Best Skills To Put On A Resume | With Examples

Creating a strong skill section on your resume is essential for convincing recruiters that you are the ideal candidate for the position.

You may have a variety of skills, but how can you choose the proper skills for a resume? You may also believe that you just have a few, in which case, what skills would you include on a resume to demonstrate that you’d be an excellent hire?

Learn how to select and list resume skills to give the recruiters their aha moments.

This guide will show you:

• Types of skills to put on a resume for all jobs
• What soft and hard skills to include on a resume to get noticed
• How to list skills on your resume to confirm your qualifications and get interviewed for your dream job

What Types of Skills Do Employers Look For on Resumes

A skill is the ability to perform an activity or job well, particularly after practicing it. Employers look for a variety of skills while reviewing your job application. The most common contrast is between soft and hard skills.

Soft and Hard Skills

• Soft skills are your character traits that characterize relationships with other people, such as active listening or adaptability.
• Hard skills are learnable abilities that enable you to perform certain job-related tasks, for instance, data analysis or product knowledge.

When developing a successful resumes, a combination of the two is necessary. In the next chapters, you’ll discover how to choose the most relevant to the job you want.

Employability Skills

According to the report, employability is one of the most investigated issues for workers. It also serves as an umbrella word for a collection of qualities that make you an ideal candidate for any employer.

These are referred to as employability skills. They relate to a set of soft and hard skills and character attributes that companies value and help a candidate stand out.

Various studies identify distinct employability qualities. Putting them all in your resume and then proving them to your company is nearly impossible. That is why, while establishing a list of skills, you need distinguish between three different kinds of skills:

• Transferable Skills

These skills, also known as transferable or functional skills, are skills that can be transferred from one profession to the next. They are based on skill and ability and explain the actions required to complete a task that may be applied to a variety of positions and industries.

Transferable skills can be both hard and soft skills, and because of their versatility, they appeal to recruiters across industries.

• Self-Management Skills

They are features or features that can improve efficiency at work. They are based on what you’ve learned over your lifetime. These are soft skills, like patience, independence, and active listening.

• Knowledge-Based Skills

These are the outcomes of your education, training, experience, and knowledge of specific topics, methods, does and don’ts, and information needed to complete certain activities correctly. These are difficult skills, such as linguistic, computer, or technical.

Why should you identify these three sorts of skills for your resume? Because combining them increases your resume’s chances of passing the screening and landing on your recruiter’s desk.

Position yourself as a specialist who has continuously learned and improved throughout your life, gaining skills from various sources. This leads to the belief that you will only continue to improve once recruited!

What Are Good Skills to Put on a Resume

The ideal skills to include on a resume are a combination of soft and hard skills. The top -10 soft skills and the top five hard skills will be revealed shortly. Why the different approach? According to the study, soft skills are sought four times more than hard skills.

Top 10 Soft Skills for a Resume

The soft skills described below are highly transferable skills. Such qualities are general and are not limited to a certain career or industry; they will make excellent employment skills regardless of job title.

However, they are required in certain businesses, thus each entry includes a short list of employment. You should include a couple of your most relevant soft skills on your resume, regardless of the job you are looking for. This is especially critical if you are a fresh graduate preparing an entry-level resume.

Studies have shown that the most important things to put on a resume for entry-level candidates are soft skills:

• problem-solving (83% of employers)
• teamwork (83%)
• written communication (80%)
• and leadership (72%)

Communication

Communication skills are used to receive, understand, and transmit many types of information. However, these skills also involve respecting others’ points of view, communicating concepts and ideas, and listening to others. Being able to communicate with your supervisors, coworkers, and customers, whether verbally, nonverbally, in writing, or visually, is critical in any business.

What resumes require great communication skills?

• Sales Representatives Resume
• Customer Service Resume
• Education & Teaching Resume
• Human Resources Resume
• Public Relations Resume

Organizational Skills

Having excellent structuring skills allows you to stay focused while completing various jobs. You can also manage many jobs at once and coordinate work for both yourself and others. Being organized conveys a straightforward message to the recruiter: you are efficient and competent. And that is useful in any career.

What resumes require great organizational skills?

• Project Manager Resume
• Personal Assistant Resume
• Management Jobs Resume
• Housekeeper Resume
• Event Planner Resume

People Skills

These skills, often known as social skills, are concerned with how to communicate with others in an effective and kind manner. People skills involve settling issues, accepting differences, trusting others, and educating others of your ideas. According to the poll, 81% of employers regard interpersonal skills as essential, therefore including these on your resume is always a smart idea.

What resumes require great people skills?

• Teacher Resume
• Social Worker Resume
• Journalist Resume
• Personal Trainer Resume
• Hospitality Resume

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving enables you to identify and address the problem, consider potential solutions, choose the one that would work best, and successfully apply them. Solving unexpected problems on time is essential for employers since it shows you are someone the organization can rely on in the event of unexpected problems.

What resumes require great problem-solving skills?

• Police Officer Resume
• Medical Doctor Resume
• School Principal Resume
• Lawyer Resume
• Office Manager Resume

Creativity

According to the report, creativity is one of the most desirable skills an employee may have. Creative thinking enables you to see things from another point of view. This can lead to unexpected results and completely new techniques to successfully executing old tasks.

What resumes require great creativity skills?

• Writer Resume
• Graphic Designer Resume
• UX Designer Resume
• Social Media Coordinator Resume
• Brand Ambassador Resume

Teamwork

Working in groups allows you to develop strong ties with both other employees and your clients. No surprise teamwork skills are so important. According to the report, more than 70% of firms that focused on developing and supporting teams increased their service quality, productivity, and profitability. Having good collaboration skills can impress any employer.

What resumes require great teamwork skills?

• Filmmaker Resume
• Restaurant Resume
• Hotel Manager Resume
• Auditor Resume
• Paralegal Resume

Active Listening

Active listening is defined as listening and responding to what others say in a way that allows you to go forward with your tasks, solve challenges, and enhance your job.

Giving your complete attention to what others say and reacting to it is beneficial in a variety of settings, and showing this during a job interview is an excellent approach for showing that you care. And it is what separates a great hire.

What resumes require great active listening skills?

• Hairstylist Resume
• Consultant Resume
• Nurse Resume
• Academic Advisor Resume
• Constructor Resume

Decision–Making

The ability to pick between two or more options in order to achieve the best result in the least amount of time is a valuable skill. If you have good decision-making skills, you will be able to assess the facts, assess the existing situation, and choose the best course of action for the organization based on facts, data, consultations, and reasonable thinking.

What resumes require great decision-making skills?

• Controller Resume
• Pilot Resume
• Manager Resume
• CEO Resume
• Executive Resume

Time Management

Did you know that according to the report, 89% of employees admit to waste time at work every day? That is one of the reasons why all employers prize effective time management skills in their employees. Being able to focus on work and avoid distractions is an excellent method to demonstrate that you are the ideal person for the job.

What resumes require great time management skills?

• Production Manager Resume
• Entrepreneur Resume
• Business Owner Resume
• Freelance Writer Resume
• Scrum Master Resume

Adaptability

It might be difficult to adjust to sudden changes without becoming overly stressed. However, possessing adaptability abilities will allow you to be adaptable, regardless of how many adjustments you need to do. Adapting to a new circumstance is extremely beneficial in the business and in everyday life, whether it’s a project schedule, goals, or unexpected challenges.

What resumes require great adaptability skills?

• Marketing Resume
• SEO Specialist Resume
• Buyer Resume
• Substitute Teacher Resume
• Charge Nurse Resume

Top 5 Hard Skills for a Resume

Hard skills are skills that you acquire on the job through formal schooling or further training. They are teachable, measurable, and relevant to a certain job.

For example, if you work in customer support, your hard skills would involve Zendesk, data input, and product knowledge.On resumes, hard talents demonstrate what you can perform. Soft skills reflect how you will carry out your duties.

Management Skills

According to LinkedIn’s research this year, employers value management skills the most. Every leader requires these leadership qualities to communicate with coworkers, care for their well-being, and understand how to deal with subordinates while still assuring the company’s success and speed.

What resumes require great management skills?

• Sales Manager Resume
• Stage Manager Resume
• IT Director Resume
• Program Coordinator Resume
• Production Supervisor Resume

Analytical Skills

Analytical skills include data collection, organization, representation, and absorption. Having them in your skill set enables you to identify patterns, draw conclusions, and solve various challenges. It’s an essential skill for a variety of jobs since it allows you to work with data, which is essential in today’s society.

What resumes require great analytical skills?

• Analyst Resume
• Software Engineer Resume
• Network Administrator Resume
• Coaching Resume
• Data Scientist Resume

Technical Skills

Technical abilities are necessary to complete certain job-related tasks and are acquired through on-the-job training and structured learning. These abilities are diverse since they are all job-specific. Technical skills frequently necessitate the use of certain equipment and the technologies necessary to operate such tools.

What resumes require great technical skills?

• Java Developer Resume
• Automotive Technician Resume
• Mechanic Resume
• Plumber Resume
• Computer Technician Resume

Computer Skills

Different computer skills are incredibly vital in today’s environment, partly because computers are involved in almost everything we do. These skills combine information and skills to enable you to use computers efficiently and successfully. Computer skills can refer to a variety of topics, including MS Office, Google Drive, Spreadsheets, the web, software, and hardware.

What resumes require great computer skills?

• Help Desk Resume
• DevOps Resume
• Data Entry Resume
• Web Designer Resume
• Programmer Resume

Language Skills

Proper communication skills are beneficial. But the ability to converse in multiple languages is extraordinary. Language skills are essential in a variety of situations, so if you have an a love for them, put them on your resume. Having someone who speaks more than one language on board can be beneficial as the firm grows.

What resumes require great language skills?

• Translator Resume
• Event Coordinator Resume
• Flight Attendant Resume
• Hotel Front Desk Resume
• Hostess Resume

How to List Skills on a Resume

Having a strong set of skills is one thing. However, placing them correctly on your resume is also vital! And now that you know what skills are important to your potential employer, it’s time to figure out how to impress them with your expertise!

1. Tailor Your Resume Skills to the Job Description You’re Targeting

If there’s one takeaway here:

• Customize the skills that you list on each resume you send to meet the job offer requirements.
• You’ll show to employers that you’re uniquely qualified for this position and outperform resume-screening machines that look for relevant keywords.

How to make a resume skills list tailored to the job ad?

• Start with a master list of all your professional skills. List everything that makes you good at your job, both hard and soft skills.
• Read the job description carefully. Pay attention to the “Requirements” or “Key Skills” section of the job ad.
• Look for skills-related words and phrases such as “meticulous time-management,” “knowledge of XYZ software,” “proficient in Lean management,” and so on. Jot them down.
• Compare your master list of skills with those you see in the job ad. All those that match have to go on your resume.
• Don’t stop there! If the job ad calls for other skills you think you have but forgot to enter on your master list, mention those on a resume, too.
• Tell the truth, though. If you exaggerate your qualifications on a resume, recruiters will find out at some point.

Let’s see how this works in practice. Here is an example job posting for a customer support representative.

See the keywords highlighted in yellow? These are the important abilities and qualifications that successful candidates will need to include and demonstrate on their resume.

Job Summary:

• Present a professional image with a positive demeanor daily
• Initiate customer interactions and engage with prospects
• Educate customers about our clients and the value of their products
• Provide support and resources that solidify the interest of customers
• Establish rapport to pinpoint customer preferences and adapt accordingly
• Become an expert in the characteristics of the products and services offered
• Collaborate with the Customer Service Team to complete objectives

Desired Skills:

• You’re able to make decisions and solve problems
• You are able to empathize with customers in a genuine way that lets them know you care about their issues
• You’re a team player that can follow and lead as situations dictate

Requirements:

• 2-5 years of experience working with customers in a technical role
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Experience with JIRA, Zendesk, Salesforce, or other support tools

2. Include Relevant Skills in a Separate Skills Section

This way, you’ll help recruiters spot strengths on your resume in a flash.

Use a standalone skills section where you put your most important qualifications. Make sure to:

• Be precise (“Written and verbal communication,” instead of “good communicator”).
• Divide the skills into “Hard Skills” and “Soft Skills.”
• Use no more than 10 skills in total.

See how it should look in an example below:

Hard Skills:

Providing customer support
Product knowledge
JIRA
Zendesk
Salesforce

Soft Skills:

Decision-making
Written and verbal communication
Teamwork and collaboration
Empathy

You can also indicate how advanced your abilities are using descriptive words, such as “Advanced,” “Intermediate,” or “Basic.”

3. Add Your Work-Related Skills to the Experience Section

That is correct; your work history section, which includes summaries of previous jobs, demonstrates the skills you have just highlighted. That is where you must demonstrate that you can apply your skills in real-world work scenarios.

The following sample work history section addresses the requirements of the customer service job post you just read:

Customer Service Representative

XYZ Corp Long Island, NY

April 2018–Present

• Displayed expertise in the characteristics and features of 100+ flagship products.
• Provided support to clients in highly technical roles.
• Worked with a team of 20+ CSRs and Sales Reps, applying Agile frameworks to solving unexpected problems
• such as new complaint types.
• Trained new hires to use JIRA, Zendesk, and Salesforce support tools.
• Commanded by supervisors for quick and efficient decision-making.

4. Weave the Most Relevant Skills Into Your Resume Profile

Yes, you guessed it—for the finest resumes, include a handful of your most relevant skills on the profile as well. After all, you don’t simply inform employers about your skills. You show them.

Let’s stick with our example of a customer service job. The job ad calls for skills in:

• Supporting customers in technical positions
• Problem-solving
• Support tools and software

See how this candidate shows their skills in the below resume summary:

Customer service professional with 2+ years of experience dealing with clients in highly technical roles (1) looking for a Customer Service Associate position at ABC Company. Used Agile frameworks to streamline problem-solving procedures (2) for new complaints, reducing ticket resolution time by 40%. A proficient user of JIRA, Zendesk, and Salesforce (3).