywriting. You can benefit from listing at least some of the skills acquired in sales in your copywriter resume , such as:

Written communication. Both roles involve communication via text. A salesperson needs to send cold emails, while a copywriter has to write newsletter emails.
Persuasion. A copywriter needs to create copy that drives sales, while a salesperson needs to be persuasive in person.
Computer skills. Both jobs require some degree of computer knowledge. For a salesperson, that’s using Customer Management Software, while for a copywriter, that’s publishing content online.

150+ Must-Have Skills (for Every Field)

Are you still not sure which skills to mention in your resume? We’ve got you covered.

We compiled a list of some of the most relevant skills on the market in 2024, for all sorts of different fields!

If you happen to possess some of these skills, make sure to mention them in your resume. If not, it’s never too late to learn something new!

#1. Soft Skills

Soft skills are essential for just about any job out there. While they’re not necessarily critical to doing your job well, they ensure that you get along with your coworkers and foster a positive work environment.

When evaluating two candidates with equal hard skills, the hiring manager is always going to pick the one that has better soft skills.

So, it’s very important to mention your soft skills in your resume.

Here are some of the most in-demand soft skills today:

Effective communication
Emotional intelligence
Conflict management
Teamwork skills
Stress management
Productivity & Organization

#2. Marketing Skills

With new technologies developing faster than ever, it becomes essential to move beyond the basics of traditional marketing. Here are some of the most relevant marketing skills these days, including both cutting-edge online tools, as well as classic marketing skills:

Data analysis
Web analytics
Email marketing
Web scraping
CRO and A/B Testing
Data visualization & pattern-finding through critical thinking
Search Engine and Keyword Optimization
Project/campaign management
Social media and mobile marketing
Paid social media advertisements
B2B Marketing
The 4 P-s of Marketing
Consumer Behavior Drivers
Brand management
Copywriting
Storytelling

#3. Management Skills

As a manager , you need to have the right mix of soft and hard skills.

Below are the management skills needed to not only get the job but to also enhance employee and company productivity in the long run.

Six Sigma techniques
The McKinsey 7s Framework
Porter’s Five Forces
Emotional Intelligence
Dealing with work-related stress
Task delegation
Technological savviness
Business Development
Strategic Management
Negotiation
Proposal writing

#4. Sales Skills

The art of selling has stayed the same despite technological advancements. Humans still strive for contact with other humans. Despite channels of communication becoming digital, communication and empathetic skills take priority in the sales industry.

A comprehensive must-have skill list for salespeople includes:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Cold-calling
Public speaking
Lead generation
Buyer-Responsive selling
Buyer engagement
Effective communication and sociability
Social media/digital communication

#5. Design Skills

Today, knowing the basics of design does not suffice anymore. To get hired as a designer, you must know how to create killer branded content for the web and for social media channels.

Some of the most important design skills for your resume are:

Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop
Dreamweaver
Infographics
Photo Editing
Typography: spacing, line height, layout, choosing fonts
Storyboarding
Targeting and marketing through visual communications
Logo creation
Digital printing
Integration of visual communication in social media platforms
Attention to detail & aesthetics
Interactive media design
Color sense & theory
Active listening

#6. Basic Technical Skills

These are skills that almost everyone working in an office should know. You can put these skills on your resume if you are applying as a secretary, office clerk, or any other type of office employee.

The basic technical office skills include:

Microsoft Office Pack: Word, Excel, Access, Publisher, Outlook, Powerpoint
Filing and paper management
Bookkeeping through Excel or TurboTax
Research and data analysis
Basic knowledge of user interface communication
Technical writing
Cloud networking and file sharing

#7. Accounting & Finance Skills

Goodbye, filing by hand. Hello, countless platforms and apps. Accountants and financial specialists should familiarize themselves with these skills in order to have a successful career:

Microsoft Excel (Advanced)
Enterprise Resource Planning
Big Data Analysis & SQL
Know Your Customers (KYC)
Cognos Analytics (IBM)
Visual Basic
Accounting Software
Revenue recognition
Anti Money Laundering
Clear communication
General business knowledge
Numerical competence

#8. Education Skills

How many times have you witnessed a 50-year-old honorary doctor with three PhDs struggle to play a YouTube video during undergrad or grad school? Teaching methods have evolved, and so have the required skills to be part of the education industry.

Some of the most essential educational skills are:

Updated curriculum knowledge
Research & Data analysis
Educational platforms (software like Elearn)
Technological & digital literacy

#9. Web Development Skills

It seems like there’s new technology popping up every other second now, a good enough reason for web developers to keep updating their skills.

That said, if you are proficient in HTML, CSS, and Java, you pretty much have a leg up on the competition. All other skills on this list derive from or build upon the three basic programming languages. You can learn or improve your web development skills here.

CSS preprocessors
Graphic User Interfaces (GUI)
Git/Version control (Github, GitLab)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Application Programming Interface (API)
Adobe Photoshop, InDesign
Content Management Systems (CMS)
Testing/Debugging
Responsive design principles

#10. Business Analytics

BAs are very in demand right now by businesses, and for a good reason! They perform an almost magical task of analyzing past and present data to give future predictions. To perform their magic, they need some analytical spells:

SQL (a must) and Hive (optional)
Programming language (R, Python, Scala, Matlab)
STATA, SPSS, SAS
Data Mapping
Entity Relationship Diagrams
Big Data tools
Microsoft Visio
Agile Business Analysis
Machine learning
System Context Diagrams
Business Process Modeling
Technical and non-technical communication

#11. Nursing & Healthcare Skills

More than any other profession, healthcare professionals need to stay constantly updated with new technologies, medicine, and techniques. The skills nursing requires are countless and specific, but the most basic ones boil down to:

Mathematics
Patient care and assistance
Paperwork/record-keeping abilities
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Physical endurance
Infection control
Surgery preparation

Bonus Infographic: Skills to Put on a Resume

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have some questions about what skills you should put on your resume (and how)? Check out the answers below:

1. What kind of skills should I include in my resume?

Your resume should include a combination of two types of skills: hard skills and soft skills .

Hard skills involve job-specific skills that are acquired through education, training, or work experience, while soft skills involve personality traits that can be indirectly useful at the workplace and help you adapt to the company culture better.

Depending on your industry, some examples of hard skills you can list on your resume include copywriting, database management, graphic design, multilingualism, public speaking, SEO, etc.

Meanwhile, examples of soft skills are communication, creativity, leadership, teamwork, time management, conflict resolution, etc.

2. What top skills do employers look for?

The top hard skills recruiters are on the lookout for include blockchain development, SEO, virtual reality development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, business analysis, Java development, affiliate marketing, UX design, machine learning, project management, video production and editing, sales, and business development.

The top soft skills hiring managers are looking for , on the other hand, are creativity, collaboration, persuasion, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.

3. How can I identify my skills?

Some effective ways to identify your skills before adding them to your resume include:

Consider your achievements. Did you ever get recognized for a specific achievement? What skills helped you do it? You are probably still skilled in those areas.
Ask friends and coworkers. Sometimes, it’s easier for others to recognize the strengths that you don't see. Colleagues can definitely be of help but if you’re fresh into the professional world, former professors and classmates can also give you some insight.

4. Where do skills go on a resume?

Skills go under a separate ‘Skills’ section on a resume, typically placed right below, or on the side, of the work experience section.

That said, you can further prove that you possess the skills you list in this section, by weaving the most relevant skills for the job in other resume sections, such as the resume summary and the work experience sections.

5. How many skills to include in my resume?

The number of skills to add to your resume depends on the job you’re applying for, as well as your level of expertise and work history.

If you’re a seasoned professional with plenty of work-related skills, you should definitely include them in your resume. Also, if the job you’re applying for requires a number of skills you possess, it’s safe to include them all in your resume.

As a rule of thumb, listing up to ten skills on your resume is typically a safe choice, as long as they don’t make your resume spill over to page 2 .

6. What are the best skills for a candidate with no experience?

Candidates with no experience and few job-specific skills can benefit from adding transferable skills to their resumes. These are skills that can be applied to many jobs across several industries.

Some examples of good skills for a no-experience resume include communication, organization, problem-solving, teamwork, adaptability, work ethic, and computer skills.

7. What’s the best way to list skills on a resume in 2024?

To really impress with your skills in 2024, don’t just list some random skills under a separate section and call it a day! Instead, make them more credible by:

Finding out more about the company culture.
Tailoring your skills to the job description.
Mentioning the most critical skills on your resume summary or resume objective .
Using your achievements to explain exactly how you used your skills to your advantage.

Key Takeaways

Let’s sum up everything we’ve learned about putting skills in your resume:

You must have a section in your resume devoted entirely to your skills. This helps you pass through applicant tracking systems and get noticed by the HR manager.
The differences between hard skills and soft skills are in the way they are applied (directly vs. indirectly) and the way they are obtained (through education and practice vs. personality traits and experience)
On your resume, list only skills that are relevant to the job, scan the job listing for must-have skills and list those (if you have them), pair each skill with a responding proficiency level, back up your skills with other resume sections, and mention transferable and universal skills.

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How to List Skills on a Resume (Real Skill Examples)

This essential resume writing article is about how to list skills on a resume. For more resume writing help, visit our job seeker resource center .

EdgeWater Pharmacy just posted an opening for a Sales Associate right down the street from your home. You think you are the perfect fit for the job, so you submit your resume, but so do 30 other candidates.

Do you know who is going to get called in for an interview?

The job seeker who looks like they have the most relevant skills for the job.

Make sure you’re getting the callback for an interview from a hiring manager by reading how to list your skills on a resume.

This essential job seekers’ guide will walk you through how to add the skills a hiring manager wants to see on your resume, along with 50+ real resume examples of skills you can use.

This article on how to include key skills on a resume covers:

What are professional skills?
Why are skills important on resumes?
Different types of skills for job seekers
Where and how to incorporate skills on a job application
Top 50+ skills hiring managers want to see on your resume
Fastest ways to gain new skills to get hired

What Are Skills? Why Are Skills Important?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a skill is:

“the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance”

“a learned power of doing something competently : a developed aptitude or ability”

When it comes to job hunting, your skills are what set you apart. Every human on earth has a set of skills that is unique to them. Likewise, every professional position has a unique set of skills that is required for performing the job.

Finding the perfect alignment between these two ideas is the key goal for every hiring manager.

If a hiring manager finds someone that already possesses the skills needed for their job, they won’t have to spend so much time and money on training. It also means that their new employee will be able to pull their own weight more quickly, providing a quicker return on their hiring investment.

But how do hiring managers know who has what it takes to perform well on the job?

The first and most important place hiring managers look is at your resume. On average, a hiring manager spends 6 seconds reviewing a resume and during that time they are scanning the pages to see if the skills required for the job jump out at them.

If they find what they are looking for, you get called in for an interview. If they don’t quickly see what they are looking for, your resume will most likely be discarded.

As a job seeker, it is your responsibility to make sure you know what skills hiring managers are looking for.

Once you identify those skills, it is also your responsibility to make sure those relevant skills are incorporated into your resume in a way that stands out.

If you do these two things accurately, you will be the one getting called in for an interview and will be that much closer to landing a new job.

Types of Professional Skills (Real Resume Examples)

Skills can be broken down into four main categories:

Hard skills
Soft skills
Transferable skills
Job-related skills.

Before you start writing your own list of skills, let’s go through each of these skill categories to see what the difference between them is.

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

Hard skills are specific, teachable, and tangible. They can be measured and tested using assignments and assessments. Hard skills are learned, either through on-the-job training or through school, rather than coming naturally.

Examples of hard skills for a resume:

Soft skills are intangible and are harder to measure. They are personality traits and interpersonal skills that come naturally to humans, rather than being learned through school.

People are born with soft skills. These soft skills grow and develop over time from your upbringing, education, and experiences.

Examples of soft skills:

Contrary to popular belief, hiring managers often care more about soft skills than hard skills, though both hard and soft skills contribute to your appeal as a candidate.

Hard skills, such as computer programming or accounting, can be taught using a combination of curriculum and hands-on practice. Whereas soft skills, such as a positive attitude or punctuality, are harder to teach.

Regardless of your background, hiring managers are usually flexible with teaching you the hard skills needed for their job, as long as you already have the right attitude along with the aptitude to learn.

Transferable Skills vs Job-Related Skills

Transferable skills can be carried with you from one job to the other. These skills can be a hard skill or soft skill, as long as they can be used in any type of role, regardless of the industry, company, or position.

Examples of transferable skills:

Job-related skills are usually always hard skills. These job-related skills are specific to a certain type of role or position.

Examples of job-related skills:

How And Where To List Skills On Your Resume

Skills should be included throughout your resume, rather than confined to one area.

While scanning your resume, hiring managers will be looking over each resume section, starting with the top. Because of how people read resumes, you need to make sure they see your skills immediately.

Guarantee hiring managers will see your skills by listing them in four key areas of your resume:

Resume header
Professional summary
Summary of skills
Work Experience section

If you are writing a resume from scratch, try using this free and easy-to-use resume builder from Resume.com. The sections and formatting are already created for you, so all you need to worry about is filling in the blanks to finish a free printable resume.

1. Resume Header

At the top of your resume, directly below your name, write your job title along with the three most relevant skills you have as a candidate.

This is the first section hiring managers will be reading, so it is important to draw their attention using bold and large lettering.

If you’re using this resume builder , the ‘ Blue Skies ’, ‘ Three Blocks Digital ’, and ‘ van Deco ’ resume templates already have a header section included, which will make finishing your resume easier.

When writing your header, it is crucial that you customize the job title and skills to each job you’re applying for. Your job application needs to be consistent – you can read more about consistency in this article .

For example, if you write Java Developer in your resume header, but are applying for a .NET Developer position, a huge red flag will go up for the hiring manager.

When writing your top three skills in your header, make sure they align with the required skills listed in the job posting.

If you’re applying for a job at a large company or corporation, or you’re applying through a job board, it’s helpful to keep applicant tracking systems (ATS) in mind. Make sure your resume makes it past ATS software by listing your skills using the same wording as the job posting.

Example of skills in the resume header:

2. Professional Summary

Below your header and contact information, you will have a professional summary section. A professional summary used to be called an ‘objective’, but the modern resume writing approach is to replace your objective with a professional summary section.

Your professional summary should give an overview of your background, years of experience, and the top skills that set you apart. The skills in your professional summary should be written in sentence form, rather than listed out.

If using the resume builder , the ‘ My Employment ’, ‘ Apple Green ’, and ‘ Side Panel ’ resume templates have professional summary sections that are sure to draw attention to your most relevant skills.

Example of skills in the professional summary of a resume:

resume example of skills in professional summary

3. Summary of Skills

Below your professional summary, include a ‘summary of skills’ section. Alternative titles for this section could be ‘core competencies’, ‘key skills’, ‘professional skills’, or ‘relevant skills’.

If you have less than 10 skills, you can list them out in columns.

Summary of skills resume example (less than 10 professional skills) :

resume example of skills in summary of skills

Summary of skills resume example (more than 10 professional skills) :

For your skills section, your skills should be listed, rather than written out in sentence form. This formatting choice helps hiring managers to pick out the key words quickly, which they can read about in more detail in the experience section after.

4. Experience Section

The ‘experience’ section usually comes after your summary of skills on a resume. Depending on your background, this could also be called ‘professional experience’, ‘work experience’, or ‘relevant experience’.

Your experience section is the perfect place to back your skills up with real-life examples of when you have used your skills, in addition to the results you have achieved.

When writing your experience section, give specific details about where, when, and with whom you have used your skills. When possible, use numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements.

Example of how to list skills in the experience section of a resume:

how to list skills in work experience resume example

How to List Skills On A Resume – Finding Relevant Skills For You

To figure out what skills you should include on your resume, follow these three simple steps.

Step #1: Create a master list of skills

Go through each category and create a master list of the skills in your toolbox. Don’t be afraid to list things that seem obvious, like computer skills or customer service.

Although they might seem like a given in your profession, many hiring managers still want to see these skills listed.

Never include skills that you are no longer familiar with. If you write a skill on your resume, hiring managers will be expecting that you can deliver on that activity.

If you are worried that a hiring manager will over or underestimate your level of proficiency, feel free to write ‘beginner’, ‘intermediate’, or ‘proficient’ next to each skill listed.

Step #2: Figure out the skills needed for the job

When applying for jobs, it is important to identify the set of skills that are needed. Picking out the needed skills will help you determine if you are a good fit for the role. It will also help you tailor your resume skills to the specific job you are applying for.

There are two main ways to determine the skills needed for a job.

The first is to dissect job descriptions and job postings that are posted on career websites and job boards. To do this, go through a job description and highlight each quality that describes the candidate the company is looking for.

For example, here is a job posting for a cashier position:

how to find relevant skills in job posting for resume

Then create a list of all the qualities described, making sure to write each skill using the same wording that is used in the job posting.

The second way to figure out what skills are needed for a job is to search for people on LinkedIn who are already performing the role.

By searching for a certain job title in the search bar, you can find a list of professionals who are already in that job and then search through their profile to see what skills they have listed, both in their summary and experience sections.

Step #3: Match your master list with the skills needed for a job

The skills you write on your resume should be whatever overlaps between your master list and the list of skills you created from researching jobs.

By using this technique, you will be making sure that the skills you have listed on your resume are relevant to the jobs you are applying for.

A general rule of thumb is to never include skills that aren’t important for the job you are applying for.

For example, if you are applying for a project manager position, there is no need to list that you know yoga or CPR.

Top 50+ Skills Hiring Managers Look For On Resumes

A lot of research has been done as to what hiring managers look for on a resume. Many of the skills they seek are job-specific, while others are transferable.

To increase your chances of getting called in for an interview, include these top skills throughout your resume.

These professional skills are divided by category to help you find the skills that are relevant to you.

Soft Skills

Basic computer skills, customer service, project management, art & design, human resources, fastest ways to obtain new skills.

Are you looking for your first job? Are you missing some of the required skills on a job posting? If so, don’t worry. There are a range of ways for you to obtain the needed skills quickly.

If you are in need of a hard skill, this task is much easier. Hard skills are learned, so you can typically find an online resource, school, or curriculum to pick up the needed skills.

If you don’t have enough time to attend class in person, there are a number of online learning platforms with courses that you can take online, in your spare time. Some examples of popular eLearning platforms include Lynda, Udemy, and Skillshare.

Learning soft skills are a little trickier. These interpersonal and personality traits are hardwired into humans, so the only way to get better at them is to practice, practice, practice.

If you can’t practice soft skills while on a job, try to find some day-to-day activities that you can practice these skills during.

For example, if you need to work on punctuality, set a goal to arrive 5 minutes early wherever you need to be, no matter if it is for class or for coffee. Or if you need to work on your professionalism, pick up a volunteer job based in a professional, office setting.

17 Best skills to put on your resume to stand out

The best resume immediately answers a hiring manager's most pressing question: “Does this person have the necessary skills?”

You don’t have much time to answer this question, either. Recruiters scan a resume in just seven seconds to form a first impression and decide whether they’ll offer an interview.

You must understand the key skills for each job application and express your proficiency quickly to get ahead. We’ll discuss how to choose skills for a resume and add them effectively.

What is a resume skill?

A professional skill is a knowledge, ability, or competency to perform specific tasks or respond to challenges. Each skill is either a hard or soft skill . Hard skills or technical skills refer to our ability to perform knowledge-based tasks, like proficiency with a graphic design program.

Interpersonal skills , or soft skills, refer to our interactions with others, like our ability to tap into our emotional intelligence to manage a team or our leadership communication skills .

Learning new skills relevant to your job or reskilling to start a new career is crucial preparation. Every industry and job role requires proficiency in a wide range of job skills, so it's critical to know the most relevant ones for your profession and target the company and highlight them in your resume.

Hard skills for your resume

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities or knowledge that are often quantifiable and job-specific. Hard skills are gained through experience, practice, and education. They can be measured straightforwardly by our ability to perform a technical task. Hard skills are crucial for performing tasks and functions within a particular field or industry.

Here are a few hard skills you could include on your resume:

Foreign languages
Project management
Marketing fluency, like SEO or SEM
Computer skills
Software management, like CRM
Coding languages, like CSS or Python
Design, like Photoshop or Illustrator
Data analysis

Soft skills for your resume

Soft skills are non-technical abilities that relate to how individuals interact with others and navigate social situations. These skills encompass qualities and attributes that shape one's emotional intelligence, communication style, and overall interpersonal effectiveness. They inform how we approach a task or challenge and are unique personal attributes that make us stand out and succeed as employees and leaders.

Unlike hard skills, soft skills are not job-specific but are universally valuable across various roles and industries. Soft skills play a critical role in building strong relationships, collaborating effectively with colleagues, and enhancing overall workplace dynamics.

Here are a few soft skills you could include on your resume:

Problem-solving
Communication
Time management
Attention to detail
Collaboration

Soft and hard skills often complement one another. Speaking a foreign language is a hard skill requiring specific vocabulary, diction, and grammar knowledge. The communication skills needed to speak this language effectively — knowing how to work through a concept, tell a story, and keep an audience engaged — are soft skills.

How many skills should you add to a resume?

In general you'll want to have 10 to 15 skills listed on you resume. But this varies depending on your level of experience, the specific job you're applying for, and the resume format you're using . Here are some general guidelines to help you determine how many skills to include:

Relevance : Focus on skills that are directly relevant to the job you're applying for. Tailor your resume by carefully reviewing the job description and identifying the skills and qualifications the employer is seeking. Highlight the skills that align with the job requirements.
Balance : While it's important to include relevant skills, it's equally important not to overwhelm your resume with an excessively long list of skills. Aim for a balance that showcases your key strengths without making your resume too lengthy .
Prioritization : Prioritize the most important and sought-after skills . Place the most relevant and impressive skills towards the top of your resume, particularly in the skills section. This ensures that the hiring manager sees your strongest qualifications early in the document.
Quantify : Where possible, quantify your skills or provide context. For example, if you are proficient in a programming language, you can mention the number of years of experience you have with it or highlight specific projects where you applied that skill.
Quality over quantity : It's better to emphasize a few highly relevant and valuable skills rather than listing a wide range of skills that may not be as important for the job. Hiring managers often appreciate depth and expertise in key areas.
Consider resume length : If you have many years of experience and a lot of relevant skills, you may have a longer resume. However, for most applicants, a one-page or two-page resume is typically sufficient. Ensure that your skills section doesn't dominate the entire document.
Group skills : You can group similar skills together to save space. For example, you might create categories like "Technical Skills" and "Soft Skills" to organize your skills more effectively.
Keep it honest : Only list skills that you genuinely possess and can confidently discuss in an interview. Exaggerating or fabricating skills can lead to problems during the hiring process.

businessman-checking-his-watch-resume-skills-for-resume

Types of skills to add to your resume and cover letter

To show your versatility, try including a diverse set of skills on your resume. Choose a couple from each of the three main categories below:

1. Transferable or functional skills

This covers your competency to perform an action and apply that skill to different tasks, job roles, and industries. Your aptitude to perform a transferable or functional skill is measured by your ability to optimize this skill to various situations.

Transferable or functional skills include:

Organization and time management skills
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Writing
Project management
Active listening and communication
Customer service skills

2. Personal skills

This covers personality traits, behaviors, or perspectives that guide your approach to a task or situation. These are likely interpersoanl skills you’ve developed since childhood through different life experiences.

Personality skills include:

Assertiveness
Independence
Detail-orientedness
Strong emotional intelligence
Ability to perform under pressure
Relationahip-building skills

3. Knowledge-based skills

This includes a theoretical or practical understanding of a specific task or process learned through consistent work experience or education. These are often industry or career-specific and, depending on the expertise required for a particular position, the most in-demand.

Knowledge-based skills include:

Computer skills, including programming languages, web development, or experience with specific programs like Microsoft Office, Excel, or Quickbooks
Analytical skills, including data analysis, strategy, or economic forecasting
Industry-specific skills, including a content creator with social media apps or marketing skills or a software engineer with specific expertise in Python or HTML

Top 3 skills to put on a resume

We recommend choosing transferable, knowledge-based, and personal skills relevant to the job description and the company’s values. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong using these three top skills on your resume:

1. Managerial skills

If you have any managerial experience, add it to the relevant job description. Good managers can see the bigger picture, organize their teams around a common goal, and demonstrate effective communication techniques.

This experience also shows you’re willing to take on more responsibility and can handle different personalities.

Expressing your management skills might look like this:

15 years of experience developing multiple teams to [name accomplishment]
Ideated and managed [project] and increased revenue by [percentage]
Certified in Conflict Resolution from [institution's name]

2. Communication skills

Strong communication skills are essential at every professional level. These skills include actively listening, speaking effectively, observing people and situations, and empathizing and supporting our co-workers, colleagues, and managers.

Expressing your communication skills might look like this:

Thrives on constructive criticism
Four years of public speaking experience
Certified in Non-Verbal Communication at [institute name]

3. Computer skills

Expertise in various technologies or the ability to learn new ones are great hard skills to advertise. These include knowledge of hardware, software, work platforms, or coding languages.

Computer skills might include:

Type 145 words per minute
Fluency in CRM and CSM
Knowledge of Python, Javascript, and HTML
Experience with project management softwares like Monday, ClickUp, and Notion
Adobe Photoshop

businesswoman-working-with-important-document-resume-skills-for-resume

17 of the best skills to add to your resume

In addition to the three above, here are some of the most important skills to add to your resume skills section. When updating your resume, be sure to include the most relevant skills for the job you're applying to. Social media marketing, for instance, is more of a must-have skill across various marketing roles but fewer project management roles.

1. Conflict resolution

Conflict resolution involves mediating disputes and finding mutually acceptable solutions. This skill is crucial for maintaining a harmonious work environment and productive relationships among team members.

2. Adaptability

Adaptability is the ability to adjust to new circumstances and challenges. In today's rapidly changing world, individuals who can quickly learn and adapt to new technologies, work processes, or environments are highly valuable.

3. Negotiation

Negotiation skills are essential for reaching agreements that benefit all parties involved. Whether in salary negotiations or business deals, effective negotiation can lead to favorable outcomes.

4. Creativity

Creativity involves thinking outside the box to generate innovative ideas and solutions. It's particularly valuable in roles that require problem-solving and innovation, such as marketing or product design.

5. Strategic planning

Strategic planning is the process of setting long-term goals and developing a roadmap to achieve them. This skill is crucial for leaders and managers responsible for guiding an organization's direction.

6. Public speaking

Public speaking is essential for presentations, pitches, and effective communication with large audiences. Confidence and clarity in public speaking can enhance your professional image.

7. Mentoring and coaching

The ability to mentor and coach others in their professional development is valuable for leadership roles and fostering a positive workplace culture.

8. Crisis management

Crisis management involves responding effectively to unexpected and high-pressure situations, minimizing damage, and maintaining business continuity.

9. Risk management

Identifying and mitigating risks is vital in fields such as finance, insurance, and project management to protect against potential losses.

group-of-colleagues-in-a-meeting-resume-skills-for-resume

10. Data privacy and security

With increasing concerns about data breaches and privacy, knowledge of data security measures and compliance with regulations is essential, especially in IT and healthcare industries.

11. Foreign language proficiency

Proficiency in a foreign language can open up opportunities in international business, diplomacy, and global organizations, enhancing your marketability.

12. Sales and marketing

Sales and marketing skills involve promoting products or services and persuading customers to make purchases. These skills are vital in sales and business development roles.

13. Conflict management

Conflict management focuses on identifying, addressing, and resolving conflicts within teams or organizations to maintain a productive and harmonious work environment.

14. Research and data analysis

Strong research and data analysis skills are valuable in fields like market research, academia, and policy analysis, enabling evidence-based decision-making.

15. Digital Marketing

Digital marketing skills, including SEO, social media management, and online advertising, are crucial for businesses looking to expand their online presence and reach.

16. Problem-solving skills

Problem-solving skills are vital for identifying, analyzing, and creatively resolving challenges. They enable individuals to make informed decisions, find innovative solutions, and adapt to changing circumstances.

17. Project management skills

Project management skills involve planning, organizing, and coordinating resources and teams to achieve specific goals within set constraints. Effective project managers excel at goal-setting, task breakdown, and timeline management. They ensure projects stay on track, meet deadlines, and stay within budget, making them highly sought after across industries.

man-sitting-with-laptop-an-a-dog-resume-skills-for-resume

How to add skills to your resume

There are endless resume templates to choose from when designing your resume, and most offer a skills section. We’ve outlined four tips for adding skills to catch a recruiter's attention with resume skills examples to help you get started.

1. Choose wisely

Study the company by visiting its website, LinkedIn profile , and other public sources. What values do they promote? Which team members do they highlight and why?

Read through the job ad and take note of the responsibilities, job requirements, and skills listed by the employer. Use this research to choose skills for your resume. It’s a good idea to list skills the job posting specifically seeks.

Here’s an example of how to translate a job responsibility into skills when describing work experience on your resume:

Responsibility: Fact-check, proofread, and edit content for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Skill on resume:

Eight years of copy and content writing experience with brands and PR agencies
Wrote objective-oriented, SEO-driven content for brands
Versed in workflow apps, Google Office, and grammar platforms

2. Include a skills section

If a hiring manager spends just seven seconds on a resume, make sure yours is readable. Design the resume to direct the reader's eye to critical information, and include a skills section close to the start. Use relevant action verbs to sell your experience and describe your skills from the beginning.

Don't over-clutter — insufficient white space will deflect the eye rather than attract it. This section should include bullet points with concise information.

3. Subtly mention skills in other sections

Sneak skills throughout your resume, including in the summary and work experience sections. Frequently referencing them will help show the hiring manager you really do possess the skills.

Here are two examples of a writer's position:

Resume summary with a mixture of transferable and personal skills:

Curious, creative, and self-motivated journalist and content writer with six years of experience working independently for agencies and publications.

Work experience section with a mixture of technical and interpersonal skills:

Digital Content Writer, [Company name], [time frame]

Experience in Google Workspace, Surfer SEO, and workflow platforms
Responsible for writing 10 1500-word SEO and keyword-driven articles weekly
Detail-oriented and personable — never missed a deadline and facilitated feedback calls with clients directly

4. Be specific about your proficiency level

Always be clear about your level of expertise. You’ll likely be asked to showcase some of your skills in an interview, so it’s best to be upfront.

Here are a few examples:

Languages spoken:

English, native
Spanish, fluent
Japanese, intermediate conversation and listening comprehension, beginner written
High-level expertise in Python and Java
Mid-level expertise in CSS

Feel confident about the skills on your resume

Building a good resume takes a lot of work. You have to read through the job description and tailor resumes to each post to make sure your profile best aligns with what the recruiter is looking for.

But the effort is worth it. You've spent your entire career learning and nurturing new skills — show them off in your resume and you'll be one step closer to getting the job. You’ve worked hard to get where you are, and listing the right skills will help hiring managers see that.

Ace your job search

Explore effective job search techniques, interview strategies, and ways to overcome job-related challenges. Our coaches specialize in helping you land your dream job.

Maggie Wooll, MBA

Maggie Wooll is a researcher, author, and speaker focused on the evolving future of work. Formerly the lead researcher at the Deloitte Center for the Edge, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Princeton University and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Maggie is passionate about creating better work and greater opportunities for all.

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Resume and Cover Letter
17 Best Skills to Put on Your...

17 Best Skills to Put on Your Resume (with Examples)

20 min read · Updated on March 27, 2024

Everything you need to know about adding the right skills to your resume

Whether your resume has been through 19 revisions lately or you're just revisiting it for the first time in years, spending some time taking stock of your skills section can generate more interest in your candidacy and be the key to winning interviews.

However, there's a lot of conflicting information online and in books about maximizing the effectiveness of this section.

Do you simply list all of your key skills on the resume?

What are the right skills to put on a resume?

What order is best?

How will a jumble of technical qualifications help you stand out?

And what about those soft skills ?

Let's tackle those questions one at a time and learn the 17 best skills to put on your resume – starting at the beginning.

Why is the resume skills section there in the first place?

The number one reason to spend a fair amount of time crafting your skills list is employability. Being employable means that you have the right skills – academic skills, applied knowledge, technology skills, vertical and lateral thinking abilities, and interpersonal skills – that employers value and are willing to pay you for.

When the hiring manager picks up your resume to determine whether you're a fit for the role they have open, one of the first things they'll look at is your skill level. Having the right skills on your resume is also important to ensure your CV pops up in recruiter searches.

There are three key reasons to include the skills section in your resume and to organize it well:

To list your skills and abilities in one place for easy reference and scanning

To highlight the match between your background and the job requirements for the position you're interested in

To get your well-crafted resume through keyword screening by applicant tracking systems

The right mix of resume skills will get you past the first hurdle and towards a conversation. Here's a blueprint for making the most out of your skills section:

Relevancy is critical

Including a jumble of skills on your resume, beefed up with some basics that pretty much everyone knows (like Microsoft Office, as an example) won't help you to stand out. In fact, listing out skills that are considered to be a common baseline can actually hurt your candidacy by making you look like you're scrambling to establish credibility.

PRO TIP: As a general rule, basic user-level proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and email applications is assumed to be a given . However, if you have advanced Excel skills (expert-level proficiency with macros and advanced analysis capabilities, for example), you should list those.

Rather than go back to basics, you'll want to focus only on skills that look good on a resume.

So how can you tell that a skill is relevant? That's easy! Read the job description .

Interpret the job description

As you dissect the job description to learn what will be required of you if you're hired for the position, pay special attention to the “requirements” and “qualifications” bullets, as that's where you'll find the majority of the keywords your resume will need. Again, the goal is to ensure that your resume speaks to that particular job so you can impress the hiring manager.

Let's say you're applying for a job as an Account Manager. You may see these bullets under the “requirements” part of the job description:

Build lasting relationships with new and existing clients

Maintain client records, including contract renewals

Develop sales plans to meet key performance indicators

Understand product offerings to meet customer needs and upsell when available

The keywords you need to focus on in each bullet are:

Client relationships

Client records and contract renewals

Sales plans and KPIs

Product offerings, customer needs, and upsell

The question you then need to ask yourself is, “Do I have the skills to back up these keywords?” If the answer is “Yes,” then these skills should appear on your resume.

This is called tailoring your resume and should be done with every job that you apply to. For example, if you are applying to be a Floor Manager at a store that sells musical instruments, your proficiency with inventory management and your ability to play guitar would both be relevant for the job.

The four main types of skills for your resume

As a human being, you have technical and interpersonal skills in a broad range of areas. You might be an expert whitewater rafter, or maybe you have advanced a World of Warcraft character all the way to level 80. Both of those accomplishments require dedication, practice, and technical proficiency, but they're probably not going to help you land a job.

The general recommendation on standout skills for a resume is to only list skills that will, directly or indirectly, help you to be more effective in your job.

To do this, you have to understand the different types of skills that employers look for.

1. Hard skills for a resume

These are learned abilities that you've picked up during your career, either through education, training, or experience. They can be honed over time. When you add hard skills to your resume, you'll want to include numbers – measurable accomplishments – as often as possible.

2. Soft skills for a resume

Soft skills are characteristics you possess that improve your ability to get along with others, solve problems, and communicate effectively. You'll find that hiring managers love soft skills.

No matter how technical your position is, it will require interacting with people, dealing with deadlines, and adapting to change. It's not as easy to quantify soft skills as it is hard skills, but employers still want you to prove that you possess these traits.

While most skills can be categorized as hard or soft skills, there are other types of skills, too!

3. Transferable skills for a resume

In addition to hard and soft skills, you might consider whether you have any transferable skills. This becomes especially important if you're changing careers, as they allow you to provide tangible proof of your ability to adapt to new circumstances and use lateral or vertical thinking to apply knowledge about one thing to something else.

When you're leaning on transferable skills to sell your qualifications to the hiring manager, you must take the time to relay how those skills will benefit them and their new team. So, rather than saying that you have good time management skills, prove it by demonstrating what you do to manage time and how this has benefitted previous employers.

4. Adaptive skills for a resume

You can also show resiliency through skills in your resume if you're not changing careers. Let's face it, if there's one thing that's certain in life and work, it's that things change. If you're the type of person to leverage change as a learning opportunity, then you should definitely be highlighting your adaptability on your resume.

When you talk about adaptive skills on your resume, be sure to provide specific examples as they can be the powerhouse statements that win you an interview .

The 17 best skills to put on your resume

Now that we've defined what types of skills you can use on your resume, let's explore some specific examples of different skills you can include.

1. Computer skills and programming languages

When the job description wants you to prove that you possess programming skills, you can add “ Proficiency in Python, Java, or HTML, ” for example. This signals to employers that you can do everything from coding to automation and makes you a valuable candidate in the tech space.

Some roles that require an understanding of computer languages include:

Software Engineer

Computer Scientist

2. Data analysis

Saying that you possess data analysis skills allows you to demonstrate that you can interpret raw data and draw actionable insights to fuel change. It's adaptable across industries and can be easily backed by quantifiable data.

Some roles that require an understanding of data analysis include:

Data Scientist

Marketing Consultant

Senior Accountant

3. Project management

You don't have to be a Certified Project Management Professional to include an ability to manage projects on your resume. If you're good at leading, organizing, and delivering successful outcomes, then you should add that you know how to manage projects.

Some roles that require an understanding of project management include:

Construction Contractor

Industrial Engineer

IT Project Manager

4. Creativity

Creativity is one of the most highly sought-after skill sets. Not only can you leverage it to create tangible marketing pieces that connect with target audiences, but it can also be used to solve problems and bring fresh perspectives to projects. Creativity also signals that you're adaptable to dynamic environments.

Some roles that require you to be creative include:

Graphic Designer

Digital Marketing Manager

Brand Manager

5. Languages

The world gets smaller every day, so being able to speak more than one language is a skill that you should definitely include on your resume. Adding multiple languages to your application makes you highly valuable in a globalized, connected working world.

Some roles that require you to be speak other languages include:

International HR Director

Foreign Exchange Investment Banker

Some Teacher roles

6. Communication

Every job everywhere requires employees to have good communication skills. But instead of simply saying that you are a good communicator, be prepared to demonstrate that you understand the value of everything from active listening to properly articulating complex concepts.

Some roles that require great communication include:

Sales Representative

Public Relations

Nurse Practitioner

7. Teamwork

A lot of people will throw the word “teamwork” into the skills list on their resume without giving it much thought. However, given the vast amount of hybrid and remote working environments, teamwork is more important than ever. A happy team that works together reduces burnout and increases morale.

Some roles that require good teamwork include:

Sports Fitness Coach

Product Manager

Scrum Master

8. Leadership

If you're applying for a role that will involve guiding others, then including leadership skills is a must. When you add leadership to your resume, you highlight that you're not afraid to take the initiative to make decisions that drive outcomes.

Some roles that require you to be a leader include:

Director of IT

Sales Manager

9. Critical thinking

When you're known for making well-informed decisions by analyzing information and evaluating situations objectively, you possess critical thinking skills. You may see this pop up in job descriptions where the employer is seeking someone with high emotional intelligence. Basically, if you can navigate your way logically through problems, then critical thinking is probably something you should add to your resume.

Some roles that require critical thinking include:

Data Engineer

Telecommunications Professional

10. Cultural competence

Diversity, equity, and inclusion have become buzzwords in today's workforce. People want a voice and value having a psychologically safe place in which to get things done. This is even more true when you have people coming together from different cultures.

Some roles that require you to have cultural competence include:

Military-to-Civilian

11. Quality assurance

Quality assurance has implications across a number of fields, including software development and cybersecurity. There is an emphasis on quality assurance in roles that require you to maintain compliance with regulations or particular guidelines and best practices.

Some roles that require an understanding of quality assurance include:

Aviation Mechanic

Cyber Security Specialist

12. Time management

Ranking right up there with creativity as far as top-rated skills go, being able to properly manage time is critical in today's workforce. It's not only something that's found in professional settings, but across industries and jobs worldwide. A simple search of job descriptions will reveal that the majority of them want people who can meet deadlines, at the minimum.

Some roles that require good time management include:

Administrative Office Assistant

Finance Director

Project Manager

13. Conflict resolution

Being able to de-escalate situations with irate clients by demonstrating empathy and clearly defining options for a resolution means you're probably good at conflict management. However, conflict management isn't only demonstrated in client interactions. You may also be able to showcase conflict resolution skills if you've solved problems within team environments, too.

Some roles that require conflict resolution skills include:

Retail Merchandising

Insurance Agent

Information Technology

14. Sales and upselling

Sales is all about employing active listening to ascertain customers' needs, to sell the right product or service at the right time. Whether you're connecting with target audiences to get them to buy something through a digital marketing campaign or you're trying to sell someone a product, meeting client needs is critical to demonstrating that you're good at sales and upselling.

Some roles that require you to be able to sell and upsell include:

Marketing Manager

Consulting Manager

Real Estate Manager

15. Data entry

As you progress in your career, showcasing that you're good at data entry will become less and less important, however, there are still some roles that value candidates who can quickly and accurately input data into a system.

Some roles that require data entry include:

Recent Graduate

Mid-Career Professionals

16. Tech-savviness

Being tech–savvy means that you're always on the cutting edge and consistently keep up with emerging technologies. It helps you to deliver innovative solutions that help your company remain competitive in the ever-changing IT landscape.

Some roles that require candidates to be tech-savvy include:

DevOps Engineer

Technical Project Manager

Senior Software Engineer

17. Continuous learning

Today's employers value job seekers and employees who are fastidiously committed to ongoing education and skill development. Most even provide some sort of knowledge bank or in-house professional development courses to allow you to engage in continuous learning.

Some roles that value a commitment to continuous learning include:

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Electrical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

How to add skills to your resume

Keep your skills specific and clear.

A common pitfall when it comes to resume skills is to list broad categories of abilities without going into sufficient detail. The problem with that approach is that it won't get your resume found in keyword searches, because they are looking for specific proficiency statements.

So, instead of writing “familiarity with accounting software,” list “Quickbooks, Quicken, Sage, and Xero.”

Use numbers and descriptive words where appropriate –

How many projects have you managed using Teamwork Projects?

How many people have you trained to use Salesforce?

A few well-placed quantifiers can position you as a serious candidate with supported qualifications.

Organize your skills list

When creating a long list of skills for a resume, consider how you organize everything. Ordering your skills strategically will make your resume easier to read and call the right attention to the right skills in the right place.

This is especially true considering that our brains look for patterns. A well-organized skill section on your resume will improve the aesthetics and help the hiring manager to skim through it to find just what they're looking for.

PRO TIP: There isn't a hiring manager alive who is reading your resume. They're scanning through it in just a few seconds . This makes keeping things organized all the more important.

Another organizing tip is to list the most important skills for the job first. Specifics will vary by industry, but think through the critical technical skills that will drive your effectiveness and success in the role and put them at the top.

When you're starting to group your skills list together, deciding which is most important depends on the job description. While most employers want employees who are good communicators and can solve problems, you have to take the industry and employer preferences into consideration.

Job relevance: This goes back to tearing the job description apart to find the relevant keywords

Industry trends: Stay on top of things that may be changing in your industry and highlight any new skills that come into demand

Employer preferences: Take some time to research the company and learn what they do, why they do it, and for whom – this will help you to get a feel for their company culture, so you'll know which soft skills will impress them the most

The best place to put skills on your resume

The placement of the resume skills section itself on the page is up to you. Many people prefer to have it positioned near the top of their resume, but it works at the bottom too.

PRO TIP: If you have a lot of skills to list, consider breaking them up (for example, technical skills at the top and additional skills at the bottom).

No matter where you place the skills section, the layout is critical in catching the eye of hiring managers and showcasing your qualifications in a way that helps you to stand out from the crowd.

At the top of your resume

Technically speaking, your skills list shouldn't be at the top. The first things on your resume should be your contact information , headline , and summary paragraph . So, when we say “at the top of your resume,” we mean beneath the summary paragraph.

When you put your skills list at the top of your resume, you call immediate attention to some key selling points. It's an effective technique if you have a strong set of skills that directly align with the job requirements.

Here's what a skills list at the top of your resume would look like:

FIRST NAME, LAST NAME

City, ST 12345 • LinkedIn URL • [email protected] • 111-222-3333

REGIONAL MANAGER

Operations Management | Project Management | Sales Management | Business Analysis

Innovative and ambitious executive-level management professional offering extensive experience and an accomplishments-driven career in sales, marketing and operations, and key account management. Leverages an entrepreneurial spirit to orchestrate tactical business plans that challenge the status quo, allowing for reformation of process. Intuitive business acumen and skilled strategist who uses the most up-to-date business practices to create, implement, and oversee business continuity. Naturally assumes leadership roles to oversee and achieve organizational success.

Business Development • Executive Leadership • Strategic Business Planning • Data Analysis • Team Training & Development • Policy & Procedure Development • Marketing & Territory Expansion • Procurement, Sourcing, & Negotiation • Relationship-Selling • Customer Relations

This resume example actually has two skills lists. One just beneath the title and then the regular one beneath the summary paragraph. It's an effective way to separate out the skills that are most important – the specialized abilities that you want to call immediate attention to. However, if you do it like this on your resume, the skills listed beneath the title should only be one to two lines max!

At the bottom of the resume

If you've reached a point in your career where your work history and career achievements outshine your skills, then it's a good idea to place the skills list at the bottom of your resume.

Here's what your skills could look like at the bottom of your resume:

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

[List your career history in reverse-chronological order, starting with the most recent and working backward about 10 years]

[List the degrees you've earned and the schools where you obtained your degrees. You can also mention any professional development classes you've taken and certifications or licenses you possess]

Core proficiencies:

Soft skills:

Team Leadership | Coaching | Persuasion | Creative Problem Solving | Negotiation

Technical skills:

English | Spanish | French

Throughout your resume

Since your resume is more than a list of skills, you should know that your master list of abilities and the keywords you've culled from the job description aren't limited to being placed only in a skills list. You can – and should – include hard, soft, adaptive, and transferable skills throughout your entire resume.

After your contact information, the first thing that should appear on your resume is a headline. A lot of people will simply put a title, but if you take a moment to spruce it up and turn it into a headline, you'll be able to inject a few keywords on the top line of your resume.

For example, if you're applying for a role as a Real Estate Broker, here's the difference between a title and a headline:

Title: Real Estate Broker

Headline: Real Estate Broker with Expertise in Property Valuation and Team Management

Put yourself into the shoes of a hiring manager and ask yourself, which of those would give you more information about the job seeker? The headline not only indicates which role you want, but also includes two keywords – property valuation and team management.

Summary paragraph

As you move on to write your career summary, that appears just beneath the headline, you'll want to continue adding relevant skills from your career that are mirrored in the job description. Doing this will ensure that your resume presents a cohesive and powerful message that your experience and achievements will serve the new company well.

In sticking with the example of Real Estate Broker, perhaps you find that the new company wants you to coordinate marketing events and client activities, write weekly reports, and have a solid understanding of the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) platform for listing properties.

The keywords to include in your profile paragraph would be:

Marketing events

Client activities

Multiple Listing Service (MLS)

Thus, your profile paragraph could look like this:

Veteran real estate professional with a strong background in orchestrating impactful marketing events for single and multi-family residences. Specializes in managing client activities that turn passive consumers into active clientele. Proficient in maximizing MLS to enhance property visibility and streamlining documentation and reporting processes. Known for creating a culture of excellence and client satisfaction by maintaining an open-door policy that encourages communication among team members.

As you can see, the profile paragraph isn't a long and drawn-out diatribe of things you've done in your career. Rather, it's a short paragraph that matches your skills to the job you're applying for.

Work experience

Let's move on to the meat of your resume - the part the hiring manager is going to spend the most time on – your career history . You may be wondering how you can put future-facing keywords into the historical part of your resume, but all it takes is a bit of finesse.

For example, if you have a history of closing multi-million-dollar deals in high-end neighborhoods, you could work a few keywords into an achievement bullet like this:

Closed 5 multi-million-dollar property sales per month by leveraging MLS for property exposure

While you could stop after you say how many multi-million-dollar deals you closed, because that's a great achievement statement, expanding the bullet to include a keyword makes your overall resume all the more compelling.

TopResume wants to do more than write your resume. We want to give you the tools you need to succeed in your job search and career. Click on the following link for more resume and career advice .

Stand out from the crowd

When you master including the best skills in your resume, you reach a level of job search preparedness that propels your resume to the top of the pile. The whole idea is to make it easy for potential employers to see how you'll fit within the folds of their organization and team. That's where tailoring the skills on your resume comes in – wherever you include them.

Want to see how your resume stacks up? Try out our free resume review today!

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100+ Key Skills for a Resume in 2022 (Examples for any Job)

Learn how to professionally and efficiently list your skills on a resume.

How to List Skills on a Resume

Your skills are just as important as your work experiences. Skills show a recruiter what you can do for the company -- without taking up too much space in your resume.

Skills can be anything from “creativity” (a soft skill) to “JavaScript” (a hard skill). It’s important to include a mix of both on your resume.

Don’t know what skills you have? Read on to learn the difference between “soft” and “hard” skills, or skim our 250+ skills for each industry to jump right into the resume writing process.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Soft Skills vs Hard Skills

“Soft” skills are those that are not quantifiable, such as leadership. These skills also cannot be learned, but are rather a facet of your personality. Nevertheless, soft skills are still critical to have, for they demonstrate that you are personable and competent.

Top Soft Skills to include on your resume

‍ Tip: Use some of the soft skills as adjectives when writing your profile summary . For example, try “enthusiastic entrepreneur,” “empathic childcare worker,” “organized nurses’ aid,” “supportive administration assistant” or “detail-oriented sales associate.”

The resume below is for a Childcare Worker and includes many soft skills that companies look for, including Creativity and Organizational skills.

In contrast, “Hard” skills are those that are learned -- either in school or through a certification program. These skills are quantifiable and can be continuously expanded upon through further education. Today, most hard skills have to do with computer technology, such as SEO, CSS/HTML, or Microsoft Suite. Even if you aren’t tech-savvy, chances are you still have a few hard skills.

Top Hard Skills to include on your resume

Tip: Be specific about your hard skills. Instead of listing “Programming Languages,” specify which ones you know -- Python, Java, C, etc. Same with photo editing software and any other platforms you are familiar with.

The resume below is for a Content Marketing Associate, and includes manyhard skills that companies in the marketing industry look for, including experience with Social Media tools. Remember, it's important to be specific in terms of defining and listing what softwares you know.

How to List Your Skills

Whether you’re a jack of all trades or a master of one, you absolutely must list some skills on your resume. Skills offer additional insight into what you can offer the company as an employee, and may just push your resume over the edge and into the interview pile.

Only list relevant skills . If you’re applying for a position as an engineer, don’t brag about your marketing abilities. Instead, save the space to list the software and programming languages that you know.
List around 5 Skills . Writing too many skills on your resume can be an overwhelming experience for the recruiter. He or she may not fully register your skills, and instead just blankly skim the long list. Conversely, listing too few skills is only selling yourself short. You definitely have more than two skills -- no matter your experience level! So shoot for around 5 skills, with a little wriggle room.
Include both hard and soft skills . Even if your profession seems to rely on soft skills more than hard skills -- or vice versa -- including both makes your resume stronger. For example, if you’re applying to work as a laboratory assistant, list soft skills such as “teamwork,” “problem-solving,” “time management,” or “organization.” If you’re in a more creative field, hard skills include softwares such as “Adobe Creative Suite” and talents such as “photography,” “writing & editing,” or “videography.”
Note your experience level . With each skill, specify whether you are a “beginner,” “expert,” or somewhere in between (using words like “intermediate” and “moderate”). Our resume templates have bars beneath each skill that you can toggle to reflect your expertise.

The resume below is for a Human Resources Manager, and includes all of the above tips.

250+ Skills for Each Industry

Although we’ve split these skills up by industry, please note that many skills are applicable to a variety of careers. For example, someone working in marketing might find knowledge of JavaScript just as useful as someone working in the computer science field.

Let’s jump in!

100+ Key Skills to include on your resume infographic

Office and Administrative Job Skills

Answering Phones
Bookkeeping (Excel, Turbotax)
Office Equipment
Welcoming Visitors
Calendar Management
Organization
Time Management
Problem Solving
Attention To Detail
Adaptability
Written Communication
Email Platforms (E.G., Gmail And iCloud Mail)
Word Processing Software (E.G., Google Docs)
Spreadsheet Software
Digital Calendars
Prioritization

Sales, Retail, and Customer Service Job Skills

Product Knowledge
Lead Qualification
Lead Prospecting
Customer Needs Analysis
Referral Marketing
Contract Negotiation
Self Motivation
Increasing Customer Lifetime Value (Clv)
Reducing Customer Acquisition Cost (Cac)
CRM Software (Salesforce, Hubspot, Zoho, Freshsales)
Cashier Skills
Knowledge Of Products And Services
Customer Service
Communication (More Specifically -- Verbal Communication Skills, Listening Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Written Communication Skills, Public Speaking Skills, Presentation Skills)
Math Skills
Negotiation
Persuasion
Diplomacy
Cold Calling
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Lead Generation
Buyer-responsive Selling
Buyer Engagement

Nursing and Healthcare Job Skills

Patient Assessment
Taking Vital Signs
Patient Care
Recording Patient Medical History
Wound Dressing And Care
Urgent And Emergency Care
Record-keeping
Patient Education
NIH Stroke Scale Patient Assessment
Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
Medicine Administration
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Rehabilitation Therapy
Hygiene Assistance
Use Of X-ray, MRI, Cat Scans
Glucose Checks
Electronic Heart Record (EHR)
Decision-Making Ability
Critical Thinking
Leadership
Thorough Understanding Of HIPPA And Privacy Policies
Ability To Take And Record Vital Signs
CPR And First-Aid Certifications
Perform And Evaluate Diagnostic Tests
Maintain Patient Charts

IT Job Skills

Programming Languages
Web Development
Data Structures
Open Source Experience
Machine Learning
Front-End & Back-End Development
Cloud Management
Agile Development
CSS Preprocessors
Graphic User Interfaces (GUI)
Git/Version Control (Github, gitlab)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Application Programming Interface (API)
Adobe Photoshop, InDesign
Content Management Systems (CMS)
Testing/Debugging
Responsive Design Principles
Mobile and Web Development (e.g. iOS, Android)

Engineering & Technical Job Skills

STEM Skills
Prototyping
Troubleshooting
Project Launch
Lean Manufacturing
Workflow Development
Computer Skills
Technical Report Writing
Programming Languages HTML, CSS, CRM tools

Advertising & Marketing Job Skills

SEO (SEMRush, WordPress, and Ahrefs)
SEM (i.e., Google Adwords)
CRO and A/B Testing
Social Media Marketing and Paid Social Media Advertising
Sales Funnel Management
CMS Tools (WordPress, Weebly)
Graphic Design Skills (Adobe Creative Suite)
Email Marketing (MailChimp, Constant Contact)
Email Automation
Data Visualization
Print Design
Photography and Branding
Communication
Creativity
Data Analytics (Google Analytics )
Web Analytics
Email Writing
Google Adwords
Social Media And Mobile Marketing
Paid Social Media Advertisements
Consumer Behavior Drivers
Brand Management
B2b Marketing
Writing Advertising Copy
Soliciting Feedback From Customers
Cutting Costs
Leadership skills
Task Delegation
Strategic Management
Proposal writing
Problem-solving
Problem solving
Website Management
Social Media Outreach
Video Production
Campaign Management
Photo Editing
Logo Creation
Digital Printing
Interactive Media Design
Color Sense & Theory
Social Media Publishing
Storytelling
Financial Analysis
Consumer Research
Statistical Analysis
Videography
Technical Writing

General Management and Project Management Job Skills

Agile Project Management (Kanban)
Managing Cross-Functional Teams
Scrum Management
Performance Tracking
Financial Modelling
Ideation Leadership
Feature Definition
Forecasting
Profit and Loss
Scope Management
Project Lifecycle Management
Meeting Facilitation
Risk Management
Cost Management
Data Analysis
Collaborative
Collaborative Programs (Slack, WhatsApp, Dropbox)
Adobe Creative Suite

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The Most Important Personal Skills (With Examples)

Most Common Skills
What Are Soft Skills?
What Are Leadership Skills?
What Are What Are Hybrid Skills?
What Are Teamwork Skills?
What Are Communication Skills?
What Are Organizational Skills?
What Are Personal Skills?
What Are Interpersonal Skills?
What Are Decision Making Skills?
What Are Negotiation Skills?
How To Multitask
What Are Creative Thinking Skills?
What Are Adaptability Skills?
What Are Internal Analysis?
What Are Multitasking Skills?
What Is Professional Networking?
What Is Nonverbal Communication?
What Are Critical Thinking Skills?
Presentation Skills
What Is Accountability?
What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Verbal Communication Skills

Summary. Important personal skills to have include communication, leadership, and problem solving skills. Personal skills are also called soft skills, people skills, or interpersonal skills and are a person’s attributes or traits that relate to social interaction in a variety of ways.

No matter what you do for a living, having strong personal skills will always give you an advantage when finding a job. This is because companies don’t just want employees who are technically proficient, they want employees who will be pleasant and effective to work with.

In this article, we’ll talk about what personal skills are, how to identify and put them on your resume, and how to improve them.

Key Takeaways

Personal skills are often called soft skills and are the skills that make you good at interacting and working with people.

Personal skills can be transferred to any role, company, or industry.

Just as you need to work to develop your hard or technical skills, you also need to develop your personal skills by taking classes, asking for feedback, and setting yourself up for success by practicing self-care.

15 Types of Personal Skills

How to identify your personal skills, how to showcase your personal skills on a resume, how to improve your personal skills, why are personal skills important, personal skills faq.

Personal skills, also called soft skills , people skills, or interpersonal skills, are a person’s attributes or traits that relate to social interaction in a variety of ways. They are also highly transferable, since your attitude, personality, and work style automatically follow you to any and every company you work for.

Personal skills are contrasted by hard skills. Hard skills involve technical knowledge, which includes things like machine skills, multilingualism, and computer programming. You need to study or be taught a hard skill.

Personal skills are more challenging to develop, making them very valuable to hiring managers. Soft skills can complement your hard skills, making you a well-rounded candidate that will be a positive addition to any team.

Communication. Almost every position under the sun involves communication. Whether it’s on the phone, via email, or face-to-face, being a strong communicator makes life easier for everyone around you.

Communication is a two-way street, so things like active listening , asking good questions, and maintaining open body language all fall under the umbrella of communication skills .

Interpersonal. A close cousin of communication skills, interpersonal skills are essential whenever you need to interact with anyone at work.

We all know someone who is naturally a “people person,” easily comfortable and compatible with all sorts of different people. For an employer, finding an employee who can fit in with any group and adjust their communication style on the fly is like finding the Holy Grail.

Leadership. Whether you’re in a management position or taking the lead on a project, leadership skills are all about motivating others.

A leader is self-confident and has strong interpersonal skills. They have to know how to manage the disparate personalities that make up their team and accept responsibility for the projects they lead.

Problem-solving . Employers don’t want to have to hold your hand through every problem that arises in your day-to-day workload. A job is essentially a series of problems to be solved, and those that have the intuition, creativity, and confidence to tackle these problems are highly valued, in any position.

While some problems require hard skills to solve, being a good problem-solver also means knowing who to collaborate with when issues arise.

Time management. Being able to effectively manage your time is essential for any job. Prioritizing, planning, and scheduling are all facets of time management.

Being organized and meeting or exceeding deadlines is going to get you noticed by your employer, and you’ll start to see more independence and opportunities come your way after exhibiting strong time management skills.

Flexibility/adaptability. Change is the only constant, in business as in everything else. Being a flexible employee who can adapt to any situation as it arises is a highly-valued trait.

Sometimes you might need to perform a duty that’s outside of your comfort zone, and being adaptable means nobody needs to babysit you while you’re at it. Being able to acclimate to new environments, technologies, or processes will make you an employee that a company wants around for the long haul.

Critical thinking. Critical thinking involves taking an analytical approach to problems. Strong critical thinking not only helps you perform assigned tasks effectively — it also helps come up with better ways of doing things for all assignments, present and future.

Being a critical thinker helps the company grow, adapt, and improve, and is valuable in every position in every industry.

Organization. Having strong organizational skills is about more than just keeping a tidy desk and a beautifully laid-out filing cabinet (although that certainly is part of it). It’s also about organizing your time, your team’s tasks, and your schedule so that things get done efficiently and in the proper order.

Strong organizational skills are highly transferable and will help you succeed regardless of the nature of your work.

Creativity. A business cannot grow or improve without creativity. Being able to think outside-the-box about practices, processes, and problems can save a company loads of time and money.

Creativity is also important for any job that produces internal or external materials. But really, anyone who is willing and able to challenge the status quo and offer new ideas is an asset to any employer.

Collaboration. Strong collaboration skills are all about teamwork. Most jobs require you to work with people, and being a team player means that you’ll put the project’s success ahead of your personal glory.

Good collaboration also means listening to others, identifying your and your teammates’ strengths and weaknesses, and knowing when to follow and when to lead.

Attention to detail. Mistakes can be extremely costly for a business. Being a person who has strong attention to detail means that you’ll catch these mistakes well before they become a more serious problem. The best way to show you pay attention to detail while on the job search ? Submit a perfectly formatted resume and a mistake-free cover letter .

Dependability/responsibility. The baseline for being a dependable employee is showing up on time every day. Being truly dependable, however, is about being someone whom people (co-workers or clients) can turn to for help in any situation.

Responsibility is about knowing what’s expected of you and owning up to your actions, even when you make a mistake . Dependability and responsibility are highly sought-after personality traits that make for a strong employee.

Self-motivated. It’s important to be a good teammate and a good listener. It’s equally important to be self-motivated. No boss wants to have to tell you how to spend every minute of your day.

Taking initiative is going to get you noticed at any job. Being intrinsically motivated to succeed in all of your tasks is essential for a company’s efficiency.

Work ethic. Related to self-motivation, work ethic is the belief that diligence at work has its own inherent virtue. Someone with a strong work ethic doesn’t need a carrot on a stick to be motivated to do their job to the best of their ability. They enjoy their work and take pride in it.

People with a strong work ethic exhibit many of the traits listed above but tie them all together with a winning attitude.

Professionalism. Last but certainly not least is professionalism . Professionalism involves being mature, self-confident, and responsible in all one’s tasks.

It also means being honest and exhibiting integrity in every situation. Professional people can still be fun, but they know the appropriate time and place for everything. A professional employee is one you can always count on to do things the right way — procedurally and ethically.

“Great,” you’re thinking, “I have all of those skills!” But you can’t just throw a list of skills onto a resume and hope for the best. Narrow down which skills you truly excel at and should include with these tips.

Ask people who know you. Oftentimes we have a tough time seeing ourselves accurately. You might be better able (or more comfortable) to describe a friend’s traits than your own. So, as weird as it might seem, reach out to a manager , coworker, mentor , or even just a friend to ask what skills they see most in you.

Read the industry. Work backwards here. See what kinds of skills employers are looking for in job postings within your industry or ask other professionals who are currently employed in that industry.

When you start seeing the same soft skills pop up, consider which you actually possess. Don’t lie just to fit in though — take an honest inventory of your strengths and weaknesses.

Look at your achievements. Your resume and cover letter should include some of your top accolades from your professional and/or educational experience. Consider what skills aided you most in your achievements. That way, you already have proof to back up your given skillset.

For any job application, your resume and cover letter should be specifically tailored for the job you’re applying for.

For personal skills, that means reading the job description carefully and identifying adjectives they use to describe their ideal candidate. You’ll notice words from the list above come up quite often, with varying regularity depending on the industry and the position.

Next, think of how you can prove you possess these skills. It is not enough to simply state “self-motivated” — employers want evidence, quantifiable if possible, that you really are self-motivated. Saying something like “independently developed a project for XYZ company that increased website traffic by 7%” is going to have much more weight behind it.

For your cover letter, try to work in how some of your best personal skills have served you well on the job. Just like your resume, though, be sure to contextualize your skills with noteworthy achievements.

For example, you could write about how you saved the company money by paying close attention to detail, communicating with relevant departments, and organizing a new budget. This shows that you know how to leverage your skills to get things done on the job.

In an interview, it’s important to know which personal skills you want to highlight most. Again, turn to the job description before the interview to remind yourself which personality traits are emphasized as extra-important.

Then, look for ways to pepper those qualities into your answers whenever possible. Just don’t go crazy and turn every question into a chance to showcase your great organizational abilities. Remember, personal skills are best when they’re varied and complement each other well.

Unlike hard skills, we’re always practicing soft skills, day in and day out, at work and at home. However, it never hurts to be deliberate when working towards a goal.

Here are some tips to start improving your personal skills today:

Identify weak areas. Start thinking about where you’d like to improve. Maybe you’re a great communicator, but horrible at keeping organized. Or maybe you’ve got a talent for collaboration, but you become easily distracted.

Take a class. There are online classes for everything these days — even personal skills. There are both free and paid versions on countless e-learning websites, or you can even turn to YouTube to pick up on some tips and tricks.

Practice self-care. Personal skills are often held back because there’s just too much on our plates and we don’t take enough time to really work on ourselves. Start setting aside time every day for meditation, yoga, or anything that helps you feel grounded and mindful.

Personal skills are harder to find in candidates than hard skills, as odd as that might seem. As a culture, we spend a disproportionate amount of time upping our technical skills when compared to our interpersonal ones.

Hiring managers and recruiters place great value in candidates who can not only perform their job responsibilities well, but perform them in tandem with a diverse team while improving the experience of everyone around them. A tall order, we know.

But if you can show that you’re the type of person who’s a real asset to an organization, beyond your ability to complete job-specific tasks, you’ll stand out at every stage of the hiring process .

What are the best personal skills to have?

Some of the best personal skills to have include:

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving

Time management

Adaptability

Critical thinking

Organization

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Dependability

Self-motivation

What should I mention in the personal skills section of my resume?

You should mention any personal skills that describe you and are listed on the job description that you’re applying for. Skills such as communication, problem-solving, and adaptability are desirable in job candidates, so look at which ones are listed in the job posting.

What are personal and professional skills?

Personal skills are the skills you use to be a good employee, and professional skills are the skills you use to do your job well. There may be some overlap between the two, but typically personal skills include things like communication and collaboration, while professional skills include coding and data entry.

NC State University – Interpersonal Skills

Post University – Soft Skills Need Sharpening? 10 Ways to Improve Soft Skills

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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Career Advice >
Personal Skills

12 Types of Personal Skills with 120 Examples for a Resume

By Status.net Editorial Team on March 7, 2024 — 11 minutes to read

Personal skills are the qualities and attributes you bring to the table that make you stand out as a candidate in the professional world. When compiling your resume, it’s important to include a mix of these soft skills alongside your technical abilities and experience. These are the traits that show potential employers how you interact with others, handle responsibilities, and adapt to new situations. They are essentially your personality strengths at work. By showcasing the right personal skills with concrete examples, such as leading a successful group project or managing tight deadlines, you increase your chances of catching an employer’s eye.

Related: What Are Soft Skills? (and How to Showcase Them)

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills (with Examples)

Technical Skills Examples for Resume

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are the tools you use to interact and communicate with fellow employees, customers, and managers in an organization. These are integral for creating a positive work environment and achieving effective teamwork and collaboration.

Communication Skills

Effective communication means you are capable of sharing your ideas clearly and listening to others with an open mind. You adapt your language and tone depending on who you’re speaking to and always aim to be clear and concise.

“Facilitated open and effective communication between cross-functional teams.”
“Drafted comprehensive reports that simplified complex information for stakeholders.”
“Designed and delivered engaging presentations that captivated diverse audiences.”
“Streamlined interdepartmental emails to improve company-wide clarity and efficiency.”
“Mediated discussions to foster understanding and mutual respect among team members.”
“Tailored communication style to the needs of clients, enhancing customer satisfaction.”
“Translated technical jargon into easily understandable language for end-users.”
“Utilized active listening skills to accurately respond to client inquiries and concerns.”
“Collaborated with international partners, navigating cultural and linguistic barriers.”
“Maintained open lines of communication during high-stress situations, ensuring team cohesion.”

Your ability to work within a team to achieve shared goals is indispensable. You show adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to learn from your colleagues.

“Coordinated with team members to successfully complete project milestones ahead of deadlines.”
“Leveraged the strengths of diverse team members to enhance project outcomes.”
“Participated in shaping a collaborative team culture that values everyone’s input.”
“Supported team members, providing constructive feedback and assistance when necessary.”
“Actively engaged in team brainstorming sessions, contributing innovative ideas.”
“Assisted in aligning team objectives with company goals for increased productivity.”
“Promoted teamwork by organizing team-building activities that fostered trust and collaboration.”
“Participated in a cross-functional team that improved processes, saving the company time and money.”
“Helped to create a supportive environment that encouraged risk-taking and creativity.”
“Played a key role in a team recognized for exceeding service delivery expectations.”

Conflict Resolution

Your competence in resolving disputes demonstrates your ability to manage emotions and negotiate effectively. You work to find common ground and aim for solutions that satisfy all parties involved. On your resume, you might describe your conflict resolution skills like this:

“Resolved conflicts among team members, facilitating compromise and collaborative solutions.”
“Implemented a step-by-step mediation strategy to de-escalate client disputes.”
“Negotiated between conflicting parties to reach mutually beneficial agreements.”
“Applied emotional intelligence to understand different perspectives in workplace conflicts.”
“Devised conflict-resolution protocols that reduced tensions and improved morale.”
“Arbitrated a major client conflict that resulted in a renewed service contract.”
“Managed sensitive employee relations issues with discretion and fairness.”
“Fostered an inclusive culture that minimized conflicts through proactive communication.”
“Trained team members in conflict resolution techniques, contributing to a more harmonious workplace.”
“Addressed customer complaints swiftly, restoring trust and preventing potential churn.”

Possessing empathy means you have the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. This skill can lead to better teamwork and more effective leadership.

“Provided empathetic customer service that increased repeat business.”
“Recognized by management for consistently empathizing with team members and addressing personal concerns.”
“Incorporated client feedback into service delivery, enhancing client satisfaction and engagement.”
“Mentored new hires by attentively understanding their challenges and guiding them through their transition.”
“Cultivated a customer-centric approach that improved client retention rates.”
“Adapted services to meet the needs of individuals from various cultural backgrounds.”
“Demonstrated ability to connect with dissatisfied customers, turning negative experiences into positive outcomes.”
“Leveraged empathy to diffuse emotional client situations, resulting in positive resolutions.”
“Championed diversity initiatives, fostering an environment of understanding and respect.”
“Applied an empathetic listening approach to better address employee suggestions and concerns.”

Organizational Skills

Organizational skills demonstrate your ability to plan, prioritize, and achieve goals efficiently. These skills are highly valued across various professions because they help you to maintain productivity and manage responsibilities effectively.

Time Management

Managing your time effectively means you prioritize tasks and work on the most important ones first. It’s important to know how to structure your day to maximize efficiency.

Time Management Examples for Your Resume:

“Prioritized tasks to meet project deadlines consistently”
“Scheduled weekly planning sessions to outline tasks and goals”
“Balanced multiple projects without sacrificing attention to detail”
“Implemented time tracking tools to monitor task durations”
“Developed daily to-do lists and updated them throughout the day”
“Organized work calendar with color-coded priorities”
“Streamlined workflow by identifying and eliminating time-wasters”
“Allocated break times to enhance focus and productivity”
“Monitored deadlines and adjusted schedules proactively”
“Utilized planning apps to manage team schedules and appointments”

Decision Making

Decision making is about choosing the best course of action. It’s important to show that you can assess situations, consider various perspectives, and decide on the right move forward for the benefit of the team or project.

Decision Making Examples for Your Resume:

“Evaluated and selected vendors that cut costs by 15%”
“Analyzed client feedback to drive product improvements”
“Identified risks to prevent potential issues down the line”
“Chose effective marketing strategies that improved brand awareness”
“Led team meetings to decide on project directions”
“Made timely decisions under pressure to meet client needs”
“Weighed pros and cons before implementing new company procedures”
“Collaborated on budget allocation for department resources”
“Negotiated contracts to secure the best terms for the company”
“Decided on staffing assignments based on skill levels and workload distribution”

Problem-Solving Skills

Being adept at problem-solving is highly valued in any job market. This section will give you insight into demonstrating your skills in critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and analytical abilities on your resume.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking means making reasoned judgments that are logical and well-thought-out. It is a way of thinking in which you don’t simply accept all arguments and conclusions you are exposed to but rather have an attitude involving questioning such arguments and conclusions. You might demonstrate your critical thinking abilities by taking complex projects and breaking them down into manageable steps.

“Evaluated multiple vendors to optimize supply chain efficiency”
“Assessed client needs to develop a more focused marketing strategy”
“Determined the root cause of repetitive issues to prevent recurrence”
“Orchestrated a workflow redesign, increasing team productivity by 20%”
“Led a task force to resolve a persistent quality control problem”
“Implemented a new testing protocol to improve product reliability”
“Analyzed customer feedback to enhance service delivery models”
“Conducted a comprehensive review to decrease budget expenditures”
“Critiqued project proposals to ensure alignment with company goals”
“Appraised competing technology solutions to aid strategic planning”

Creative Problem-Solving

Creative problem-solving means using innovation or lateral thinking to find solutions to complex issues. You can display your ability in this area by highlighting instances where you thought outside the box or proposed unique solutions to challenges.

“Devised a novel customer loyalty program that increased repeat business”
“Crafted a new interface design that enhanced user experience and satisfaction”
“Initiated a recycling program that cut down waste and operational costs”
“Invented a time-saving tool that streamlined the team’s data entry process”
“Formulated an alternative sales strategy that captured a new market segment”
“Piloted a social media campaign that doubled online engagement”
“Revamped an outdated filing system, increasing retrieval efficiency”
“Launched a cross-training program that maximized staff versatility”
“Executed a creative workflow that accelerated project completion times”
“Engineered a cost-saving solution that also improved customer service”

Analytical Abilities

Your analytical abilities are showcased when you systematically examine and interpret data patterns to gain an understanding and drive decision making. In your resume, you can focus on situations where your data analysis skills directly contributed to better decisions or enhanced outcomes.

“Interpreted sales data to redirect marketing efforts and boost revenue”
“Condensed complex data sets into clear, actionable reports”
“Mapped out user experience trends to guide product development plans”
“Correlated customer service metrics to implement targeted improvements”
“Utilized analytics to optimize website content for search engine ranking”
“Discerned patterns in user behavior to tailor the e-commerce platform”
“Leveraged analytics tools to track and report on social media performance”
“Segmented market data to identify and pursue untapped customer bases”
“Quantified production metrics to pinpoint areas for process enhancement”
“Applied statistical methods to refine inventory management strategies”

Leadership Skills

When you showcase leadership skills on your resume, you’re demonstrating your ability to guide a team towards a common goal. It’s important to articulate how you can inspire and influence others through specific actions and strategies.

Delegation means entrusting tasks to team members based on their strengths and skills. You help the team progress efficiently while developing individual capabilities.

“Managed a team of 10 and effectively distributed tasks to align with individual strengths”
“Entrusted junior staff with key projects to foster skills development and career growth”
“Defined clear roles and responsibilities within the team to streamline project execution”
“Oversaw a successful delegation system that boosted team productivity by 25%”
“Appointed team leaders to oversee segments of projects, strengthening leadership pipeline”
“Matched tasks with expertise, resulting in improved quality of work and staff satisfaction”
“Delegated administrative duties to appropriate staff, maximizing time for strategic tasks”
“Fostered a culture of trust by delegating critical tasks to capable team members”
“Implemented a task rotation program to enhance cross-functional team expertise”
“Coordinated the delegation of work during high-stake projects, ensuring timely completion”

Motivational Techniques

Motivational techniques are strategies you use to encourage and energize your team so they remain engaged and committed to their work.

“Implemented an employee recognition program that increased team morale and productivity”
“Organized team-building retreats that enhanced collaboration and cohesiveness”
“Championed a mentorship program that motivated employees to achieve personal and professional goals”
“Conducted regular progress meetings to celebrate milestones and motivate continuous effort”
“Introduced flexible work options to maintain high levels of team motivation and well-being”
“Established a system of constructive feedback that motivated employees to excel and innovate”
“Led by example to inspire and motivate team members during challenging periods”
“Developed incentive programs aligned with team and individual performance goals”
“Used positive communication to boost team spirit and maintain high motivation”
“Encouraged skill development through workshops, benefiting both employees and project outcomes”

Strategic Planning

Strategic planning means outlining a long-term vision and breaking it down into actionable steps. Your ability to anticipate future trends and adapt plans accordingly is key.

“Formulated a 5-year strategic plan that resulted in a 40% growth in company market share”
“Led cross-departmental teams in the development of a strategic product launch roadmap”
“Analyzed market trends to inform long-term business strategies and competitive positioning”
“Orchestrated the strategic shift of business focus which increased customer acquisition by 30%”
“Designed and supervised a risk management strategy that safeguarded the company during economic downturns”
“Hosted strategy workshops to align team objectives with company goals”
“Constructed a resource allocation plan to support strategic initiatives without disrupting operations”
“Set measurable goals to track the success of strategic endeavours and pivot when necessary”
“Facilitated the reorganization of company structure to improve operational efficiency and meet strategic aims”
“Collaborated with key stakeholders to ensure strategic plans were robust and achievable”

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some examples of personal skills to list on a resume.

When listing personal skills on your resume, consider including effective communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, and time management. These soft skills can demonstrate your ability to work well in various environments and with different teams.

How can you describe personal skills in a sentence for a CV?

You can describe personal skills on a CV with a sentence like: “Adept at conflict resolution and negotiation, with a strong ability to communicate effectively with diverse teams.” This showcases specific skills and provides context for how you use them.

Can you give examples of unique personal skills that stand out on a resume?

Unique personal skills that could make your resume stand out include emotional intelligence, cross-cultural literacy, and advanced problem-solving abilities. Including innovative thinking or the ability to learn and apply new technologies quickly can also be advantageous.

In what way should you present personal interests and hobbies on your resume?

Present your personal interests and hobbies on your resume in a concise manner, linking them to job-related skills whenever possible. For instance, if you’re an avid chess player, you could note that it hones your strategic thinking and decision-making skills.

What are the top personal skills employers look for in fresh graduates?

Employers typically seek fresh graduates with strong interpersonal skills, the ability to work under pressure, and enthusiasm for learning and professional development. Demonstrating that you’re results-oriented and have a proactive approach can be particularly effective.

What are some professional skills that can enhance your resume?

Professional skills that can enhance your resume include project management, technical skills relevant to your industry, foreign language proficiency, and proficiency with specific software tools. Highlighting these skills shows you possess both the soft and hard skills required for the job.

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31 personal skills for your CV

When writing your CV, it’s crucial to demonstrate your personal skills.

Most jobs will require you to interact with other people, so it’s understandable that employers look for candidates with strong personal skills.

This guide gives you a list of 31 impressive personal skills for your CV, that will help you to land more job interviews.

CV templates

What are personal skills for your CV?

Personal skills (also known as soft skills) are skills which are closely related to a person’s characteristics or personal traits. They define the way you interact with other people in the workplace and are vital in most lines of work.

Unlike hard skills (such as numeracy, languages, IT proficiency etc.) they are intangible, and as such they are harder to measure, and describe in your CV.

Here are my 31 powerful personal skills, along with examples of how they can be expressed in your CV.

Most roles will require you to interact with numerous colleagues, so teamwork is an essential personal skill to master and highlight in your CV.

“Reporting to the area manager and liaising with four administrators to process a workload of 3,000 documents per week between the team”

Written communication

The ability to communicate between colleagues and customers is vital, and written communication is one of the most common forms of doing so. Whether you communicate via email, letters, official documents or more; you should mention it in your CV.

“Updating users on building progress via weekly emails and responding to any queries that arise”

Verbal communication

Whether you work in an office, retail store or construction site, verbal communication with others is necessary to get the job done effectively.

“Meeting and greeting customers, discussing product options and making recommendations”

Self motivation is a great quality to posses – it can help you to push through tough times and achieve great results for yourself and employers.

“Turned around a failing sales quarter by setting higher targets and giving daily pep talks to staff, resulting in a 30% rise in revenue”

Being curious about why a plan failed, or which element of a project performed the best , is an excellent way to start improving and growing success. Although this is a difficulty skill to measure, it can still be worked into your CV if you are creative about it.

“Investigated recent drops in website traffic to identify three faults in landing page URLs – once amended, website traffic increased by 25%”

Sense of responsibility

Being responsible for your daily tasks, workload and supporting those in your team proves to an employer that you’re a reliable professional. So include this skill on your CV.

“Introduced a new task management system to the team to ensure that everyone (myself included) was able to effectively manage their workload and ensure all deadlines were met”

Accountability

Accountability means doing what is best for the business and taking responsibility for your actions. Employers want someone who is dedicated to helping the company achieve its goals.

“Took full ownership of the company’s social media platforms, gaining over 10,000 followers as a result”

Flexibility

Things can change very quickly in the workplace and employers want professionals who can be receptive and flexible, so demonstrate this skill on your CV.

“Taking on additional hours and responsibilities during peak season in order to accommodate the increased level of customers”

Willingness to learn

Employers are looking for someone who can grow with their company and is willing to continue developing their skill set.

“Increased traffic to the company blog by 33% after taking an online digital marketing course to help me further my knowledge of SEO”

Influencing

Being influential is an important skill, it allows you to inspire others and bring them round to your way of thinking, leading to better collaboration and team work.

“Using competitor analysis to educate customers on the benefits of choosing our products over competing brands”

Desire to progress

Employers want professionals who are driven and want to grow with their company, so it’s a good idea to show your desire to progress on your CV.

“Receiving a promotion to Account Executive after exceeding monthly sales targets by at least 30% for three consecutive months”

Good listeners are able to build strong relationships, gain the trust of their clients and co-workers and solve problems effectively – all important skills you should demonstrate on your CV.

“Arranged one-to-ones with all staff to find out what they thought could be done to improve the office environment. A new staff room was commissioned as a result of their feedback”

Self-awareness

This is another skill that is hard to measure and the best way to demonstrate self-awareness on you CV is by recalling a challenge you were faced with in the past and how were able to overcome and learn from it. This help employers to see that you’re capable of self-reflection and personal growth.

“Requested informal feedback from my co-workers on my telephone manner and decided to undergo additional training to help me improve. As a result I was able to better assist customers with their queries over the phone”

Being compassionate is vital for getting along with your colleagues and dealing with customer queries or complaints. So be sure to add this skill to your CV.

“Answering phone calls and listening carefully to the concerns of customers, then doing my best to reach a quick and amicable solution”

Practicality

The ongoing skills shortages mean that employers are looking for recruits who have the practical skills to drive their business forward, making this a highly a sought-after skill.

“Took on the role of project manager for a big client which meant having to delegate tasks, oversee the progress of the project each step of the way and effectively solve any problems that arose”

Resourcefulness

Whether it’s with your time, resources or budget, being a resourceful employee means you often do more than is expected of you and make a real contribution to the business as a result.

“After noticing that our delivery team were quite often driving back on themselves, I optimised their routes to ensure a quicker and more effective delivery service for our customers”

Adaptability

The workplace can be unpredictable sometimes and you need to be able to adapt quickly to any issues, increasing workloads and new technologies you may be faced with.

“Using data from Google Analytics to assess our social media campaigns and quickly implementing new strategies when we weren’t achieving the desired results”

Loyalty is more than just the length of time you work at a company, it’s about how hard you work and how committed your are to the success of the business, making this an understandably sought-after skill.

“Taking on additional responsibilities in order to better support the business and contribute further to the bottom line”

Whether you’ve made a mistake, things aren’t going as well as you’d hoped or you’re not sure your boss’ idea is going to work, employers value honesty. So be sure to demonstrate this personal skill to your CV.

“Presented a detailed report to the manager after realising we had overspent on a number of our chosen vendors. After finding cheaper alternatives we were able to cut business costs by 15% annually”

Punctuality

Repeatedly being late looks unprofessional and can affect the whole team, that’s why employers look for candidates who are always punctual.

“Arrive 10 minutes early to meetings to allow time to get settled and help those who are presenting to get set up”

Reliability

Reliability covers a large number of aspects in the workplace. It means that you’re punctual, you can handle your workload and you always deliver results, making this a key skill to highlight on your CV.

“Carefully planning and managing my workload to ensure all deadlines are met on time”

Contribution

The best employees are those who get stuck in and are always bringing new ideas to the table. If you always contribute to the workforce in a big way, make sure you include this on your CV.

“Within three months of joining the company increased sales by 10% resulting in an additional £12,000 profit for the business”

Leadership skills are vital for the workplace as they help you to motivate others, communicate effectively and lead by example. Therefore this skill should be listed on your CV.

“Arranged team meetings every Friday to catch up on the events of the week, encouraging team work and boosting morale”

Negotiation

Being a good negotiator means you’re able to listen to others, put together a persuasive argument and work together to solve problems. It’s therefore unsurprising that this is a highly desirable skill for employers.

“Meeting with prospective clients to discuss our services, resulting in a 22% increase in clients over a 12 month period”

More skills

Transferable skills – CV adjectives – Leadership skills – CV buzzwords – Hard skills – Marketing skills – Digital skills – Student skills – Creative skills – Hospitality skills

Social skills

Social skills are vital for building professional relationships and employers will look for evidence of this key skill on your CV.

“Frequently collaborating with co-workers on group projects, sharing ideas and offering constructive feedback to one another”

Relationship building

Whether with clients or co-workers, being able to build rapport and lasting relationships with others will result in higher morale and productivity, as well as increased sales of goods or services. As such, this is a great skill to highlight on your CV.

“Establishing strong relationships with clients which resulted in an 86% renewal rate at the end of the year”

Employers are looking for confident professionals who tackle challenges head on and have faith in their own abilities. As a result your CV needs to reflect this level of confidence.

“Met with three members of the senior team to ask if we could invest in a new software that would make administrative tasks much simpler. Within three months this had been rolled out across the company”

Employers look for candidates that have a positive attitude as they’ll be more likely to boost morale and take each new working day in their stride.

“Working closely with my supervisors to expand my knowledge and take on new responsibilities”

Work can be challenging and some days it can leave you feeling stressed, tired or emotionally drained. But it’s important that you remain resilient when this happens, employers want someone who can bounce back and carry, not become irate or call in sick the next day.

“Underwent additional training during peak season in order to adjust to my growing workload”

It’s understandable that employers want staff who are passionate about their role and the company, because passion pushes people to achieve results. So let your passion shine through on your CV.

“Contributing to the company blog by creating fresh and insightful content that resonates with the target audience”

Independence

An important quality that employers look for in their workers is independence. This tells them that you’re self motivated and able to manage your workload effectively, with minimal supervision.

“I was awarded ‘Employee of the Month’ after completing an important project two weeks early, allowing me the time to take on some additional tasks for the client”

Adding personal skills to your CV

Personal skills are vital for communication, building relationships and succeeding in the workplace. As such, it’s essential that you’re able to demonstrate these on your CV.

Using the 31 key skills outlined above, choose the skills that are most relevant to you and give strong examples of how these have helped you in the past.

For more inspiration and top CV tips , check out our CV writing guides .

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100+ Key Skills for a Resume in 2020 (Examples for any Job)
What Is Personal Skills In A Cv at All_3
Personal Cv
Resume Skills List. Need help adding resume skills to impress employers
Resume Skills Section: 250+ Skills for Your Resume
Personal Resume Example in Word Format

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COMMENTS

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100 Good Skills to Put on a Resume [Complete Guide]

By Jeff Gillis

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Which Skills Are More Important?

How Do You Choose the Skills to List on a Resume?

1. Make a List of the Skills You Know You Have

2. “Mine” the Job Descriptions for Must-Have Skills

3. Tailor Your Skills to the Company/Position

100 Resume Skills Examples

Hard Skills for a Resume

Soft Skills for a Resume

What If I Don’t Have the Required Skill?

How To List Skills on a Resume

What About Skills for My Job Application?

Putting It All Together

About The Author

101 Essential Skills to Put on a Resume in 2024 [For Most Jobs]

Hard Skills Vs Soft Skills - What’s the Difference?

What’s the Difference Between Hard Skills and Soft Skills

Why Should You List Skills on Your Resume?

8 Best Skills to Put on a Resume

#1. Communication skills

#2. Computer skills

#3. Management skills

#4. Problem-solving skills

#5. Organizational skills

#6. Leadership skills

#7. Customer service skills

#8. Interpersonal skills

How to List Skills on a Resume (And Stand Out)

#1. Tailor Your Skills to the Job

#2. Create a Skills Section

#3. Match Each Skill With Your Proficiency Level

#4. Back-Up Your Skills in Other Resume Sections

#5. Put Transferable Skills to Use

150+ Must-Have Skills (for Every Field)

#1. Soft Skills

#2. Marketing Skills

#3. Management Skills

#4. Sales Skills

#5. Design Skills

#6. Basic Technical Skills

#7. Accounting & Finance Skills

#8. Education Skills

#9. Web Development Skills

#10. Business Analytics

#11. Nursing & Healthcare Skills

Bonus Infographic: Skills to Put on a Resume

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaways

How to List Skills on a Resume (Real Skill Examples)

What Are Skills? Why Are Skills Important?

Types of Professional Skills (Real Resume Examples)

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

Transferable Skills vs Job-Related Skills

How And Where To List Skills On Your Resume

1. Resume Header

2. Professional Summary

3. Summary of Skills

4. Experience Section

How to List Skills On A Resume – Finding Relevant Skills For You

Step #1: Create a master list of skills

Step #2: Figure out the skills needed for the job

Step #3: Match your master list with the skills needed for a job

Top 50+ Skills Hiring Managers Look For On Resumes

Soft Skills

More Skill-Related Articles For Resume Writing:

17 Best skills to put on your resume to stand out

What is a resume skill?

Hard skills for your resume

Soft skills for your resume

How many skills should you add to a resume?

Types of skills to add to your resume and cover letter

1. Transferable or functional skills

2. Personal skills

3. Knowledge-based skills

Top 3 skills to put on a resume

1. Managerial skills

2. Communication skills

3. Computer skills