cv skills and abilities section

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Resume Example With a Key Skills Section

Studies have shown that recruiters and hiring managers spend as little as seven seconds reviewing a resume before deciding whether to move forward with a candidate. To get their attention, you need to make a good impression right away.

A key skills section at the top of the page shows the hiring team what you can do without making them weed through a page of work experience, educational credentials, and other qualifications.

Done well, the skills section of your resume emphasizes your ability to do the job and persuades the reader to learn more about you. 

Review the type of skills to include and how to write a resume skills section, get a resume template to download, and review a list of the best skills to highlight in your resume.

What to Include in a Resume Key Skills Section

Your skills section includes your abilities related to the job you're applying for . You should include both " hard skills "—specific, quantifiable attributions such as proficiency in a foreign language, typing speed, or computer software knowledge—and " soft skills " like flexibility, patience, and time management.

Make sure the work experience listed on your resume reflects your skills. Then, when it comes time for an interview, be prepared to provide anecdotes, examples, or additional details supporting these skills.

Resume Example with Key Skills Section

Review this resume example with a key skills section to get ideas for writing your resume. Download the resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) and adapt this template to your own experience – or read the example below and create your own. 

Resume With a Key Skills Section (Text Version)

Jane Applicant 123 Main St. Sarasota, Florida 12345 (123) 456 -7890 jane.applicant@email.com

Skills Summary

• Communication : Award-winning customer service skills. Deals with internal and external customers at all levels via telephone and email to ensure successful communication through active listening and thoughtful questions.
• Problem Solving : Resolves in-depth queries in a methodical manner independently and with internal and external business partners to find appropriate resolutions and efficiencies, all with a high level of quality.
• Team Player : Enjoys sharing knowledge and encouraging the development of others to achieve specific team goals.
• Planning and Organizing : Refined planning and organizational skills that balance work, team support, and ad-hoc responsibilities in a timely and professional manner.
• Systems Knowledge : Peoplesoft and Oracle. Experience in preparing and analyzing reporting data for management accurately and to timescales.

Professional Experience

Asebeth Medical Services, Sarasota, FL HR Coordinator , March 2021-Present  

Collaborated with each office territory and developed processes to enable compliance and recruitment of national field employees following medical client guidelines and contracts.

• Processed background checks, coordinated drug screenings, and expedited preparation and compliance of files to ensure seamless accreditation of health organization.
• Proactively monitored employee files for monthly compliance requirements by utilizing the computer system to generate reports.

Borders Books, Music and Café, Sarasota, FL Interim Operations Manager , November 2020-March 2021

Supervised, coached, and counseled staff of 50 employees.

• Recruited and scheduled staff to ensure balanced coverage at the information desks, on the floor to restock merchandise, and at the cash registers.
• Adapted and revised the weekly schedule to consist of maximum 1400 hours as regulated by the Home Office.

Education & Credentials

Human Resources Certificate, 2019 Sarasota City College, Sarasota, FL

Systems Experience: Advanced skill in Peoplesoft and Oracle

Tips for Creating a Skills Section That Stands Out

When you're crafting your resume, impeccable attention to detail always makes a difference. Taking the time to write compelling but concise descriptions will give you a leg up on the competition. Those targeted descriptions will show you're a fit for the position.

The keywords and terms you use in your resume also make it easier for the employer to review your resume as a potential match for the job.

Match Your Skills Section to the Job Description

Analyze the job listing, paying particular attention to the keywords used to describe the job requirements. Look for the hard and soft skills, experience, and educational background that the employer is looking for and that you possess, and feature those prominently on your resume.

Review these tips for matching your qualifications to a job .

Review Resume Examples

Learn how to craft a skills section that will get the hiring manager’s attention by looking at resume samples and templates . You’ll see how to make your qualifications and experience stand out from the competition while using the limited space above the fold to your advantage.

Pay Attention to Small Details

Make sure your formatting choices are both aesthetically pleasing and consistent in terms of font choice, font sizes, and spacing. Proofread your resume before you send it, and ask a family member or trusted friend to review it for errors and typos, as well.

Best Skills to Include on Your Resume

When you're applying for a job, the best skills to include on your resume will be those that are the closest match to the position for which you're applying. They should also be current and in-demand skills that will be an asset to your resume.

Here's a list of the top skills for resumes , how to include them on your resume, and more examples of resumes with featured skills.

Ladders. " You Have 7.4 Seconds to Make an Impression: How Recruiters See Your Resume ." Accessed July 18, 2021.

CareerOneStop. " Skills and Abilities ." Accessed July 18, 2021.

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How to write your skills on your CV

Read this guide to discover:

• Where to put skills on a CV
• Whether or not to have a dedicated skills section in your CV
• The best skills to put on your CV
• 3 CV skills examples – Administrative Assistant, Software Developer and PR Manager

The skills section of your CV is all about showing the recruiter that you have the right character traits and capabilities for the role.

The layout of your skills depends on the amount of experience you have and the role you are applying for.

If you are coming straight out of education, if you have no relevant experience, or if the role is highly technical in nature, you may want to include a list of your skills right after your personal statement.

For most roles, you should add a skills section after the employment history section.

Generally, skills are divided into two categories: hard and soft.

Hard skills are professional in nature and may be specific to a particular discipline, like video editing, PPC advertising, or Python programming. Soft skills are related to your personal attributes and define how you tend to work. They include things like teamwork, initiative, leadership, and communication.

The key is to include skills in your CV that hiring managers are looking for. To do this, go through the job description and look for any phrases that describe requirements for the role.

For example:

• “The perfect candidate will…”
• “We are looking for someone who can…”
• “To be successful in this role, candidates must have/be able to…”

Take note of the skills that are explicitly required and add them to your CV.

Where to put your skills on your CV?

You have three choices:

• Intelligently describe your skills in the employment history, qualifications, education and hobbies and interests sections of your CV
• Have a dedicated skills section
• Both of the above

Position your dedicated skills section either underneath your personal statement or underneath your employment history.

Here’s where it typical goes in relation to other CV sections:

• Personal information
• Personal statement
• Employment history / Work history / Work experience
• Dedicated skills section (optional)
• Dedicated achievements section (optional)
• Qualifications
• Hobbies and interests

Don’t add references on your CV .

How to format the dedicated “Skills” section of your CV

Add a subheading of “Skills” or “Skills summary”.

It’s best to use bullet points. This will ensure the recruiter can scan them easily.

If you have little or no professional experience, you may want to add your skills after your personal statement instead.

It’s also important to make sure some of the most important skills outlined in the job specification are included in your personal statement and work experience sections.

Options for formatting subheadings

• Use ALL CAPs
• Increase the font size
• Italicise text

How to figure out what skills to put in your CV

Describing skills is difficult. It’s difficult to find the right words or terms to describe your skills. That’s partly because people describe skills in different ways.

So, before starting to write your skills on your CV, you need to do two challenging bits of research:

• Analyse the job description
• Google the job title plus the word “skills”
• Search and analyse other job adverts with the same job title
• Google your current job title plus the word “skills”
• Search and analyse current job adverts for your current job title
• Analyse your previous performance appraisals
• Study the training materials for any courses you’ve taken

Every skill required for the job, that you also possess, should go into your “Skills” section.

If you’re able to also briefly describe a STAR example for each skill, your CV will be even more compelling. Read the detailed “How to use the STAR technique” guide on our sister site Milkround.

Ideally, you’ll add around 5–10 relevant skills. If you have the choice to simply name 10 skills, or to name 5 skills and add STAR examples for each, we advise doing the latter.

Skills to put on your CV

Skills are generally separated into two categories: soft and hard. Below are some examples of both.

Soft skills

Soft skills provide recruiters with insight into what you are like to work with and the way that you take on tasks.

• Time management

Time management skills prove that you are able to work to deadlines and deliver when it’s expected. Punctuality is important in any line of work.

• Problem-solving

Problem-solving skills prove to employers that you can react positively in challenging situations and take a logical approach to find the right solutions.

• Communication

In any line of work, communication is key. These skills highlight your ability to deal with clients and coworkers effectively, whether you are delegating tasks or taking on board instructions.

Initiative reflects your ability to assess a situation, take responsibility, and make decisions for yourself when necessary.

Attention to detail

Attention to detail highlights the care with which you work. High attention to details leads to fewer mistakes, a better quality of output and, ultimately, work that you and your employer can be proud of.

Leadership isn’t a quality that’s exclusively sought after in leaders. Organisations are always on the lookout for employees with the ability to take responsibility and motivate those around them, as well as those with the potential and mentality to progress into more senior roles.

Hard skills

Hard skills reflect your technical expertise, methodologies, and things you have learned from experience in the working world.

Technical skills

Technical skills cover your experience using specialist tools, equipment or software. These can range from Microsoft Office to industrial equipment.

Presentation skills

Presentation skills can be seen as a more specific branch of your communication skills. They reflect your ability to speak confidently to others and explain ideas in an engaging way.

• Computer skills

Most jobs require some form of computer literacy, whether you’re sending emails or working with specialist software. Being up to date with the latest computing technology highlights your ability to work in the modern world.

Analytical skills

Analytical skills can be seen as an extension of your problem-solving ability. They reflect a capability to dive into a specific topic or issue, analyse a situation, and suggest the best way forward.

Research skills

Research skills highlight your ability to focus on a specific topic and deliver insights to your colleagues.

Skills CV examples

Below are three roles, followed by the kind of skills you should list. The skills reflect the likely job specifications and the seniority of the positions.

Administrative Assistant

An example Skills CV section for an Administrative Assistant job.

• Microsoft Office
• Professionalism
• Multitasking
• Telephone Skills
• Editing & Proofreading
• Fluent German

Software Developer

An example Skills CV section for a Software Developer job.

• Automated testing
• Databases: Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server
• Advanced Java
• Advanced Python
• Abstraction

An example Skills CV section for a PR Manager job.

• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communications
• Strong copywriting and content creation
• Ability to prioritise work effectively and juggle multiple tasks at once
• Project and event management
• Relationship building
• Story and narrative development across media sectors
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When thinking about skills for your resume, it’s important to know which will be the most important to employers. From technical skills to interpersonal skills, here’s how to figure it out.

Top 20 Must-Have Skills to Put on Your Resume

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills in Your Resume

Top skills to list in your resume, top soft skills for your resume (examples), — problem-solving skills, — critical thinking skills, — flexibility, — communication skills, — organization skills, — creativity, — emotional intelligence, — attention to detail, — responsibility, top hard skills for your resume (examples), — digital skills, — data analysis, — negotiation, — mathematics, — project management, — marketing, — administrative, — writing skills, — foreign languages, look for target keywords, how to list skills in your resume, sort skills by r elevance, add a highlights section, categorize by skill.

• Process improvements :  information of responsibilities and/or achievements that relate to creating and implementing processes to improve operational efficiencies.
• Customer service skills : content that illustrates how you maintain or improve the customer experience at your company. (find customer service jobs )
• Change management :  information that can relate to restructuring staff, developing training programs for employees, and coaching individuals or groups on company best practices.

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How to Feature Key Skills on Your Resume

A dedicated skills section on your resume can help convey your technical know-how, but there are a few other places where you can showcase your skill set.

Including a skills section on your resume can be a fantastic opportunity to list the specific competencies you’ve developed in order to successfully do a job. Potential employers often look for job skills on your resume, which typically include a mix of technical skills (software and tools you know) and workplace skills (how you do your work and what type of team member you’d be). 

However, there are a few other places on your resume where you can showcase your skill set, building on what you share in your skills section. In this article, we’ll go over the important skills a recruiter or hiring manager likely wants to see on your resume, how to format a specific skills section, and other ways you can highlight your unique talents. 

Resume skills section and formatting 

You have a few different formatting options when it comes to your resume, but the two most common are chronological resume and functional resume. A chronological resume lists out your experience by year and role, usually starting with your most recent position and moving backward. A functional resume , on the other hand, focuses more on your overall skills rather than the defined roles you held.  

When it comes to a resume skills section, a functional resume might seem to make more sense because it provides you with the most space to discuss your distinctive skill set. Instead, thanks to the number of companies that now use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to parse resumes, it may be better to use a chronological resume so that the algorithm accurately reads the scope of your experience. In that case, there are additional ways you can weave your skills throughout a chronological resume, giving you more opportunities than a skills section alone to discuss your know-how. 

Learn more: 10 Ways to Enhance Your Resume

3 ways to highlight skills on your resume

Let’s go over three places on your resume to highlight your skills and strengths: 

1. Dedicated skills section 

Use the skills section on your resume to discuss your technical and workplace skills (sometimes called hard and soft skills). It helps to review a job description, noting the required and recommended skills, so you can list those first (as long as you really do know them).

For example, if you have experience working in several different content management systems (CMS), but a job specifically uses one platform, list that platform first before detailing the others. 

Break up your skills section into bullet points that list out your various skills (the first example below) or group your skills by major job function (the second example below).  

Proficient in C++ and Python

Experience with Django, Laravel, and Meteor

Familiar with Javascript, Kubernetes, Docker

Knowledge of network security protocols

Problem-solving, teamwork, attention to detail

Key skills  

Programming: Python, Java

Frameworks: Django, Meteor, Laravel 

Servers: NGINX and Apache

2. Resume summary or resume objective

Not every resume needs a summary or objective , but they can be useful sections to include when you’re just beginning your career or when you’re looking to pivot to something new. In either case, use that space to mention your workplace and interpersonal skills , including the attributes you think most align with a job description. In the resume summary below, the bolded words are key skills that can suggest your readiness to start a new role. 

Summary: Motivated and discerning brand manager with seven years of leadership experience using data to drive actionable, empathetic insights that lead to higher consumer awareness and engagement.

3. Previous experience 

When you build a chronological resume, each of your previous roles is a space to talk about your experience using action words that can also call attention to your transferable and technical skills . With each bullet point that discusses what you did (and, ideally, the results you achieved), you can reference your wider skill set, augmenting what you share in a skills section. 

Below, you’ll see transferable skills in bold. As you catalog your previous responsibilities, choose words that will help potential employers get a clearer sense of your overall skills. 

Pharmacy technician, XYZ Pharmacy (May 2019—present) 

Managed new and refill prescriptions for over 300 patients, regularly reviewing and organizing medical histories   

Processed patient insurance, resolving conflicts as needed and ensuring quality customer service experience 

Proactively cleaned pharmacy, contributing to the department’s overall order and organization 

3 tips for creating a strong skills section on your resume

There are certain ways you can strengthen the dedicated skills section you include on your resume. Start with the list below. 

1. Know what you’re working with. 

You may not always list every single skill you have on your resume—in fact, doing so may create a more unfocused document— but you should know the skills you have to offer. In that case, it can help to list everything in one place. Reflect on your technical skills, workplace skills, interpersonal skills, and transferable skills, creating a large “master list” you can work from as you tailor your resume. 

2. Tailor your skills for each job. 

Your resume should be a focused document that details your ability to do a job. With that in mind, review each job description and align your skills with the necessary skills a company wants top candidates to have. For example, if a job description mentions “attention to detail,” find a way to spotlight that skill as you discuss your personal experience. 

3. Cut less relevant skills. 

A resume is a finite amount of space. A good rule of thumb is to keep your resume to one page if you have less than ten years of experience and expand it once you have acquired ten years or more. It’s important to be discerning in the skills you need to feature so that you’re including the best ones for each application. As you tailor your resume for each job, cut skills that either aren’t as critical or that aren’t related to the work you’ll be doing. 

Learn more: How Far Back Should Your Resume Go?

Example of a resume skills section

Whether you format your skills using bullet points or categories, your skills section should either appear near the top of your resume or near the bottom. Although there’s no strict rule, it can help to keep it close to your education section and use those sections to supplement your professional experience. Look at the example below for guidance. 

Explore further

Interested in bolstering your resume? Gain fresh insight with the State University of New York’s project-centered course How to Write a Resume . You can also strengthen your resume with a Professional Certificate from Google, IBM, or Meta, which is designed to help you develop job-ready skills in areas like UX design , data science , project management , marketing analytics , and sales . 

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50+ best examples of CV skills to put on your CV

Recruiters do not hire people because of their looks, to help them earn a living, or because of their great sense of humour. The only reason recruiters hire people is because of the skills, abilities and talents they bring to the organisation.

That is it!

The best way to demonstrate your key skills and abilities to the recruiter is by putting them on your CV. Your CV skills will tell the prospective employer that you have the relevant expertise, abilities and know-how to do your job well.

Example of a skills section of a CV (IT professional):

In this article you will find out:

• What skills are and its different types
• Examples of skills that you can put on your CV (from all industries)
• How to write your CV’s skills section and supercharge it for winning interviews!

The 2 different types of skills

Before we dig a lot deeper, let us get to grips with the basics.

Skills can generally be divided into two parts:

• Soft skills: Personal qualities , attributes, characteristics, abilities or traits that enable one to interact and work with others. Examples of soft skills include leadership and interpersonal skills, professional attitude, work ethic and flexibility. Skills that fall under this category are intangible and difficult to quantify, but still very much sought after by employers.
• Hard skills: Specific, quantifiable and teachable skills that enable one to do their job to a good standard. Examples of hard skills include the ability to code, service a car or do complex math calculations. Job-related skills generally fall under this category.

The importance of putting skills in your CV

Some candidates only list down their qualifications and job responsibilities without mentioning any competencies that they possess.

Big mistake!

As previously stated, the only reason employers are interested in you is because of your abilities that add value to their business or organisation.

Your CV is your personal marketing brochure and its aim is to convince the employer that can make a valuable contribution to their organisation. How will you be able to convince the employer of this if you do not include your core skills in your CV?

Your CV is supposed to “sell” you to the employer!

It becomes glaringly clear that if you want to impress the employer your CV should be packed with examples of your skills and abilities that will add value to their organisation. This is the only way of securing a job interview.

Examples of skills to put on your CV

Below you will find lists of key skills that you can write in your CV.

These examples of skills include job-related skills (which are specific to the job), as well as transferable skills (which are applicable to multiple jobs).

How to select the best skills to put in your CV

Decision time!

The best way to determine which key skills to include in your CV is to read the job’s specification or description and identify the competencies that the job requires.

Below is a typical job vacancy with the professional skills identified and highlighted:

A job description is an absolute goldmine of information about the key skills, competencies and abilities that are required for the job!

Once you have identified them, you can now start to write your CV skills section by matching your own abilities with the competencies required for the job.

How to write the skills section of your CV

What not to do.

Some candidates wrongly list down their abilities as follows:

• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent eye for detail
• I can work independently as well as in a team

This is kind of vague and boring, right?

There is a far better more effective way of doing it!

Each entry of your CV skills section should ideally:

• Be constructed in meaningful and descriptive sentences
• Contain facts such as numbers, figures and statistics (if possible)
• Contain real-world examples

Examples of how to write your professional skills on your CV

• IT skills: Experienced in using Microsoft Office, Outlook and Lotus Notes. Having worked with IT organisations before, I am familiar with the latest trends in the industry.
• Sales: I am an excellent sales professional, demonstrated in my previous role as a Sales Representative where I exceeded my sales targets by at least 25% for six consecutive months.
• Advanced communication skills: Reflected in my ability to explain complex design systems to colleagues and clients, and liaising effectively with a range of departments.
• Attention to detail: Adept at dealing with multitudes of information and data, some nearly identical, without any mistakes or omissions.

That is better much better!

Where in your CV do you include your key skills and competencies?

Location on a CV + examples

There are two places in your CV where you should add your skills and abilities:

This is a dedicated section on the second page of your CV:

This is the CV format and location that we recommend because it makes it easier for the employer to find your competencies without having to read every single sentence of your CV, line-by-line, to search for it.

In fact, research has shown that employers tend to skim or scan the candidate’s CVs rather than thoroughly read them.

Another popular place where you should mention your key skills is in the personal profile section of your CV :

The personal profile statement is at the top of your CV (on the first page). This makes it prominent and will less likely be overlooked by recruiters.

• Prospective employers are only interested in the skills, talents and abilities that you bring to the table.
• An effective way to drastically improve the impact of your CV is to include your key skills on it.
• Only include those professional skills that match the competencies on the job description of the job that you are applying for.
• There are two locations where you can do this; in the personal profile section and in the CV skills section. Both these parts should complement (not repeat) each other.
• Ideally, you should aim to write all your skills and competencies in descriptive sentences, backed by facts, figures and real-world examples.

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101 Essential Skills to Put on a Resume in 2023 [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 2023. 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 2023, 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 2023?

To really impress with your skills in 2023, 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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The best skills to include in your CV (with examples)

13 min read · Updated on November 17, 2023

Your guide to showcasing key skills on your CV

Skills are a vital part of your CV. They are crucial to showing an employer that you are qualified to do the job and they're also a ticket to being ranked highly by the applicant tracking system . 

However, incorporating skills into your CV is more complex than it sounds. There are different categories of skills to understand, for instance. Plus, it's essential to select the right skills and include them in your CV in an organic and recognisable way.

Here, we break down what you need to know about CV skills and offer master lists of the skills that could land you your next role.

Soft skills vs hard skills on your CV

We can break skills into two categories: soft and hard skills .

Soft skills are personal attributes and qualities that affect how you do the job. They are often the people skills that help us to read our colleagues, manage situations, and perform well in a workplace environment. 

Soft skills are essential. These types of proficiencies are hard to teach, but the good news is that we develop these skills daily in domestic and professional settings.

Some examples of soft skills to add to your CV include:

Problem-solving

Organisation

Time management

Adaptability

Critical thinking

Active listening

Flexibility

Attention to detail

Communication

On the other hand, hard skills are part of the essential skill set needed to do a job successfully and, as a result, are job-specific. They are sometimes called technical skills , which are often learnt through formal courses and training. 

Hard skills are necessary because they prove to an HR Manager that you have the abilities required to execute the job. For example, if a role calls for proficiency with Google Analytics, that specific knowledge base is a hard skill that determines whether or not you can perform the necessary tasks of the job.

Some examples of hard skills include:

STEM skills

Software proficiencies

Foreign languages

Database management

Design tool use

Social media platforms

Data visualisation

Bookkeeping

How to identify the best CV skills

Before you consider what and how to add key skills to your CV, you need to decide which skills to add by identifying and evaluating your competencies. This step is particularly important if you're a seasoned professional with a broad skill set. Follow this step-by-step approach:

1. Conduct a self-assessment

Your first task is to braindump all the skills you possess. If nothing comes to mind, reflect on your past professional experiences, including the roles you've had and the projects you were part of. Consider the tasks you performed, any challenges you faced and overcame, and your responsibilities.

Once you have a task list, consider specific achievements tied to your responsibilities. Did you achieve any goals or contribute to the success of a team or project? You could also reflect on any feedback you've received recently from performance evaluations, to help identify your strengths and weaknesses.

2. Review the job description

Your next task is to review the job description of your target role. Alternatively, if you haven't found a vacancy you like yet, collate a handful of job descriptions related to the types of positions you're interested in. Read the job description carefully and identify the key skills and qualifications employers seek. Cross-reference your list with your self-assessment and see which skills you can add to your pool.

3. Consult online resources

For more skills inspiration, use online resources within the careers space and skills databases to build up a comprehensive list of industry and role-specific skills. You could also conduct research on LinkedIn, by researching the skills listed by professionals in similar roles or industries.

4. Categorise your skills

By now, you should have a chunky list of skills. Categorise them by skill type, such as hard and soft skills, to cleanse your list. It will make the next step easier!

5. Finalise your list

Based on your self-assessment and industry research, narrow down your list to the most relevant and impactful skills. Ensure you have a balance of technical and transferable skills to show you're a well-rounded professional.

How to add skills to your CV

Including skills on your CV correctly is just as important as possessing a strong skill set. Here are a few ways to approach adding skills to your CV:

List your skills in a Core Competencies section

You can zoom in on your hard and soft skills in a designated Key Skills or Core Competencies section. This highlights your skills at an early stage and in a format that recruiters can scan at a glance. 

A designated skills section will communicate your abilities to the employer loud and clear. Therefore, it's important to be strategic when choosing which abilities to highlight. Use the job description to determine the specific skills that are required for the job and give special attention to any that overlap with your own skill set.

Reference your skills in your employment history

You can also sneak mentions of skills into your employment history. Instead of stating the name of the skill itself, provide an example of when you used it and its impact. Writing your skills this way doesn't just state what you think you can do, it demonstrates your prowess.

For instance, a customer service professional could showcase their communication skills with a bullet point like this:

• Generated a 5-star service rating thanks to an ability to clearly communicate information to customers in a friendly, confident manner

List your skills on a functional CV

If you're changing careers or have no professional experience, you may opt for a functional CV format rather than a traditional chronological CV. On a functional CV, you can create a skills section that lists achievements related to each skill. Your professional experience goes underneath this.

200+ example CV skills

To help you choose the best CV skills, here is an extensive list of hard and soft skills, along with examples of how to phrase them in your work experience on your CV :

Communication skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Presentation 

Negotiation 

Cross-cultural communication

Conflict resolution

Client communication

Adaptability in communication style

Feedback management

Giving constructive criticism

Social skills

Examples of communication skills on a CV

Established and maintained strong client relationships through regular communication, resulting in a 25% increase in customer satisfaction

Successfully negotiated contracts with vendors, achieving a 15% cost reduction while maintaining quality standards

Led weekly team meetings, fostering open dialogue and ensuring project goal and objective alignment

Computer / IT skills

Microsoft 365

Google Suite

Proficiency in programming languages

Computer networking

Systems administration

Troubleshooting

Front-end and back-end development

Cloud computing

DevOps practices

Example of computer skills on a CV

Proficient in using Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) for document creation, data analysis, presentations, and email management

Implemented and managed cybersecurity measures to safeguard systems and data from potential threats and unauthorised access

Implemented and managed cloud computing solutions, leveraging AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud platforms for scalable and flexible infrastructure

Active listening skills

Non-verbal communication

Note-taking

Employee concerns resolution

Stakeholder engagement

Examples of active listening skills on a CV

Displayed empathy in client interactions, improving customer satisfaction scores and positive online reviews

Engaged with stakeholders to understand their perspectives, ensuring alignment of project goals with organisational objectives

Resolved conflict within the team by listening to both sides and finding common ground 

Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal intelligence

Relationship building

Conflict resolution 

Cultural sensitivity

Emotional intelligence

Trust building

Examples of interpersonal skills on a CV

Cultivated and maintained strong relationships with clients, resulting in a 30% increase in repeat business

Navigated and respected cultural differences within the team, promoting inclusivity and understanding

Built trust among team members through consistent communication and reliability, improving team cohesion

Teamwork skills

Contributing ideas

Cross-functional collaboration

Group decision-making

Team motivation

Open communication

Recognition of contribution

Building rapport

Examples of teamwork skills on a CV

Motivated team members during challenging project phases, fostering a positive, high-performance team culture

Collaboratively solved complex problems within the team, leveraging the diverse skill sets of team members

Recognised and acknowledged team members' contributions, fostering a sense of accomplishment and motivation

Problem solving skills

Developing innovative solutions

Conceptual skills

Data-driven decision making

Continuous improvement

Decision-making under pressure

Problem prevention

Examples of problem solving skills on a CV

Applied critical thinking to analyse complex problems, leading to successful resolution of challenges within tight deadlines

Developed creative solutions to streamline workflow processes, resulting in a 15% increase in overall efficiency

Successfully navigated and adapted to changes in project scope, ensuring continued success in dynamic environments

Time management skills

Time tracking and reporting

Project prioritisation

Goal setting

Efficient task execution

Deadline and schedule adherence

Productive use of time

Meeting management

Examples of time management skills on a CV

Implemented time-tracking systems, providing accurate reports for project timelines and resource allocation

Conducted efficient and focused meetings, optimising time utilisation and ensuring clear communication of objectives

Effectively prioritised tasks, ensuring timely completion of critical projects and exceeding stakeholder expectations

Organisational skills

Physical organisation

Mental organisation

Planning 

Document management

Prioritising

Resource management

Examples of organisational skills on a CV

Established an efficient document management system, ensuring easy access to critical information and enhancing team collaboration

Implemented task-tracking systems, providing real-time updates on project progress and identifying areas for improvement

Oversaw logistical planning for projects, coordinating activities to ensure seamless execution

Transferable skills

Examples of transferable skills on a cv.

Displayed leadership potential by taking initiative in challenging situations and motivating team members

Demonstrated strong time-management skills, consistently meeting deadlines and achieving project milestones

Applied critical thinking to evaluate situations from different perspectives, leading to well-informed decision-making

Leadership skills

Strategic planning

Team management

Stakeholder management

Empowerment and motivation

Examples of leadership skills on a CV

Guided the team through the strategic decision-making processes, contributing to the successful implementation of key initiatives

Empowered team members by delegating responsibilities and fostering a sense of ownership in project outcomes

Set clear and achievable goals for the team, providing direction and purpose in daily tasks

Management skills

Budget management

Performance evaluation

Talent acquisition

Coordination

Public speaking

Decision making

Examples of management skills on a CV

Made informed decisions based on data analysis and team input, contributing to successful project outcomes

Provided coaching and mentoring, fostering professional growth and development within the team

Developed and executed strategic plans, aligning departmental objectives with overall organisational goals

Analytical skills

Data analysis

Forecasting

Data mining

Analytical reasoning

Cost-benefit analysis

Risk assessment

Examples of analytical skills on a CV

Used statistical models to forecast market trends, enabling proactive business planning

Analysed complex data sets to extract meaningful insights, informing strategic business decisions

Conducted risk assessments to identify potential challenges and implemented mitigation strategies

Sales skills

Product knowledge

Rapport building

Conflict management and resolution

Salesforce software

Negotiation skills

Sales forecasting

Pipeline management

Presentation skills

Examples of sales skills on a CV

Negotiated contracts with clients and vendors, achieving favourable terms and fostering positive relationships

Developed and delivered persuasive sales presentations, contributing to profitable client acquisition

Managed and maintained a robust sales pipeline, ensuring consistent business growth

Customer service skills

Clear communication

Customer retention 

Customer satisfaction

Proactivity

Examples of customer service skills on a CV

Addressed customer issues with empathy, leading to swift and satisfactory problem resolution

Anticipated customer needs and proactively provided solutions, exceeding customer expectations

Demonstrated patience in handling challenging customer situations, ensuring positive outcomes and customer satisfaction

Administration skills

Office management

Document control

Proficiency with Microsoft 365 or Google Suite

Email management

Enquiry resolution 

Travel coordination

Examples of administration skills on a CV

Coordinated travel arrangements for executives and team members, ensuring smooth business operations

Efficiently managed and organised a high volume of emails, enabling timely responses and prioritising critical communication

Implemented a document control system to improve accuracy and accessibility of critical information

Business skills

Business acumen

Financial literacy

Market analysis

SWOT analysis

Strategic partnership building 

Examples of business skills on a CV

Demonstrated strong financial literacy, effectively managing departmental budgets and optimising resource allocation for financial sustainability

Conducted in-depth SWOT analyses, identifying internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats to inform strategic decision-making

Identified, cultivated, and established strategic partnerships, expanding business opportunities and fostering collaborative growth

Marketing skills

Copywriting

Google Analytics

Creative thinking

SEO (search engine optimisation)

Content creation

Campaign management

Social media

Market positioning

Market segmentation 

Examples of marketing skills on a CV

Successfully managed marketing campaigns from conception to execution, achieving measurable increases in brand awareness

Developed and implemented effective social media strategies, increasing brand visibility and engagement

Used data analytics to refine marketing strategies, ensuring targeted and effective campaigns

Finance skills

Accounting and bookkeeping

Cash flow management

Financial modelling

Financial analysis

Budget planning

Sage, Xero and QuickBooks

Audit preparedness

Invoicing and purchase orders

Examples of finance skills on a CV

Demonstrated proficiency in using accounting software such as Sage, Xero, and QuickBooks, ensuring accurate and efficient financial management

Managed invoicing processes and purchase orders efficiently, resulting in timely and accurate financial transactions

Effectively managed cash flow to ensure liquidity and meet financial obligations, optimising financial stability

Retail skills

Ability to work under pressure

Product rotation

Cash handling

Point-of-sale (POS) system

Loss prevention

Customer engagement

Inventory control

Visual merchandising

Examples of retail skills on a CV

Thrived in fast-paced retail environments, effectively managing tasks and delivering exceptional customer service under pressure

Implemented measures to prevent loss through theft or damages, ensuring the profitability and security of the retail operation

Designed and maintained visually appealing displays, attracting customer attention and positively impacting sales

Teaching skills

Curriculum development

Activity planning

Educational software use

Classroom management

Assessment and feedback

Cultural understanding

Classroom innovation

Special needs differentiation 

Examples of teaching skills on a CV

Developed engaging and age-appropriate activities aligned with curriculum objectives, fostering interactive and participatory learning experiences

Effectively integrated educational software into lessons, leveraging technology to enhance student understanding and engagement

Developed and implemented effective classroom management strategies, promoting a positive and focused learning environment 

Creative skills

Open-mindedness

Artistic creativity (music, art, design, writing)

Visualisation

Storytelling

Innovative thinking

Examples of creative skills on a CV

Applied innovative thinking to projects, challenging conventional ideas and introducing fresh perspectives for creative breakthroughs

Mastered the art of storytelling, weaving narratives that captivated and engaged audiences across various media

Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, approaching challenges with creativity to find innovative solutions

Whether soft or hard, CV skills are how you can show an employer that you can execute (and excel in) a job. Therefore, choosing the right skills and strategically highlighting them on your CV will be key to impressing and landing your next interview. You've developed a respectable toolbox of proficiencies throughout your career; make sure you put it to good use in your job search.

We can make sure you're including your key skills the right way. Request a free CV review today!

This article was originally written by Lauren Settembrino and has been updated by Laura Slingo.

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