skills section of a resume example

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The Top Skills for your Resume: Examples and Guide

What skills to include, where to place them on your resume, and how to write them.

The skills you put on your resume are vital for showing employers your knowledge quickly. Knowing how to write one also helps incorporate vital keywords into your resume naturally and organically.

The following guide explains the difference between hard and soft skills. It also includes tips on how to write a skills section , what to avoid, and examples of meaningful skills to include on your resume that will help you land your dream job.

With these tips and our AI-powered resume builder , you can figure out the perfect skills that will impress the hiring manager in your sector .

Keep reading!

Example of a Skills Section in a Resume

Let’s start with the basics. Take a look at the following example to get an idea of what skills to put on a resume.

This resume skills section example will help you understand how to list your best qualities and make them align with your position .

Technical Skills:

Proficient in Python, Java, and JavaScript
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Experienced in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign)
Skilled in using project management tools like Trello and Asana
Fluent in English and Spanish
Basic proficiency in French

Soft Skills:

Strong verbal and written communication
Team player and ability to collaborate effectively
Proven adaptability and problem-solving abilities
Resilient organization and time management skills
Excellent customer service and client relations

Industry-Specific Skills:

Experience with CRM software, such as Salesforce
Knowledge of digital marketing tools, such as Google Analytics, for marketing jobs
Familiarity with editing software, such as Final Cut Pro
Proficiency with AutoCAD and SketchUp

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Skills are typically categorized into soft and hard. Both categories encompass the broad range of technical or social abilities that are relevant to a working environment.

Soft skills

Soft skills are developed over time through relations and experience. The return on soft skill training is well worth it as 85% of career success comes from soft skills according to a LinkedIn report.

Also known as social skills, these abilities are considered personal attributes which are positive for jobseekers to bring to a professional situation.

Think of your character and choose some of your best personal traits . Consider how these attributes have either helped you to achieve something or have benefited your career in some way.

Soft skills are advantageous in a wide variety of professions , regardless of the industry or level of position.

How to identify soft skills

Soft skills are often inherent or cultivated over time and experiences. They are your interpersonal skills , such as your abilities to:

Communicate
Adapt

Apart from adding soft skills to a specific section, you can add them throughout your resume . Here’s an example of how you can add them to your experience section :

Marketing Manager ABC Corporation | New York, NY June 2018 – Present

Led a cross-functional team to develop digital marketing strategies, improving lead generation by 25%.
Demonstrated strong communication skills by collaborating with different departments to streamline campaign execution.
Utilized problem-solving abilities to address client feedback and optimize campaigns, resulting in a 15% increase in customer satisfaction.

Hard skills

Hard skills refer to more technical , accumulative abilities specific to certain positions or industries. These key skills for your resume are tangible and usually developed through studies, courses, or on-the-job experience.

Good examples of hard skills for your resume are IT skills or the ability to speak a foreign language . Think about what skills are needed to do your job effectively and your level of proficiency for each.

Do you have any specific computing abilities?
Can you create a project budget or write up bidding contracts?
Are you bilingual or proficient in a second language?

It is important to use a common, general range for measuring your level that all employers understand such as basic , intermediate , or advanced .

How to identify hard skills

Hard skills are acquired and sharpened through formal education , professional courses, or on-the-job experiences .

Some types of hard skills include:

Software knowledge
Engineering

Reflect on your education, past jobs, and certifications to identify these skills. Adding hard skills throughout your resume will also help you land an interview in no time.

Here’s an example of how you can add hard skills to your summary statement if you were a teacher :

Dedicated and compassionate elementary school teacher with 8 years of experience fostering a positive learning environment. Skilled in curriculum development, classroom management, and differentiated instruction to meet diverse student needs. Proficient in using educational technology tools, such as Google Classroom and Smartboards, to enhance learning experiences.

How To Present Your Skills Effectively

Presenting your skills on a resume effectively requires thought, precision, and a bit of strategy.

Essentially, the key is to emphasize relevance . This begins with a keen study of the job description. It’s there where you’ll find a dictionary of keywords that should resonate through your skills section.

The idea is not to echo these skills verbatim but to filter them through your own experiences and proficiency . Each skill should reflect a facet of the job role.

To make sure that your professional and personal (hard and soft) skills are relevant, you can do the following:

Analyze the job description
Research industry-specific skills
Highlight relevant experience
List transferable skills that can be used from your previous sector
Prioritize soft skills if you don’t have transferable skills

Remember, the more precise your skills are, the more they resonate with employers.

How many skills should be on a resume?

If you’re asking yourself, “How many skills should I include on my resume?” it’s important to understand that there is such a thing as too many.

Finding the perfect balance is key. Too few skills could appear unimpressive, while an abundance of skills might be irrelevant and do more harm than good.

The objective is to feature your most relevant skills tailored to the job you’re targeting. For most job seekers, listing 10-15 skills throughout your resume is generally adequate .

Where To List Skills on Your Resume

Listing skills on your resume strategically grants potential employers insight into your assets at the right time.

Placing the skills section after the resume summary or objective and before the work experience section is deemed effective. This placement ensures employers can swiftly acknowledge your skills at a glance.

If you’re just embarking on your career journey or transitioning industries, including the skills section before your work experience may emphasize your relevant skill set and also diminish the focus on the lack of directly related experience.

In addition to a dedicated skills section, weaving in your skills alongside your experiences or achievements can accentuate the practical application of these abilities.

The key is not to merely list your skills in a dedicated section but to substantiate them through real-life examples and scenarios throughout your experience section and professional objective or summary.

Skills for Different Job Roles

First and foremost, start by carefully studying the job description . Chase the keywords you find there and modify your skills section to resonate with the job.

For instance, if you’re applying for a graphic design role, emphasize your proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and layout design, alongside soft skills like attention to detail and effective communication.

The secret ingredient to making your skills section shine when addressing different job roles is specificity and relevance . For every job you apply to, let your skills section speak the language of the role, echoing its unique keywords and requirements.

What Not To Do When Writing Skills For Your Resume

Certain pitfalls must be dodged to present a stellar skills profile:

Avoid vagueness and ambiguity : The skills section of your resume is no place for generalities or undecipherable jargon.
Don’t present an exhaustive list of skills : Keep the list concise and focused, preventing it from becoming a bloated endorsement of every single skill you’ve ever acquired.
Keep a balance between hard skills and soft skills : While hard skills demonstrate your technical prowess, soft skills are often the deciding factor for recruiters.

By steering clear of these, you can craft a skills section that not only accurately represents your abilities but also resonates with potential employers. Make sure you avoid errors by generating useful suggestions with our AI-powered resume builder to help you come up with the best skills for your application.

70+ Example Skills To Add To Your Resume

Not sure what to add?

Our resume editor with AI-powered suggestions . Simply type in the position you are interested in, and you’ll get a number of different skills that would beat Applicant Tracking Systems and catch a hiring manager’s attention.

Below, you can check out a variety of specific keywords for various industries to help you get started.

IT skills or computer-based program knowledge are highly favorable among employers today and they should be listed prominently in your resume . Examples of technical skills to include on your resume are:

Microsoft Office
Social media management software
Graphic design software
iOS / Android
Google Drive

Below are common categories of resume skills you can research and include in your resume to fit the job sector you want to work in, such as blue-collar jobs , management positions, administrative roles, and more.

Financial and analytical skills:

Financial statement analysis
Budget forecasting and management
Business intelligence reporting
Market trend analysis
Cash flow management
Cost-benefit analysis
Risk assessment and mitigation
Data-driven decision making

Communication and interpersonal skills:

Stakeholder communication
Client relationship management
Conflict resolution and mediation
Public speaking and presentations
Persuasive writing and pitching
Cross-cultural communication
Active listening and empathy
Negotiation

Problem-solving and strategic thinking skills:

Team building and motivation
Performance management
Mentoring and coaching
Change management
Delegation and task assignment
Conflict management in teams
Employee engagement strategies
Agile project management

Administrative and organizational efficiency:

Document management and filing systems
Meeting coordination and minute-taking
Calendar management and scheduling
Travel arrangement and logistics
Office supply management
Data entry and database management
Time tracking and productivity optimization
Workflow automation

Marketing and creative content skills:

Brand strategy development
Content creation and copywriting
Social media marketing
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Email marketing campaigns
Graphic design and visual communication
Video production and editing
Marketing analytics and reporting

Construction and trades skills:

Carpentry and woodworking
Electrical wiring and troubleshooting
Plumbing installation and repair
Welding and metal fabrication
Masonry and concrete work
HVAC installation and maintenance
Roofing and waterproofing
Blueprint reading and interpretation

Manufacturing and production skills:

Assembly line operation
Quality control inspection
Forklift operation and material handling
CNC machine programming and operation
Inventory management and stocktaking
Equipment maintenance and repair
Lean manufacturing principles
Occupational health and safety compliance

Key Takeaways

Using a template and builder can make adding relevant or transferable skills to your resume much easier.

However, adding your hard and soft skills needs to be done carefully, which is why it’s critical to remember:

Mix in your hard and soft skills throughout your resume
Highlight the most relevant skills
Focus on 10-15 hard and soft skills
Study the job description to know which skills to add

As the old saying goes, “skills pay the bills”, and with these tips and tools, you’ll know exactly what to add to your resume to land an interview for your dream job !

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